- Chopard’s first watch with a straw marquetry dial, crafted by hand using dyed rye straw.
- This rare complication delivers an instantaneous jumping hour with an impressive eight-day power reserve.
- Honeycomb motif honours the bee, a symbol of Chopard’s artisanal ethos.
As Chopard celebrates the 25th anniversary of its Quattro technology, the Swiss luxury Maison has unveiled a trio of exceptional timepieces at this year’s Watches & Wonders that continue to push the boundaries of what can only be considered one of the most remarkable feats in contemporary watchmaking.
At the heart of Chopard’s Quattro release is a movement that remains unmatched: a manually wound calibre equipped with four stacked barrels — totalling nearly two metres of springs — capable of delivering an astonishing nine-day power reserve.
First introduced in 2000, this movement was developed entirely in-house at Chopard Manufacture. It was a groundbreaking configuration that truly celebrated the Swiss brand’s glowing in-house capabilities. Not only was this configuration built to last, but it also delivered remarkable precision by maintaining constant force to the escapement. The result was a superior COSC-certified chronometric performance and the ability to create ultra-slim movements without compromising on power or reliability.
Today’s release sees Chopard flexing its technical prowess once more, introducing exquisite pieces to the Quattro collection.
Chopard L.U.C. Quattro
First up, this year’s core model, the Chopard Quattro, arrives in a 39mm, 18-carat rose gold case that has been subtly reshaped with vertical satin-brushed flanks and a domed bezel – a silhouette inspired by Louis-Ulysse Chopard’s pocket watches of the 19th century. The deep blue dial boasts a frosted texture and contrasting rose gold indices for a classically elegant but thoroughly modern look.
For purists, the Platinum Mark IV also arrives in 39mm, but is impossibly slim at 10.4mm. This piece features a luminous sky-blue PVD-treated dial and white gold accents, along with the Swiss luxury Maison’s discreet new signature for all its contemporary platinum creations, a hand-engraved bee.
And then there’s the collection’s most opulent piece (because, let’s face it, every new release needs one), the L.U.C Quattro Spirit 25 – Straw Marquetry Edition.
Limited to just eight pieces, this jumping-hour masterpiece combines Chopard’s technical prowess with an artisanal dial made entirely from hand-cut, hand-dyed rye straw sourced from Burgundy. This bespoke honeycomb motif is one of Chopard’s most laborious timepieces yet. Each individual hexagonal component must be cut, shaped and glued by hand, with minute variations attributed to each piece to give the piece’s glowing texture.
More than a birthday tribute, this is undoubtedly a labour of love for Chopard’s technicians at the manufacture’s Geneva and Fleurier workshops, embracing past innovations while quietly carving out the next chapters of what’s possible in haute horlogerie.
