Chopard has unveiled its most mechanically sophisticated timepiece to date—the Lopard L.U.C Grand Strike—marking a historic achievement in haute horology. This exceptional watch represents the culmination of over 11,000 hours of dedicated research and development, entirely conceived and manufactured within Chopard’s own workshops.
The Grand Strike stands as the purest expression of Chopard’s mechanical excellence, featuring three groundbreaking complications seamlessly integrated into one masterpiece: a grande sonnerie, petite sonnerie, and a 60-second tourbillon. The timepiece boasts ten technical patents, with five specifically developed for this creation, making it the most complex instrument ever produced by the Swiss manufacturer.
Encased in 43mm of ethical white gold, the watch presents a striking openworked design that reveals the meticulously hand-finished L.U.C 08.03-L movement comprising 686 components. The transparent architecture allows full visibility of the synchronized steel hammers positioned at 10 o’clock, which strike specially engineered sapphire crystal gongs to produce remarkably pure acoustic tones.
Beyond its musical capabilities, the timepiece maintains exceptional precision, carrying both COSC chronometer certification and the prestigious Poinçon de Genève hallmark. The movement operates at 4 Hz with a substantial 70-hour power reserve, while maintaining a wearable profile of just 14.08mm thickness. The watch is completed with hand-sewn alligator straps in grey or deep blue, secured with an ethical white-gold folding clasp.
This achievement represents more than two decades of dedicated research into chiming watch mechanisms, establishing new standards in both auditory excellence and mechanical complexity within contemporary watchmaking.