Chopard celebrates Mexican culture through extraordinary artistic craftsmanship, combining intricate straw and eggshell marquetry with its award-winning minute repeater.
Chopard has a continued tradition of honouring Mexico’s Day of the Dead, with the latest timepiece to celebrate this occasion being a unique interpretation of one of its most accomplished timepieces, the L.U.C Full Strike ‘Día de los Muertos’. This is now the 13th edition honouring this Mexican tradition, and it is a unique creation that combines traditional artistic craftsmanship with one of the Maison’s most technically accomplished and complex movements.
Traditionally observed at the beginning of November, the Day of the Dead, or Día de los Muertos, is a Mexican celebration dedicated to remembering and honouring loved ones who have passed away. This is done by embracing remembrance, family, colour, and festivity, recognising death as part of the natural cycle of life. One of the most recognisable elements of this celebration is the calavera, a decorative skull that features vibrant colours and patterns, expressing the joyful and celebratory nature of the occasion.
The L.U.C Full Strike ‘Día de los Muertos’ has featured this cultural symbol as the main centrepiece in previous editions, giving it a beautiful artistic interpretation through rare techniques that bring the calavera to life in a way that goes far beyond conventional dial decoration.
Intricate Engravings And 160 Hours Of Exceptional Artistic Craftsmanship!
The L.U.C Full Strike ‘Día de los Muertos’ Edition 13 comes presented in a 42.5mm case that is crafted entirely from 18-carat ethical rose gold, giving the watch a warm appearance that contrasts beautifully against the dial. The watch features an exceptionally complicated minute repeater movement inside. However, despite this, the case measures just 11.55mm thick, giving it a relatively restrained profile despite the overall complexity.
The architecture of the L.U.C Full Strike is retained, with the gently curved lugs and polished surfaces throughout giving it a luxurious aesthetic. However, where this case really comes to life is through the extensive hand engraving.
Throughout previous L.U.C Full Strike ‘Día de los Muertos’ editions, Chopard has always taken the decorative elements of the calavera beyond the dial and onto the exterior of the watch. These hand engravings extend from the bezel to the entirety of the case, including the lugs themselves.
The dial is undoubtedly the standout feature of this creation, as it has so many different elements that reflect the Manufacture’s commitment to preserving rare traditional skills. It depicts a vibrant blue calavera, where the intricate details showcase the colourful and celebratory nature of this Mexican tradition. The dial is built upon an 18-carat ethical rose gold base and combines deep-blue straw marquetry, eggshell marquetry (a first for the Maison), black lacquer, hand engraving, and satin finishing to create this stunning imagery.
There is so much intricate detail and fine craftsmanship in the dial that makes it a beautiful dedication to ‘Día de los Muertos’. From the calavera’s large eye sockets, prominent teeth, and elaborate geometric patterns to the particularly charming detail of the calavera’s moustache, crafted from hand-engraved gold with a satin-brushed finish and featuring the L.U.Chopard logo in relief; it’s these minute details that bring the overall visual charm of the skull to life.
Chopard reveals that the entire dial requires approximately 160 hours of work by a single artisan, demonstrating not only the incredible level of detail but also the immense patience and precision required to bring this timepiece to life. The deep-blue straw marquetry, for example, requires more than 70 individually selected fragments of rye straw, grown in France, carefully split, shaped and positioned by hand. The eggshell pieces of the marquetry are meticulously arranged over black lacquer, with the density of the fragments increasing towards the outer edges of the eyes to create an overall gradient effect.
Award-Winning Acoustics Meet Haute Horlogerie
Powering this incredible one-of-a-kind creation is Chopard’s own manually wound L.U.C Calibre 08.01-L. This is the same groundbreaking minute repeater movement that was first introduced by the Manufacture in 2016. The L.U.C Calibre 08.01-L is made up of an impressive 533 individual components and operates at a frequency of 4Hz (28,800 VpH), while delivering a 60-hour power reserve.
One of the distinctive elements of this movement is the patented monobloc sapphire construction, an innovation where the minute repeater’s gongs and the watch’s sapphire crystal are machined from a single piece of sapphire. In traditional timepieces, we are accustomed to seeing minute repeaters using separate metal gongs. However, with this design, Chopard allows the sapphire crystal itself to act as the resonator, transmitting vibrations directly into the surrounding air to produce sound with exceptional clarity and resonance.
The L.U.C Calibre 08.01-L is truly a masterpiece of watchmaking from the brand, as it features five proprietary patents covering innovations designed to improve the reliability, performance and acoustic qualities of the minute repeater. While the majority of the movement is concealed by the caseback’s surrounding structure, we are still treated to some beautiful watchmaking finishes, including bridges featuring traditional Côtes de Genève decoration.
Initial Thoughts
The L.U.C Full Strike ‘Día de los Muertos’ Edition 13 truly is a fine work of art, showcasing the brand’s depth when it comes to Métiers d’Art timepieces. The dial itself is a mixture of skeletonisation and different artistic elements, which is exactly what the calavera, a beautifully decorated skull, portrays through the joyfulness of the Day of the Dead. The details of the dial are immaculate too, from the two power reserve indicators at 2 o’clock to the exposed mechanical components at 8 o’clock and the minute repeater mechanism at 10 o’clock, showcasing the hammers responsible for producing the chimes.
While the calavera is an iconic symbol of the Day of the Dead and a signature design of the L.U.C Full Strike ‘Día de los Muertos’, Chopard has executed it beautifully, keeping it bold, unconventional, and the centre of attention. What I also like about this creation is how well Chopard has continued the geometric arrangement of dyed blue rye straw onto the case itself, reflected through the intricate hand-engraved patterns. This one-of-a-kind timepiece, the L.U.C Full Strike ‘Día de los Muertos’ Edition 13, offers a level of exclusivity that goes beyond conventional limited-edition watchmaking, all while celebrating Mexican culture.
Chopard L.U.C Full Strike ‘Día de los Muertos’ Edition 13
Reference & Specifications
| Feature | Specification |
|---|---|
| Reference | 161947-5007 |
| Dimensions | 42.5mm case diameter x 11.55mm thickness |
| Case | 18-carat ethical rose gold with hand-engraved bezel, caseband, lugs and crown |
| Dial | 18-carat ethical rose gold base with blue straw marquetry, eggshell marquetry, black lacquer, hand engraving and satin finishing |
| Crystal | Glare-proofed sapphire crystal |
| Caseback | Hand-engraved and polished exhibition caseback |
| Movement | Manual-winding L.U.C Calibre 08.01-L, minute repeater, 533 components, 63 jewels |
| Power Reserve | 60 hours |
| Beat Rate | 4Hz / 28,800VpH |
| Water Resistance | Splash-proof |
| Strap/Bracelet | Hand-sewn cognac-brown alligator leather strap with tone-on-tone lining and hand-engraved 18-carat ethical rose gold deployant clasp |