Thursday, July 25, 2024

CHOPARD – L.U.C Quattro Spirit 25 'Year of the Dragon’ Edition

 

CHOPARD L.U.C Quattro Spirit 25 'Year of the Dragon’ 40mm Rose Gold Exclusive Edition 2024

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A technical feat presented for the first time on the occasion of Chopard Manufacture's 25th anniversary, the L.U.C 98.06-L jumping-hour movement equips an exclusive new edition of the L.U.C Quattro Spirit 25 timepiece inspired by year of the dragon symbols. 

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In this eight-piece limited series whose quality is certified by the Poinçon de Genève hallmark, the 40 mm-diameter case in ethical 18-carat rose gold frames a dial entirely hand-engraved with a majestic dragon motif. 

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Equipped with the four barrels characterising the exclusive Chopard Quattro technology offering an up to eight-day power reserve, the L.U.C 98.06-L movement places this model among the rare jumping-hour watches endowed with such autonomy.

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Inspired by the year of the dragon and its rich symbolism, Chopard Manufacture merges the aesthetic theme of the Chinese zodiac with its jumping-hour watch. The first creature to appear in Chinese myths and legends, the dragon represents imperial authority, wealth and fertility, as well as being a sign of good fortune. Combining tradition and innovation, this exceptional L.U.C Quattro Spirit 25 model testifies to the Manufacture's dedication to the art of watchmaking and to celebrating the world's cultures.

Artistic Crafts: a dragon entirely hand-engraved in-house

At the heart of the case in ethical 18-carat rose gold – with its rounded shapes inspired by the hunter-type cases of the pocket watches once designed by Louis-Ulysse Chopard – the Manufacture has placed an exceptional gold dial whose motif is a masterpiece of hand engraving. 

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Resulting from over 100 hours of meticulous craftsmanship, the dragon is depicted according to a tapestry dating from the Qing dynasty, viewed from the front and asserting its imposing, sovereign nature, majestic mane, front paws raised skywards and rear paws skimming the waves. 

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The reliefs carved into the material using traditional burins, burnishers and chisels are highlighted by a patina that gives the dial an antique appearance. The infinitely small surface area of the dial – less than 40 millimetres in diameter and just one millimetre thick – calls for surgical precision. The integration of this Artistic Craft is representative of Chopard Co-President Karl-Friedrich Scheufele’s determination to create – with Chopard Manufacture – a centre of excellence dedicated to perpetuating traditional watchmaking expertise.

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Chopard has chosen to pair this watch with a strap in salmon leather, featuring a texture evoking the scales on the dragon’s body.

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Innovation: a jumping-hour function with a generous power reserve enabled by Chopard Quattro technology

With its L.U.C Quattro Spirit 25 timepiece, Chopard Manufacture presents its interpretation of a horological complication greatly prized by connoisseurs: the jumping hour. The L.U.C 98.06-L movement equipping this limited series is one of the few in this category of watches – which generally consume a great deal of energy – to offer up to eight days of power reserve. 

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Thanks to the four stacked and series-coupled barrels based on the unique Chopard Quattro technology – which usually allows up to 216 hours of autonomy – the L.U.C Quattro Spirit 25 maintains a reserve above 190 hours despite the amount of energy required for the instant rotation of the hours disc. This power reserve can be tracked using the indicator engraved on the movement, visible through the transparent case-back.

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Together, the four barrels comprise almost two metres of spring. In addition to providing a more generous power reserve, they ensure greater accuracy because the energy transmitted is more evenly distributed. The energy delivered to the escapement is more constant, as is the amplitude, thus enabling high levels of chronometric (precision timekeeping) performance.

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Visible through an exhibition case-back, this highly complicated mechanical hand-wound movement guarantees reliability and precision within an overall thickness of just 4.85 millimetres. The balance-spring is equipped with a Phillips terminal curve that guarantees the regulating organ’s precision throughout the movement’s operation – a feat of which only authentic Haute Horlogerie Manufactures are capable. It features a swan’s neck regulator enabling more precise timing of the balance frequency and hence the rate of the watch, by helping to fine-tune the active length of the balance-spring. In addition to its technical benefits, this device also endows the calibre with a more sophisticated aesthetic.

Sustainability

Gold is an essential material in our production. This is why we have made special efforts to ensure that one of the major steps in our journey towards sustainable luxury is sourcing gold mined responsibly for all of our watch and jewelry production. This goal was achieved in July 2018, when our workshops began using 100% ethical gold that meets the most stringent international environmental and social standards. Specifically, our ethical gold comes from two transparent and traceable systems: responsibly produced artisanal gold and recycled gold certified by the Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC). Artisanal and small-scale mining involves millions of men and women around the world, individuals working alone, with their families, or in cooperatives, using basic exploration, extraction, and processing methods. Responsible extraction of artisanal and small-scale produced gold is essential to our sourcing strategy, as it allows us to achieve full traceability from the mine to the finished product and contribute to significant socio-economic and environmental impact. The RJC's CoC standard defines the requirements for identifying and tracking "eligible materials," including certified recycled gold from legitimate sources. Since 1978, we have been one of the first watch and jewelry manufacturers to have our own foundry. Thanks to this independent approach, we are now not only able to guarantee the origin of the gold we use in our workshops, but also to remelt our production scraps into gold.

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TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
 
Collection : L.U.C

Model:  L.U.C Quattro Spirit 25 'Year of the Dragon’ Edition

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Reference:  161977-1007   

Case
    Material: Ethical 18-carat rose gold
    Diameter: 40.00 mm
    Thickness 10.30 mm
    Crown in 18-carat rose gold with L.U.C logo: 7.00 mm
    Vertical satin-brushed case-middle and interhorn space
    Polished bezel and case-back
    Glare-proofed sapphire crystal     
    Exhibition back
    Water resistance 50
metres
Dial and hands
    Dial in ethical 18-carat rose gold engraved with a dragon motif
    Gilded Dauphine fusée minutes hand
    Gilded baton-type hand for the power-reserve indicator

Movement
    Calibre L.U.C 98.06-L
    Mechanical movement with manual winding
    Diameter: 31.80 mm
    Thickness: 4.85 mm
    Number of jewels: 42
    Number of parts: 240
    Frequency: 28,800 vph (4 Hz)
    Power reserve of 192 hours (8 days)

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    Jumping hours
    Four barrels – exclusive Chopard Quattro® technology
    Bridges with Côtes de Genève motif and gilded engravings
    Swan’s neck fine adjustment
    Balance-spring with Phillips terminal curve
    Poinçon de Genève quality hallmark

Functions/Indications
    Instantaneous jumping-hours display in a 6 o’clock aperture
    Pointer-type central display of the minutes
    Power-reserve indicator at 12 o’clock on the back of the watch
    Balance-stop function, enabling accurate adjustments of the hour (and the displayed minute)

Strap and buckle
    Hand-sewn strap in burgundy salmon leather
    Polished and satin-brushed pin buckle in ethical 18-carat rose gold


🔴 PriceMSRP: 86’000 CHF / 97'500 USD / EUR 97'200 💰 

🔰Availability: limited to ✅only ❱❱❱ 8 pieces

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Press Release - 2024
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www.facebook.com - Chopard
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www.Сhopard.com

Wednesday, July 24, 2024

VOUTILAINEN – KV20i Reversed

 

VOUTILAINEN Current KV20i Reversed 2024

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The Voutilainen KV20i Reversed timepiece perfectly encapsulates Kari Voutilainen’s philosophy, combining respect for longevity and precision with classical watchmaking tradition. Pushing the boundaries of horology, the watch is equipped with a new in-house caliber featuring a unique “back-to-front” construction. 

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The movement has been reversed, allowing to admire its beauty and technicity from the front while reading the time. 

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The mechanism of the KV20i was designed, built, fabricated, finished and assembled within the Voutilainen workshops.

Thanks to its innovative architecture, the watch offers the opportunity to admire every detail of the movement, including the elegant single-arm balance-wheel bridge and the balance oscillating at a traditional frequency. 

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Additionally, it enables enthusiasts to appreciate at first glance the synchronized motions of the escapement wheels. On the case back, a blue sub-dial elegantly displays the seconds, reminiscent of the blue minute circle on the front adorned with polished gold quarter dots.

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In terms of technique, the caliber features a very large balance wheel crafted in-house, allowing a perfect regulation of the watch within strict tolerances. To equip such a timepiece, a rare and unique balance-spring system has been used. 

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The exterior of the spring has a typical Phillips overcoil, while the internal curve uses the little-known Grossmann curve, further increasing accuracy.

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The movement is particularly remarkable due to its two escapement wheels, which provide a direct impulse to the balance through the roller/jewel. This innovative construction improves efficiency by requiring less energy than the Swiss lever escapement and allows for notable benefits, for everyday use, such as longevity, stability and a longer power reserve.  

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Thanks to the reversed mechanism, it is possible to admire the movement that is meticulously finished to the highest standards by the expert artisans of the Voutilainen workshops. The surfaces of pinions and wheels are completely flat and polished with exceptionally uniform tolerances. 

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The main plate and bridges, made from German-silver, are decorated by hand to achieve the utmost levels of surface finish. Screws and all steel parts are also finished and polished by hand.

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Completing the design, the movement is housed in a stylish and elegant 39mm case paired with a hand-sewn crocodile leather strap.

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Technical Characteristics

 Model Name  Current KV20i Reversed

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Ref: KV22i


Case
    Material: Available in titanium, platinum, gold, or steel
    Case and crown made in-house
    Diameter : 39mm
    Sapphire glasses front and back with anti-reflection treatment
Dial and hands
    Blue dial on the front side surrounding the movement with polished gold quarter dots
    Blue dial on the caseback that can be hand-guilloché upon the customer’s wish
    Hands made from gold
Movement
    New Voutilainen in-house reversed movement, two escapement wheels with direct impulse
    Design, construction, fabrication, finishing and assembly in the Voutilainen workshops \
    Movement diameter : 30.00 mm
    Number of components : 202
    Main plate and bridges manufactured from German-silver
    Wheels made from gold
    Number of jewels: 31
    Power reserve of 60
hours
    Frequency : 18,000 v.p.h, free sprung balance wheel with rose gold timing weights
    Balance diameter : 13.50mm
    Balance-spring with Phillips terminal curve and Grossmann internal curve
Functions/Indications
    Hours, minutes, seconds
Strap and buckle
    Hand-sewn crocodile strap

🔴PRICE:    (all prices ex VAT) 💰
    CHF 118'800 Stainless steel
    CHF 124'800 White gold  
    CHF 134’900 Platinum
    CHF 121'600 Rose gold

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Press Release - 2024
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Kari Voutilainen
Voutilainen Horlogerie d’Art
Comblémine 2
2112 Môtiers | Switzerland
Tél +41 32 861 4832
Fax +41 32 861 4833
voutilainen@voutilainen.ch
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www.Voutilainen.ch