It might come as a surprise, but Chopard had not yet launched a watch with a flying tourbillon before the L.U.C Flying T Twin, which premiered at Baselworld 2019.

While Chopard has long mastered the tourbillon, those released until now – like the L.U.C Tourbillon QF Fairmined – have always been fitted with a traditional top bridge.

Chopard L.U.C Flying T Twin

With the release of the L.U.C Flying T Twin, this streak now comes to an end as this watch introduces the brand’s very first flying tourbillon!

Chopard L.U.C Flying T Twin: technical refinement

What was Chopard waiting for? I have no idea, but I will make it a point to ask co-president Karl-Friedrich Scheufele next time I run into him.

Flying tourbillon of the Chopard L.U.C Flying T Twin

I do, however, suspect that the brand didn’t want to “just” create a flying tourbillon, but rather wait until its skills were honed to be able to launch one that would immediately take a prominent position among its peers. If that was indeed Chopard’s strategy, it paid off – and paid off well!

The L.U.C Flying T Twin is technically very refined. Its movement, Caliber 96.24-L, packs a punch yet is very slender at only 3.3 mm high.

Chopard L.U.C Flying T Twin

Despite the svelte height, it does manage to include Chopard’s patented Twin technology, which comprises two stacked mainspring barrels providing the watch with a power reserve of a very generous 65 hours. Not that you have to worry about it running down anytime soon, as the movement’s 22-karat gold micro rotor keeps the barrels well supplied with power when the watch is worn.

View though the display back to the movement of the Chopard L.U.C Flying T Twin

The L.U.C Flying T Twin is also equipped with hacking seconds, allowing the wearer to set the time to the exact second, which is not only a nice feature but also makes sense as the Flying T Twin is certified by the C.O.S.C. as an official chronometer.

Chopard L.U.C Flying T Twin

To our knowledge, this is only the fifth wristwatch tourbillon in history to include hacking seconds after A. Lange & Söhne introduced the technical delicacy with its 2008 Cabaret Tourbillon. Another is the intriguing Grönefeld Parallax Tourbillon.

The C.O.S.C. is not the only certification awarded this watch: it has also been given the Geneva Seal, testifying to its incredibly high hand-finish.

Chopard L.U.C Flying T Twin

Chopard L.U.C Flying T Twin: crafted with conscience

Do we still need to mention that this watch is crafted in Fairmined gold, the new standard at Chopard?

Yes, we do because it makes all the difference in the world, and Chopard is the only manufacture making such a strong and meaningful commitment. As of July 2018, all the gold that Chopard uses for its watches and jewelry is from a certified, 100-percent ethical origin.

Chopard L.U.C Flying T Twin

This is quite a challenge for Chopard, as it means that the company purchases its gold from small mining cooperations, often consisting of a village or rural community.

What makes this gold ethical is that these people are not only paid a fair amount for the supplied gold but also that Chopard is paying a premium. This money is invested back in the communities for schools and sanitary facilities, but also education as the miners are taught how to mine with a minimum of impact to the environment.

Education is very important as these communities live where they mine, and destroying that for short-term gain would compromise their futures. Normally when a company such as Chopard buys gold, it is supplied in bulk. But by dealing with these small communities, the brand needs to build and maintain a network of them to get enough supply of gold to sustain its production.

While this sounds like business insanity in terms of the bottom line, Chopard touches the lives of countless real people with meaningful impact even before the products are made and ready for clients.

Chopard L.U.C Flying T Twin

Chopard L.U.C Flying T Twin: gentlemen approved

When it comes to slim, gold watches, I am always very picky. Even the smallest detail can throw the design of such a watch off balance. Chopard has, however, a long tradition when it comes to classic dress watches, and with the L.U.C Flying T Twin the brand puts on full display that it masters this category.

The case diameter of 40 mm is a contemporary example of classic perfection. The height is only 7.2 mm, which makes this watch very versatile in how it can be worn. And Chopard was clever not to match it with a bulky folding clasp, but rather a modest buckle, which increases the wearing comfort.

Dial details of the Chopard L.U.C Flying T Twin

The watch gets a lot of its refinement from its dial. Not only does the ruthenium grey offer a nice and distinguished contrast with the pink gold case, but it is the hand-guilloché honeycomb motif at the center that makes it so exceptional. It sets it apart from its more classically inclined peers, as this motif has a slightly more modern look and feel to it.

It’s a contemporary interpretation of a beehive, which was a main feature in the first logo that Louis-Ulysse Chopard, the founding father of the brand, put on his watches.

All told, Chopard created a watch that packs a punch both technically and aesthetically. It is balanced, refined, typically Chopard, and a worthwhile addition to the world of the haute horlogerie.

The only downside is that we aren’t going to see much of this watch as Chopard is only making 50 pieces of the inaugural edition.

For more information, please visit www.chopard.com/us/l-u-c-flying-t-twin.

Quick Facts Chopard L.U.C Flying T Twin
Case: 40 x 7.2 mm, Fairmined pink gold
Movement: automatic Caliber L.U.C. 96.24-L with flying tourbillon; 4 Hz/28,800 vph frequency, 65-hour power reserve, C.O.S.C. chronometer certified, Geneva Seal
Functions: hours, minutes, hacking seconds on the tourbillon cage
Limitation: 50 pieces
Price: €109,000/$118,500

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