Featuring an ultra-thin case measuring just 7.47 millimetres, crafted in ethical 18-carat rose gold or platinum and fully set on the flanks, lugs, interhorn spaces, crown and bezel, Chopard’s new L.U.C Flying T Twin Ladies watches measure 35 millimetres in diameter. Guided by a quest for balance and adapted to women’s wrists, such proportions place these two creations among the smallest flying tourbillon watches on the market.
In 2019, Chopard Manufacture enriched its range of complications with its first automatic movement to feature a flying tourbillon, L.U.C 96.24-L. This calibre featuring Chopard Twin technology with two stacked barrels and highly precise adjustments – notably a stop-seconds function – now powers the two new L.U.C Flying T Twin Ladies models in ethical 18-carat rose gold or diamond-set platinum. Ultra-thin thanks to the slender movement size, these two timepieces feature a 35-millimetre diameter perfectly suited to women’s wrists. Extremely refined both mechanically and aesthetically, these two 25-piece limited series reflect the stunning dexterity displayed by the artisans of emotion at Chopard Manufacture, as confirmed by the “Chronometer” and Poinçon de Genève certifications.
The flying tourbillon with which they are equipped plays a centre-stage role through a wide 6 o’clock opening providing a view through the movement. The lightness of the flying tourbillon is thus used to create an effect of transparency and depth, while the tourbillon carriage is topped by a small seconds hand.
In the gold version, the tourbillon opening is cut out from a textured mother-of-pearl dial, adorned with hour-markers set with brilliant-cut diamonds – except at 12 o’clock, which is indicated by golden Arabic numerals.
The dial of the platinum variation is richly set with a paving of 282 diamonds centred on the tourbillon carriage.
The case of the L.U.C Flying T Twin Ladies houses the innovative L.U.C calibre 96.24-L, Chopard Manufacture’s first automatic movement with a flying tourbillon. A flying tourbillon is characterised by the absence of an upper bridge. Held from below, it is naturally thinner and appears to be flying – hence its name. The L.U.C 96.24-L calibre is only 3.30 mm thick, identical to that of the L.U.C 96.01-L, Chopard Manufacture’s first calibre created 25 years ago, of which it is an evolved version. Now representing a significant watch industry landmark, it retains its fundamental characteristics: the diameter, the 65-hour power reserve – driven by two stacked barrels using Chopard Twin technology – and its automatic winding via a 22-carat gold micro-rotor. On the platinum version, the artisans go even so far as to add an ultimate touch of refinement by setting this micro-rotor with diamonds.
The L.U.C 96.24-L movement is chronometer-certified and features a stop-seconds function, which is extremely rare on a tourbillon, enabling the time to be set with perfect precision.
