The Chopard L.U.C Lunar One (2005) in yellow gold. The diamond shaped applied markers and Roman numerals gives the dial an interesting dynamism.
Doing It Themselves
All of these developments led to the introduction of Chopard’s own L.U.C 96 QP perpetual calendar movement in 2005, based off the 1.96 automatic base caliber of the maison. A large date window, along with date and month counters, made the watch impressively easy to read off. More notably, the calendar operations are instantaneous jumping displays. A day and night indicator as well as an orbital moonphase display only made the watch more interesting, with a choice of Northern or Southern Hemisphere constellations on the moonphase.
Chopard L.U.C Lunar One (2012). The applied indexes have been changes to thick Roman numerals from the earlier diamond-shaped markers, with an even more detailed orbital moonphase display.
A 2012 edition of the Lunar One introduced new improvements. The L.U.C 96.13-L automatic caliber bears both the Geneva Seal as well as C.O.S.C certification, a 70-hour power reserve, a moonphase display accurate to one day in 122 years and instantaneous jumping calendar display. The watch was issued in many variations, including gem-set models.
The Chopard L.U.C Perpetual Twin in steel, with a twin barrel design delivering a 65-hour power reserve.
But what was possibly the most surprising release of Chopard’s perpetual calendar came in 2016, the last leap year, when the brand introduced a steel model of the watch, the L.U.C Perpetual Twin, in a 43mm stainless steel model with twin barrels (hence its name) and delivering a 65-hour power reserve.
The Chopard L.U.C Perpetual Chrono from 2016, combining a vertically coupled, column-wheel chronograph with a perpetual calendar in a handwound movement.
That same year, the brand also released the L.U.C Perpetual Chrono, combining two of the industry’s favourite complications — a vertically coupled flyback chronograph and perpetual calendar on a Fairmined gold case with a hand-wound movement, the L.U.C 03-10-L. The doubly-certified movement bears a familiar dial design, with chronograph counters stacked over the perpetual calendar’s display for legibility.
Chopard L.U.C Lunar One (2017). The platinum case with blue sunray brushed dial brings out the orbital moonphase and night sky even more.
More recently, the 2017 edition of the Lunar One in platinum with a deep blue sunray finish, adds to the beauty of the watch. It’s a striking timepiece and remains a rare industry standard, given that it’s automatic winding and has a chronometer and Genevan Seal certification.
It’s been a few years since we’ve seen a perpetual calendar from Chopard, although the complication has been added to other models from the brand. However, for the perpetual calendar lover, the Lunar One is a model to appreciate, especially given how the brand has not only kept the name of the watch running, but its design and style a steadily evolving one over the years.