Pre-Basel 2018: The Chopard L.U.C Quattro Simplified

Announced today on the run-up to the opening of Baselworld 2018 just under a week from now, Chopard introduces a new variation of their L.U.C Quattro.

Compared to previous versions, which were more classically inclined in their design, this new model has a decidedly more modern character. The main feature responsible for this is the vertically brushed silver dial that forms the foundation for the bold and simplified dial elements in blue. In combination with an 18K rose gold case, the watch imparts a feeling of warmth and modernity.

In fact, the styling of this new L.U.C. Quattro takes many of its design cues from last year’s L.U.C. XP, a watch that was certainly conceived to appeal to a younger audience. While that watch was a paragon of simplicity, both in design and complication (it did not have a seconds hand or date), it had a similar vertically brushed silver dial, large Arabic numerals (3, 6, 9, 12) in blue and a blue woven cashmere strap, design features that would in sum make up a refined, yet casual feeling watch.

The reception to the design features of the L.U.C. XP was very successful and so the same design ideas have been extended to the new L.U.C Quattro.

What is clear is that the approach works well in this watch even though it is comparatively more complication laden, with more dial elements such as the pointer date hand and small seconds in the 6 o’clock sub-dial, and the fan-shaped 9-day power reserve indicator at 12 o’clock. While these have taken up the space where the 6 and 12 Arabic numerals would be, there still remains the large 3 and 9 Arabic numerals in blue, that together with the blue arrowhead hour markers convey the same refined, casual feeling of last year’s L.U.C XP. Further adding to the list of similarities of the new L.U.C Quattro as well, is its woven effect blue calfskin leather strap with brown alligator leather lining that recalls a similar aesthetic to the L.U.C. XP with its a blue woven cashmere strap.

The original L.U.C. Quattro was the second model that was introduced into the then emerging L.U.C Collection in the year 2000, and basically extended the idea of the stacked double barrels of the first L.U.C Calibre, the Calibre LUC 96.01-L (named Calibre 1.96 at launch).  With that first movement, the goal was to have a healthy power reserve and a micro-rotor and the only way to achieve this in a limited space was to stack two barrels on top of each other.

With the Calibre LUC 98.01-L of the L.U.C Quattro then, what was done with this movement was to take a good idea from the first L.U.C. Calibre and bring it to its logical conclusion. As a manual winding movement, there was no requirement to include a micro-rotor or indeed any rotor at all, meaning that enough space would be available for one more set of stacked barrels. The headline feature of the L.U.C. Quattro therefore would come to consist of two double-stacked barrels, or 4 barrels in total, allowing an unusually long 9-day power reserve. Incidentally, as “Quattro” means “four” in Italian, it’s easy to see how the calibre was named.

This new L.U.C. Quattro comes in a 43mm rose gold case and is COSC Certified (as almost all L.U.C watches are) and Geneva Seal Certified as well.

return-to-top__image
Back to Top