A pioneer in the development of sustainable luxury, Chopard is launching a new limited-series L.U.C watch crafted in ethical rose gold. The L.U.C XPS Twist QF Fairmined is an ultra-thin model mingling ethical, aesthetic and technical qualities. It contributes to improving the living conditions of the miners who extract its raw material; it distinguishes itself on the wrist by its chic and edgy appearance; and it has successfully undergone the watch industry’s most demanding certification protocol: the Fleurier Quality Foundation label. All these assets make it a watch apart with a powerful presence, intended for those looking for an original, reliable and certified timepiece.
The L.U.C XPS Twist QF Fairmined exudes an aura of rare elegance and cultivates signature tokens of authentic character. It stems from an ambitious aesthetic, ethical and technical approach and is intended for connoisseurs who wish their watch to be unlike any other in terms of material, its appearance and its slimness. It is distinguished by a dial with a stamped sunburst texture featuring a slate grey colour that stands out against the rose gold case. The dial effect is inspired by the raw composition of gold nuggets extracted from mines. The crown and the small seconds subdial contribute to the uniqueness of this timepiece: respectively off-centred at 4 and 7 o’clock, they endow the dial with a subtle asymmetric appeal and exceptional personality. The 7.20 mm case make this a delightfully slim watch featuring satin-brushed finishes on the sides, complemented by a polished case-back and bezel. Its slender, elongated profile ensures a remarkably comfortable fit on the wrist. The alligator leather strap of the L.U.C XPS Twist QF Fairmined is hand-sewn and dyed with plant-based pigments – in matt black for the main part and cognac-coloured for the lining.
Chopard continues its ethical commitment
Chopard is a pioneer in the use of Fairmined gold for Haute Horlogerie watches within the framework of its long-term project “The Journey to Sustainable Luxury”. Launched in 2013, the Journey began with the world-first agreement between the South American NGO Alliance for Responsible Mining (ARM) and Chopard – which thereby became the first watch and jewellery company to support gold mining communities towards achieving Fairmined certification. The Fairmined label ensures that gold is extracted in a responsible manner by small-scale mining communities, in which both miners and the environment are properly treated and that the buyers pay a premium in addition to the fixed gold price that is duly reinvested in community projects. These communities thereby enjoy improved living contributions and a fairer return for their work. To guarantee the traceability of the “Fairmined” gold used in-house, Chopard has set up a specific operational protocol in its Geneva workshops, where “Fairmined” gold is never mixed with other gold alloys and even the waste is dealt with separately.
This production process based on segregating the different gold types was used to make the case of the L.U.C XPS Twist QF Fairmined in ethical, traceable and certified 18-carat rose gold. This new L.U.C timepiece reaffirms Chopard’s pioneering determination to pursue and increase its use of ethical gold.
Certified Haute Horlogerie
Produced in a 250-piece limited series, the L.U.C XPS Twist QF Fairmined has also successfully undergone all the testing stages of the Fleurier Quality Foundation certification process – the most demanding in the watch industry. Awarded by the eponymous foundation, an independent certification authority, it relates to the precision of the calibre, its reliability, its durability and the quality of its finishes. Upstream of these rigorous tests, the Fleurier Quality Foundation regulations stipulate that the entire watch – including movement and external components – must be produced in Switzerland. The L.U.C XPS Twist QF Fairmined is equipped with a self-winding movement: L.U.C Calibre 96.09-L equipped with two barrels (Twin® technology), wound by a 22-carat gold micro-rotor in 22-carat gold ensuring a comfortable 65-hour power reserve. Its precision is tested by the Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC), which awards the watch the sought-after chronometer title. Its reliability is then verified by the Chronofiable protocol – involving three weeks of “ageing tests” during which the watch is subjected to heat, cold and damp, repeated pull and push forces on the winding-stem, magnetic fields and repeated shocks. The operation of the finished watch is subsequently tested on the Fleuritest machine. Specially developed for the Fleurier Quality Foundation, it faithfully reproduces the conditions of wear on the wrist during a 24-hour cycle.
Stemming from the watchmaking expertise acquired by Chopard Manufacture over the past 20 years, the L.U.C XPS QF Fairmined is an exceptional object combining original design, technical performance, a resolutely ethical approach and supreme refinement.
