L.U.C FULL STRIKE 'DÍA DE LOS MUERTOS' Limited Edition Luxury Watch

L.U.C Full Strike ‘Día de los Muertos’ Edition 13

Continuing its traditional tribute to Mexico’s Day of the Dead, Chopard Manufacture unveils a unique interpretation of one of its most accomplished timepieces, the thirteenth edition in this celebrated collection. Certified by the prestigious Poinçon de Genève, the new L.U.C Full Strike 'Día de los Muertos' Edition 13 combines the acoustic excellence of Chopard's award-winning minute repeater with exceptional artistic Crafts.

Crafted in 18-carat ethical rose gold

The 42.5 mm case frames a dial depicting one of the most recognisable symbols of the Día de los Muertos tradition: the calavera.

Artistic Crafts at Chopard Manufacture

Chopard Manufacture is one of the rare Maisons to have a team dedicated to perpetuating the artistic Crafts that have enriched watchmaking for centuries. From enamelling and marquetry to hand-guilloché and other traditional techniques, these specialised skills are employed in the creation of highly exclusive timepieces, often produced in extremely limited quantities.

Crafted by a single artisan over a total of 160 hours, the dial combines more than 70 individually selected rye straw fragments with meticulously assembled eggshell inlays.

EGGSHELL MARQUETRY

In this unique creation, straw marquetry is complemented by eggshell marquetry, used for the first time at Chopard. The technique consists in carefully arranging fragments of eggshell to form richly textured surfaces with remarkable nuances of colour and contrast. Visible in the eye sockets and teeth, each piece is selected for its subtle hue, then carefully cleaned, dried, broken by hand, and meticulously assembled to bring depth and character to the motif.

STRAW MARQUETRY

Among these crafts, straw marquetry requires rye straw to be individually split, flattened and assembled by hand to create intricate patterns whose depth and light are shaped by the orientation of each strand. Grown in France, the straw is carefully prepared before being arranged in varying lengths and directions to evoke the lines and contours of a calavera. Its natural fibres catch and reflect the light, bringing the composition to life with striking visual dynamism.

HAND ENGRAVING

The iconic moustache is fashioned from hand-engraved gold, decorated with a satin-brushed motif and enhanced by a L.U.Chopard logo in relief. Around the perimeter of the dial, fine hand-executed chasing outlines the contours of the calavera, its finish echoing the structure and characteristic veining of the straw marquetry. These engravings extend harmoniously onto the bezel, caseband and crown, creating a subtle sense of continuity between the dial and the watch exterior.

An ongoing story

The L.U.C Full Strike ‘Día de los Muertos’ is part of a continuing story that began when, under Karl-Friedrich Scheufele’s leadership, Chopard established the L.U.C collection. Devoted to the art and traditions of fine watchmaking, the first watch in the line, the L.U.C 1860, was introduced in 1996. Over the years, the collection has expanded, with the Maison consistently offering exquisite, often highly original complications, developed, produced, and decorated according to the finest traditions of Swiss watchmaking in its Fleurier and Geneva workshops.