Kiton x Chopard
With the L.U.C XP Il Sarto Kiton timepiece, Chopard is introducing its first partnership with the Kiton Ateliers, masters of Italian tailoring. This strictly limited edition of 100 ultra-thin watches in beadblasted DLC-coated steel is soberly attired with a houndstooth-patterned dial and a slate-coloured cashmere strap lined with red alligator leather. Mechanical excellence is guaranteed by the L.U.C 96.53-L mechanical movement with automatic winding, equipped with a tungsten micro-rotor and Chopard Twin technology ensuring a power reserve lasting more than two days. The best of Swiss Haute Horlogerie and Italian sprezzatura.
Expertise:
Known for its elegance imbued with a spirit of purity and simplicity, the ultra-thin L.U.C XP timepiece is nattily attired in a ‘suit’ made to measure by the artisans of the Kiton Ateliers. The encounter between the Swiss watchmaker and the Neapolitan couturier appears to have been written in the stars. Both representing family Maisons committed to the same vision of craftsmanship and tradition, these two great names in masculine elegance have combined their know-how in creating the L.U.C XP Il Sarto Kiton watch. On the one hand, Karl-Friedrich Scheufele – Co-President of Chopard and the man behind the creation of Chopard Manufacture in 1996 – with his vision of traditional Haute Horlogerie firmly focused on the contemporary world and 21st century innovations. On the other hand, the fertile creativity of the disciples of Ciro Paone, the founder of the Kiton ateliers in 1968, who believed that: "Men are an inexhaustible source of inspiration, each of their steps is a call to creation".
"L.U.C. is a collection of Haute Horlogerie watches that stands out for its distinctive character. Our partnership with Kiton is an entirely logical move, in that over the years our two family Maisons have proven the excellence of their craftsmanship and their fertile creativity”, says Karl-Friedrich Scheufele. The result is a highly exclusive timepiece, produced in a numbered 100-piece limited edition.
Allure:
First and foremost, the L.U.C XP Il Sarto Kiton is perfectly proportioned thanks to a 40 mm diameter case that is a mere 7.2 mm thick. This ultra-thin look enables genuine wearer comfort and imposes an aura of simplicity, two imperatives that sum up the philosophy of the L.U.C collection and contribute to its elegance, thereby echoing Ciro Paone's motto: "Elegance must be associated with simplicity".
The allure of this timepiece also lies in its chromatic uniformity: a beautiful black silhouette, subtly carved out from the slate grey shades of the beadblasted DLC (Diamond-Like Carbon) steel case, dial and strap.
Achieved by galvanic treatment and lacquered finishes, the Kiton Ateliers’ signature is evident at first glance on the brass dial thanks to the Neapolitan tailor's houndstooth motif that has been a firm favourite since it purchased at auction the wardrobe of King Edward VIII of England, who was hailed, if not for his ephemeral reign, at least for his elegance as an acknowledged dandy.
Against this dark background, the golden Arabic numerals matching the hour-markers and fusée-type Dauphine hands make the hours and minutes perfectly legible. The quarter-hour indications and the Kiton logo at 6 o'clock add a subtle red touch that is picked up in the topstitching on the strap. Testimony to the same artisanal approach, the latter is handmade, free of any chemical treatment and comes in a soft blend of Mongolian cashmere, wool and flannel with a slight touch of elastane, ensuring enhanced wearer comfort. This opulent wristband is lined with red alligator leather as is a second black alligator leather strap also sold with the model.
Accuracy:
Because all the timepieces produced in Chopard Manufacture's watchmaking workshops are amply matched by mechanical perfection, the L.U.C XP Il Sarto Kiton incorporates an in-house movement, the L.U.C 96.53-L calibre. Ultra-thin at just 3.3 mm thick, this is an evolution of Chopard Manufacture's first L.U.C 96.01-L movement, synonymous with watchmaking excellence and applied in a multitude of new interpretations since it was first presented in 1996.
Like its illustrious ancestor, and thanks to Chopard Twin technology, the mechanical movement L.U.C 96.53-L with automatic winding is equipped with twin barrels ensuring a 58-hour power reserve. It is powered by a micro-rotor made of tungsten, a high-density alloy facilitating optimal winding. Featuring movement bridges finely decorated with "Côtes de Genève", the L.U.C XP Il Sarto Kiton watch is equally beautiful inside and out, which is precisely why its precious calibre is visible through a transparent case-back.
L.U.C: a collection for gentlemen:
The L.U.C. collection embodies the perfect blend of virility and sensitivity, humility and charisma that define the modern-day gentleman. It epitomises an ideal alliance between aesthetics and mechanics, celebrated by those who make their existence a quest for fine craftsmanship and regard inward and outward beauty as an art of living. It is for them that Chopard – an independent family Maison drawing upon the ancestral expertise of its master-watchmakers – performs all stages of production in its Geneva and Fleurier workshops: from movement design to quality control through product design, case stamping and machining, the manufacture of movement components, as well as their hand decoration, surface treatment, polishing, assembly and adjustment.
