Chopard L.U.C: history, Qualité Fleurier and official videos

First model

L.U.C 1860 (1997)

Manufacture

Chopard Manufacture, Fleurier (since 1996)

First in-house calibre

1.96, now 96.01-L

Certification

COSC; Qualité Fleurier on some models

Where the name L.U.C comes from

L.U.C stands for Louis-Ulysse Chopard, who founded his watch company in Sonvilier in 1860. Chopard chose the name for its collection of fine mechanical watches as a tribute to him. The line is tied to the Chopard Manufacture in Fleurier, which began operating on 1 January 1996 in a former factory building. Before that, Chopard had built its watches around movements and components from other makers. The first L.U.C model, the L.U.C 1860, followed in 1997.

Main L.U.C lines

L.U.C is a family, not a single watch. These are its best-known lines:

• L.U.C 1860 – the first model. It runs on calibre 1.96 (now called 96.01-L), Chopard's first fully in-house movement: a self-winding calibre with a micro-rotor and two stacked barrels.
• L.U.C Quattro (2000) – four barrels give a power reserve of nine days.
• L.U.C Lunar One (2005) – a perpetual calendar with an orbital moon-phase display.
• L.U.C Strike One (2007) – the first L.U.C that strikes the hours automatically.
• L.U.C Full Strike – a minute repeater. The 2017 version uses crystal gongs machined in one piece with the sapphire crystal.

Other lines include the Flying T tourbillon, the L.U.C XP, the Engine One and the Perpetual T, all of which appear in Chopard's official videos.

The L.U.C 1860 and its movement

The 16/1860 family is the entry point for many collectors. It has a 37 mm case in yellow, rose or white gold, or in platinum. Calibre 1.96 is 3.3 mm thin and has a power reserve of 65 to 70 hours. It is one of the few Geneva Seal calibres that is also certified as a COSC chronometer. Chopard says L.U.C watches are COSC-certified, except the L.U.C XP, which has no seconds hand, and many also carry the Geneva Seal.

What Qualité Fleurier means

Qualité Fleurier is a certification from the Fleurier Quality Foundation, set up by Chopard together with Bovet, Parmigiani Fleurier and Vaucher Manufacture. A certified watch must first pass COSC chronometer testing. It then goes through the Chronofiable test, which ages the watch for about three weeks under heat, cold and damp, with shock, magnetic-field and stem tests, and the Fleuritest, which simulates 24 hours of wear. The finishing and decoration are inspected too, and the watch head must be made entirely in Switzerland. Chopard is now the only brand still using the certification. Its first L.U.C QF appeared in 2005, and in 2025 it issued a 39 mm yellow gold 20th Anniversary Edition limited to 20 pieces, priced at CHF 29,200 at launch. Only a few L.U.C models carry the mark, so check the dial or caseback if you think you own one.

What is a Chopard L.U.C worth?

The value depends mainly on the line and reference, the case material (gold or platinum versus steel), complications, condition and whether box and papers are present. Complicated pieces such as the Strike One, Quattro or tourbillons sit far above simple time-only models, and Qualité Fleurier or Geneva Seal watches are easier to place. As an example from the entry level, a 2022 Monochrome article put the plain 16/1860 at roughly 5,000 to 7,000 euros and rarer dials at about 9,000 to 11,000 euros. That is one writer's estimate and prices have moved since. We found no auction record for a L.U.C that we could verify, so we cite none. Check the reference number on the caseback, because the L.U.C range is large and similar-looking models differ a lot in value.

Own a Chopard L.U.C? Upload a few photos and get a free value estimate: estimate my Chopard L.U.C · How much is my watch worth?

Official Chopard L.U.C videos

All videos come from the official Chopard YouTube channel. They cover the 1860, Quattro, Lunar One, the Strike One and Full Strike chiming watches and more – the instructions for the L.U.C Engine One are Instructions for Use of the L.U.C Engine One.

• Chopard L.U.C Strike One2026-04-18
• Chopard L.U.C 18602026-04-16
• THE SOUND OF ETERNITY - L.U.C Grand Strike2025-11-20
• Chopard L.U.C Lunar One2025-04-03
• Chopard L.U.C Quattro Mark IV2025-04-02
• THE SOUND OF ETERNITY - L.U.C Full Strike Sapphire - By Chopard2022-03-31
• THE SOUND OF ETERNITY - L.U.C Full Strike Tourbillon - By Chopard2022-03-31
• THE SOUND OF ETERNITY - L.U.C Strike One - By Chopard2022-03-31
• A GENTLEMAN'S TALK - L.U.C Strike One2022-03-31
• A GENTLEMAN'S TALK - with Gautier Capuçon2022-03-31
• A GENTLEMAN'S TALK - L.U.C Full Strike Sapphire2022-03-31
• A GENTLEMAN'S TALK - L.U.C Full Strike Tourbillon2022-03-31
• A GENTLEMAN'S TALK - with Dr. Boulandet2022-03-31
• THE SOUND OF ETERNITY - A Lifelong Partner2022-03-31
• THE SOUND OF ETERNITY - Beyond Performance2022-03-31
• THE SOUND OF ETERNITY - A particular signature2022-03-31
• A GENTLEMAN'S TALK - L.U.C Flying T Twin2022-03-24
• A GENTLEMAN'S TALK - L.U.C 18602022-03-24
• A GENTLEMAN'S TALK - L.U.C Dia De Los Muertos2022-03-24
• Chopard Manufacture, L.U.C Quattro Spirit 252021-04-09
• Chopard L.U.C XP Il Sarto Kiton video2020-09-25
• Chopard Flying Tourbillon - The L.U.C Flying T Twin2019-07-04
• Instructions for Use of the L.U.C Engine One2018-03-14
• Instructions for Use of the L.U.C Perpetual T2018-03-14

More Chopard videos, sorted by model: all official Chopard playlists.

SwissWatchExperts is not affiliated with Chopard. Brand and model names are trademarks of their owners; the videos are embedded from the official Chopard YouTube channel.

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