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Chopard 2020: New L.U.C Perpetual Twin, Mille Miglia and Happy Sport

When it launched in 2016, Chopard’s L.U.C Perpetual Twin garnered applause for its easy-to-read steel-cased perpetual calendar. Its high-end finish, eclectic large-date dial and superlative C.O.S.C.-chronometer-rated L.U.C caliber attracted those in search of an ‘everyday’ steel-cased haute horology perpetual calendar.

The new Chopard L.U.C Perpetual Twin, here in a steel case.

For 2020, Chopard expands this previously limited offering with a somewhat dressier L.U.C Perpetual Twin design presented without the large Roman numerals of the earlier model. Chopard replaces those numerals with faceted gold markers and more fully harmonizes the colors within all three sub-dials and under the minutes track.

For 2020 Chopard debuts the first rose gold-cased L.U.C Perpetual Twin. Markers replace the Roman numerals of the earlier models.

Chopard presents all this refinement within either a 43mm rose gold case (a first for this model) or a more familiar 43mm stainless steel case.

Chopard’s excellent automatic caliber L.U.C 96.22-L is visible from the clear sapphire caseback of the L.U.C Perpetual Twin.

 The new design reprises the excellent automatic caliber L.U.C 96.22-L, with its impressive 65-hour power reserve, two-barrel Chopard Twin Technology wound by a handsome 22-karat gold micro-rotor.

The steel model fronts a blue dial while the rose gold edition features a subtle grey dial. On both, it’s the large date display that first attracts the eye, likely followed by the now unicolor sub-dials, including those that indicate the perpetual calendar’s day, month and leap year indications, and small seconds (at 6 o’clock). Price:  $24,700 (steel) and $49,800 (rose gold).

More 2020 Debuts

This all-new L.U.C. Perpetual Twin is just one of several 2020 debuts Chopard has just released. Others include the latest Mille Miglia watches (the Mille Miglia GTS Azzurro Power Control and the Mille Miglia Azzurro Chrono) plus two new jewelled Happy Sport watches.

Chopard’s new Mille Miglia GTS Azzurro Power Control.

Chopard’s new Mille Miglia GTS Azzurro Power Control ($9,690) is an automatic time and date steel watch, limited to 500 pieces in a 43mm stainless steel case with rose gold crown and bezel. In keeping with its historic role accompanying the 1,000-mile Mille Miglia classic car race, the watch features a power reserve indicator designed to mimic an automotive fuel gauge.

The clear caseback of the Mille Miglia GTS Azzurro Power Control exposes the in-house manufactured and decorated Chopard 01.08-C mechanical self-winding movement.
Chopard’s new Mille Miglia GTS Azzurro Chrono.

The second addition to the Mille Miglia collection is the Mille Miglia GTS Azzurro Chrono ($7,400), a 44mm stainless steel (750-piece limited edition) watch with a sub-dial layout inspired by a classic car instrument cluster.

Both these new watches are named for their steel blue ‘Azzurro’ dials, which Chopard contrasts with the traditional Mille Miglia red hue found on the hands and ‘1000 Miglia’ direction arrow that frames the date window on each watch.

And finally, Chopard has added a new Happy Sport watch to this ‘dancing diamond’ collection with two 36mm jewelled versions, each showcasing diamonds using a prong setting that maximizes the amount of light reaching the diamonds. Made in either white gold or rose gold, they feature the automatic Chopard 96.17-C caliber. Each is priced at $88,300.

The latest Chopard Happy Sport, in white gold.
The latest Chopard Happy Sport, in rose gold.

Specifications: Chopard L.U.C Perpetual Twin (stainless steel and in rose gold)

 Ref. 168561-3003 – in stainless steel

Ref. 161976-5003 – in 18-karat rose gold

Case: 43mm by 11.47mm stainless steel or rose gold with polished bezel and clear sapphire case back. Water resistance to 30 meters.

Movement: Automatic L.U.C 96.22-L, with 65-hours of power reserve. Frequency is 28,800 vph (4 Hz) using two barrels (Chopard Twin Technology) and a 22-karat gold rotor. COSC-chronometer certified.

Dial: Blue or ruthenium grey-colored dial with sunburst satin-brushed motif focused on the big date. Perpetual calendar dials (large-aperture date, day of the week, month and leap years), rhodium-plated or gilded Dauphine-type hour and minute hands, rhodium-plated or gilded baton-type hands small seconds, day and month indications, black-tipped or gilded triangular leap-year hand, facetted rhodium-plated or gilded hour-markers, minute track

Functions and displays: Central display of the hours and minutes, small seconds at 6 o’clock, date at 12 o’clock, day of the week and month displays at 9 and 3 o’clock respectively, offset leap-year display between 2 and 3 o’clock.

Strap and buckle: Blue or brown alligator leather with cognac alligator leather lining, polished and satin-brushed stainless steel or 18-karat rose gold pin buckle.

 

 

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IWC Expands Portugieser for 2020

For 2020, IWC Schaffhausen is updating and expanding its Portugieser collection, focusing on equipping the entire collection with in-house calibers while also re-emphasizing the design’s nautical history.

Among the highlights: a smaller (40mm) Portugieser Automatic model, a smaller diameter (42mm) perpetual calendar, additional examples of the Portugieser Chronograph newly set with an in-house caliber, a new Yacht Club watch with a moonphase display, plus an all-new edition of the watch with a tide indicator. In addition, IWC added several complicated Portugieser watches that combine a tourbillon with a perpetual calendar and a chronograph.  

The new IWC Portugieser Automatic Chronograph, also available with green dial or with blue dial (on gold Boutique model).

New Chronographs

The Portugieser Chronograph (Ref. 3716), long a best seller for IWC, is newly equipped in the standard version with the IWC in-house 69355 caliber and a clear sapphire-glass back. The two stainless-steel models ($7,950), one with deep green dial and one glowing in deep ‘claret’ red, are equipped with the newly developed folding butterfly clasp. A third model, elegant in 5N gold, (Ref IW371614, $17,800) features a blue dial, gold markers and gold hands. 

The new Portugieser Automatic 40 (Ref. 3583) is fit with IWC-manufactured Caliber 82200.

Automatic, now at 40mm

The Portugieser Automatic 40 (Ref. 3583) marks the return to the collection of the three-hand design with the small seconds at 6 o’clock. You’ll find it now in a compact case with a 40-millimetre diameter–and bearing the collection’s entry price of $7,250. The new automatic model gets its power from the IWC-manufactured 82200 caliber with Pellaton winding. Four versions are available in 18-karat 5N gold or stainless steel cases.

IWC Portugieser Automatic, 40mm

A fifth Portugieser Automatic, in a larger (42mm) case, sports its power reserve display and small seconds on the dial and will be offered as either a gold-cased boutique edition (blue dial, $23,900) or with a the same rich red dial ($12,700) found on the new Portugieser Chronographs. These offer a longer power reserve than the 40mm models (up to seven days) thanks to their larger case diameter, which allows space for two winding barrels.

IWC Portugieser Automatic 42 (boutique Edition), with seven-day power reserve.

The new IWC Portugieser Perpetual Calendar 42 (Ref. 3442).

Smaller Perpetual

IWC adds its own in-house caliber 82650 with 60-hour power reserve to the Portugieser Perpetual Calendar 42 (Ref. 3442). Thanks to the new movement, IWC was able to case it in a smaller 42mm diameter size (above). This could be the sleeper hit given its moderate starting price ($22,900) and full, easy-to-read perpetual functionality. All the displays are perfectly synchronized with each other and can be adjusted with a quick turn of the crown. In this version of the calendar, the displays for the date, month and day of the week are seen in three subdials.

This new IWC Portugieser Perpetual Calendar (Boutique Edition) features a 44mm diameter & displays the calendar information on four subdials and it has a four-digit year display, a small seconds hand and a power reserve display.

Also look for a boutique 5N gold edition of the classic 44mm Portugieser Perpetual Calendar ($37,900, above). This model, with a nautical design, features a blue dial and shows the year in four digits–a feature IWC pioneered with its earlier Kurt Klaus-designed perpetual calendars starting in 1985.  Thanks to its slightly larger dimensions of the boutique edition, the movement has room for two barrels that offer a power reserve of seven days.

Yacht Club

Three new Portugieser Yacht Club watches combine a 44mm diameter with a recognizable Yacht Club bezel shape, flat casing ring and very useful flyback function.

The new IWC Portugieser Yacht Club Chronograph.

The Portugieser Yacht Club Moon & Tide (Ref. 344001) is the first watch from IWC to feature the newly developed tide display.

One, the Portugieser Yacht Club Moon & Tide (Ref. 344001, $33,100) is the first watch from IWC to feature a newly developed tide display, which shows the expected times of the next high and low water. The Portugieser Yacht Club Chronograph (Ref. 3907, starting at $13,100) comes with either a stainless-steel bracelet or a two-tone bracelet in stainless steel and 18-karat 5N gold.

 

By the mid-1970s, the Yacht Club had established itself as one of the most successful models ever manufactured by IWC.

 IWC will ship more of the Yacht Club models to its boutiques, including those with expanded maritime-inspired colors (blue and gold). These are identifiable with their blue dials, braided blue calfskin straps and cases in 18-karat 5N gold or 18-karat Armor Gold. The latter is a new alloy that demonstrates a higher hardness value than traditional 5N gold alloys.

IWC History: In 2003 IWC launched the Portugieser Perpetual Calendar (Reference 5021).

Complications

Two watches in the new collection underscore IWC’s expertise at the high end. These are the new Portugieser Tourbillon Rétrograde Chronograph (Ref. 3940, starting at CHF 105,000), which combines a tourbillon with a retrograde date display and chronograph, and the Portugieser Perpetual Calendar Tourbillon (Ref. 5045, starting at CHF 115,000) that combines a tourbillon and perpetual calendar.

The Portugieser Tourbillon Rétrograde Chronograph (Ref. 3940) combines a flying tourbillon at 6 o’clock with a retrograde date display at 9 o’clock and a chronograph.
The Portugieser Perpetual Calendar Tourbillon IW504504 boutique edition with 18-karat Armor Gold case, blue dial, gold-plated hands, gold appliqués, blue calfskin strap.
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