The quiet money option
By Priya Nair, Singapore ยท
Put this next to a Patek Calatrava in a blind test and I suspect most people would struggle to say which costs twice as much.
The L.U.C XPS is 40 mm and only 7.2 mm thick, with a blue dial, small seconds, steel case and leather strap. Inside, behind the open caseback, is the 96.12-L, an automatic with a micro-rotor and 65 hours of reserve, which is more than many movements twice its price. Chopard's L.U.C line is where the family put its serious watchmaking, and you can see it in the finishing.
So why don't more people buy one? Name recognition. Chopard means Happy Diamonds to most of my clients, and the resale market reflects that: L.U.C watches tend to lose a good chunk of value once they leave the boutique. That's bad news if you're buying new at 10,500 to 11,500 dollars and good news if you buy pre-owned.
30 m of water resistance and a leather strap make it a dress watch, full stop. I'd wear it with a navy suit and expect nobody to notice, which is exactly the appeal.