To mark the 30th anniversary of its Manufacture, Chopard has released the L.U.C Grand Strike, its most mechanically complex watch to date. It’s a piece that doesn’t aim to impress with flash or scale, but with something far more memorable: sound.
At the heart of this watch is a chiming mechanism known as a grande sonnerie. Unlike simpler repeaters, this one automatically strikes the hours and quarters throughout the day. It can also be set to a petite sonnerie mode, which chimes less frequently, or switched off entirely. There’s a minute repeater too, allowing the wearer to hear the time on demand. For anyone unfamiliar with such complications, imagine a grandfather clock in miniature, except this one fits on the wrist and is made with sapphire crystal gongs. That’s where the real innovation lies.
Instead of the usual metal gongs, Chopard’s engineers developed a system where both the chime gongs and the dial are crafted from a single piece of synthetic sapphire. This allows sound to travel more directly, resulting in an extraordinarily clear, resonant tone. It’s a construction that has taken nearly ten years to perfect and is protected by several patents.
Building the L.U.C Grand Strike took more than 11,000 hours of research and development. The movement itself, visible through a dial-free design, contains 686 components, each one contributing to a precise orchestration of motion and sound. At ten o’clock, two polished steel hammers indicate the chiming nature of the watch. At six, a COSC-certified tourbillon turns with calm precision.
Despite its complexity, the Grand Strike is housed in a 43 millimeter case made from ethical 18-carat white gold. Its proportions are compact for a watch of this ambition. The case rises just over 14 millimeters from the wrist, with curved lines and a thoughtful design that draws the eye not outward but inward, toward the open architecture of the movement.
There is no dial in the traditional sense. Instead, the sapphire crystal bears an engraved minutes track and serves as the acoustic body for the chiming mechanism. Through it, the movement reveals itself. Bridges made from German silver develop a soft patina over time, offering a warm contrast to the brightness of the crystal. The surfaces are clean, the finishes deliberate. Solid gold hands and markers speak quietly to the level of refinement.
The sonnerie mechanism is safeguarded by five new patents, among ten in total, which ensure energy efficiency and operational reliability. One such innovation blocks the chime if the power reserve drops too low, preventing incomplete strikes. Another allows the chiming mode to be changed without disrupting timekeeping. These are not additions for complexity’s sake. They are expressions of Chopard’s commitment to longevity and function.
This dedication has been decades in the making. Chopard’s sonnerie journey began in earnest in 2006 with the L.U.C Strike One, followed by the Full Strike minute repeater in 2016. That watch introduced sapphire gongs to the world and earned the Aiguille d’Or at the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève. The Grand Strike builds upon that foundation, refining what was once experimental into something essential.
Beyond the sound, there is stamina. The chiming system has its own mainspring barrel, delivering 12 hours of power in grande sonnerie mode. The timekeeping barrel runs for 70 hours. Even the balance beats at 4 Hz, rare for a watch of this complexity. And when the time comes to set it, the stop-seconds function allows to-the-second precision.
As with all L.U.C timepieces, the Grand Strike is certified by both COSC and the Poinçon de Genève. This double certification reflects a philosophy where performance and finishing are held to the highest standard.
Still, to dwell only on technical mastery is to miss the point. The L.U.C Grand Strike is not just about acoustics, or patents, or pushing boundaries. It is a watch that aspires to more. It honors the rare moments when form and function align so perfectly they become art. Moments you can feel. And in this case, moments you can hear.
Read more about Chopard’s 2025 novelties here.
