Chopard’s L.U.C collection has quietly been creating some of the best examples of watchmaking since it debuted in 1996. And while the collection veers towards the dressy and traditional, it excels in all areas — from the sporty L.U.C GMT One and Time Traveller, to simply superb calendar and chiming watches through to a piece that I still believe is one of the most pleasing diamond-set pieces ever made, the Heritage Grand Cru. Pound for pound they offer incredible value too — take the new green-dialled XPS model in lucent steel released at Watches & Wonders; it has a retail price of under USD 12,000, which is a decent chunk of change in this economy, but you get a whole lot of watch for that. All of this is to say that Chopard in general, and the L.U.C in particular, is one of the few remaining under-recognised propositions in Swiss watchmaking today, and the just-released Chopard L.U.C XPS 1860 Officer Vendôme One is further proof of this.

As you’d expect from this model, the L.U.C XPS 1860 Officer Vendôme One is a slender 7.7mm thin dress watch with an officer-style hinged case back, keeping the Geneva-seal bearting micro-rotor movement safe from prying eyes — which we don’t mind too much as there’s plenty of other details to feast our gaze on. Most obviously, the rich blue dial — Bering blue to be specific — a shade chosen to evoke the door of number 1 Place Vendôme, a discreet mansion resorted by Chopard that serves as the brand’s home in the heart of Paris. In addition, this vivid blue dial bears Chopard’s notable hexagonal hand-guilloché dial, a motif repeated on the exterior of the caseback. Bees have been an important part of Chopard’s historical watchmaking, and it’s lovely to see the tradition honoured in such a meaningful way.

Inside the Officer’s case back is another engraving and another nod to Paris. We are treated to a radiant image of the sun — an image specifically linked to Louis XIV (AKA The Sun King), in whose honour the square was initially built in 1698. It’s a charming touch, made even more appealing because of its semi-hidden nature. The yellow gold case is ethically sourced, and the blue-lined tan calfskin strap tones down the overall dressiness of the watch.

Overall, Chopard’s tribute to the Parisian heart of luxury is the epitome of quiet elegance (even with that blue dial!) And it’s appropriately limited at only eight pieces, available at — you guess it, number 1 Place Vendôme.

Tech Specs: Chopard L.U.C XPS 1860 Officer Vendôme One

Movement: L.U.C 96.01-L, self-winding, 65-hour power reserve
Functions: Hours, minutes, small seconds, date
Case: 50mm × 7.7mm; ethical gold; water-resistant to 30 meters
Dial: Bering blue dial
Strap: Brown calfskin strap with blue leather lining
Price: USD 40,100
Availability: Limited to 8 pieces