About this watch

Chopard L.U.C XPS Forest Green 168629-3001 Chopard are having a bit of a moment, but don't think this attention they've been receiving of late is undeserved. Spurred on by the demand enjoyed by the neo-vintage 1860 references with the iconic 1.96 movement, Chopard under it's L.U.C banner have released some absolutely phenomenal watches over the past few years, though generally with a fairly hefty price point and in quite limited runs. In 2024, they released this XPS at a far more accessible price point, and it is quite frankly an enormous amount of watch for the money. The case is crafted in stainless steel, and measures in at 40mm in diameter. What's astounding is how thin it is, being just 7.2mm, and with these dimensions it manages to straddle a dress watch setting with everyday usability, being ultra-thin, but also no shrinking violet on the wrist. Helping this is the shine of the Lucent Steel, which has a brilliance not seen in most steels. The case is not over-designed, keeping true to a Calatrava style, but like a Laurent Ferrier, it has a flow to it that makes it feel like a modern take on the formula. Those vertically brushed flanks are also very cool, and help to highl…