Chopard has its own gold foundry, which gives them the chance to choose the sort of precious metals that they use for their watches and jewellery. The L.U.C XPS Fairmined is a men’s dress watch made using Fairmined gold, for which the gold has been responsibly mined, and the miners have been fairly treated and paid. It’s the sort of thing that makes you worry about all the other gold in the world that does not have the same sort of certification: what degree of human suffering does it incorporate? Fairmined is an organization created by the Alliance for Responsible Mining, a globally-recognized non-profit organization pioneering artisanal and small-scale mining. It has a third-party certification procedure.
Chopard’s Fairmined project began in 2013, and continued with the presentation of the L.U.C Tourbillon QF Fairmined at Baselworld in 2014. This watch is a new version of the classic L.U.C XPS, a dress watch with rose gold case 39.5 mm in diameter and 7.13 mm thick. The slate-grey dial has a marked sunburst pattern, intriguing for its slightly spiral geometry, forming a backdrop for the gilt dauphine hands and slender hour-markers in rose gold. Black alligator strap.
Mechanical movement
The watch is powered by the COSC-certified L.U.C 96.12-L automatic movement, with two barrels giving it a power reserve of 65 hours. Its fine finish can be seen through the sapphire caseback, whose rose gold frame provides the surface on which to place the various texts, XPS Fairmined, Chopard Manufacture, Chronometer, and the piece number. The watch is a limited edition of 250 pieces.
Reference and price
The L.U.C XPS Fairmined, reference 161920-5006, is a watch sold exclusively in Chopard boutiques, limited to 250 pieces. Price: 16,800 Swiss francs / £12,200 / €15,760
