If labels like eco-friendly, fair trade, free range, and organic speak to you, then Chopard’s L.U.C XPS Fairmined would be exactly the kind of watch you ought to be wearing. For the last two years, Chopard has committed itself to improving environmental and social standards in the gold mining industry. Alongside partners like the ecological solutions firm, Eco-Age, as well as the Alliance for Responsible Mining (a South African not-for-profit organisation), the aim was to establish fair deals for the miners and their communities. This project, named The Journey To Sustainable Luxury, shone new light on luxury watch and jewelry making.

Chopard began with its 2013 Green Carpet collection of high jewelry, which shot to fame instantly when Marion Cotillard chose to wear pieces from the collection at the Oscars in that same year. Following that in 2014, the Journey continued with more jewelry pieces and an haute horlogerie men’s timepiece, the L.U.C Tourbillon QF Fairmined, which combined classical high watchmaking with ethically sourced gold. Likewise, the L.U.C XPS Fairmined offers both these elements but in an ultra-thin package that underscores the timepiece’s unrivalled timeless elegance.

The case back, case middle, and bezel have been cast in 18K Fairmined rose gold, but to reiterate the watch’s mechanical prowess, Chopard retained a sapphire crystal exhibition back that shows off the movement’s beautiful design and classic finishing. COSC certified, Calibre 96.12-L boasts meticulously chamfered bridges adorned with Côtes de Genève, a circular-grained and chamfered mainplate, and an exquisite (non-Fairmined) gold micro-rotor engraved with sunburst guilloché and the L.U.C insignia. At just 3.3mm in height, this double-barrel movement may be ultra-thin, but it provides an impressive 65-hour power reserve – more than most other ultra-thin watches – and beats at a high frequency of 28,800vph.

Measuring just 39.5mm in diameter and 7.13mm thick, the L.U.C XPS Fairmined is an exercise in modesty and restraint. Indeed, with this timepiece, the saying “good things come in small packages” has never rung truer. Yet, it is by no means unexciting; its slate grey galvanic dial, for instance, bears a sunburst satin-brushed pattern that is also snailed for more dramatic effect. Further gold accents add to its appeal, like the dauphine hour and minute hands, the small seconds hand, and the hour indices. Finally, the L.U.C XPS Fairmined comes with a hand-sewn black alligator vegetable tanned leather strap, so while we can’t say that no animals were harmed in the production of this watch, at least the treatment of the strap had been an ecologically thoughtful process.

Specs

• Chopard’s L.U.C XPS Fairmined
• Dimensions: 39.5mm
• Functions: Hours, minutes, small seconds
• Power reserve: 65 hours
• Movement: Self-winding Calibre 96.12-L
• Water Resistance: 30 meters
• Case: Fairmined rose gold
• Strap: Hand-sewn matte black alligator leather with rose gold 
pin buckle

Story Credits
Text by Celine Yap

This article was originally published in World of Watches