Every man needs a good dress watch; that one classic piece in your collection that suits just about any occasion. The Lunar Big Date could be that watch.
The Chopard Lunar Big Date
At first glance you will notice that there is nothing particularly revolutionary or game-changing about the Lunar Big Date, which is completely fine with me. As far as I’m concerned the formula for making a high quality, attractive dress watch has been known for quite some time now, so more often than not attempts to dramatically improve on this are misguided at best and downright detrimental at worst.
As you can see in the photos I spent some time hands on with the white gold version of the Lunar Big Date, however there is also a red gold version available which is also quite attractive, although I personally prefer the more subdued tones of the former. At 42mm the watch comes in at the top end of what I would call the acceptable size range for a classic dress watch. Ideally I would have liked to see it in a 40mm case but that probably would have made the beautiful dial lay-out too cramped, which would have been a travesty to say the least. As it stands the Lunar Big Date sits nicely on the wrist and can be relatively easily slipped under a cuff as needed.
What really attracts my attention to this watch however is the highly legible, aesthetically pleasing dial, which offers a host of information without overwhelming the wearer. First, and most importantly, it displays the time – hours and minutes in the standard format – with small seconds shown on a separate sub-dial at 4 o’clock. In addition to the time, an oversized two-window date display ensures you always have that critical piece of information to hand whenever the need arises (such as signing a deposit cheque for your latest acquisition.)
The real kicker of course though is the gorgeous moon-phase display at 8 o’clock, which simultaneously indicates the phases of the moon in both the northern and southern hemispheres. Astrological types will no doubt note that the Northern part of the disc features the Big Dipper constellation, while the Southern part displays the Southern Cross.
More than just a pretty face though Chopard claims that its moon phase is so accurate that the difference between the true lunar cycle and the indication given by the timepiece amounts to just one day every 122 years. To make this possible the Lunar Big Date is endowed with an extremely precise device in which the wheel driving the moon-bearing disc comprises 135 teeth.
Just one of the many impressive features of the COSC-certified self-winding L.U.C Calibre 96.20-L responsible for animating the Lunar Big Date, the movement also boasts two stacked co-axial barrels which together offer a 65-hour power reserve. As a final touch, the beautifully finished movement (which is visible through the sapphire exhibition case back) also features an 18k gold micro-rotor.
Presented on a black alligator leather strap the Chopard L.U.C Lunar Big Date will make a nice addition to any night out, just don’t expect any change back from about US$30,000.
For more information on the L.U.C Lunar Big Date please visit the official Chopard website here.
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