As we approach the end of the year, the editorial team at WatchTime is reviewing the standout timepieces that captured our attention in 2023. Watchmakers from various corners of the industry infused the year with energy, exploring vibrant hues, pioneering materials, and achieving remarkable technical advancements. As we contemplate the year that unfolded, join us in exploring the releases our editors deemed most significant.

Chopard L.U.C 1860

Bilal Khan, Senior Editor

If you haven?t heard: dress watches are back. So are ?small? watches. No release demonstrated these points better than Chopard?s reissue of the L.U.C 1860. A fresh new face on the very first L.U.C watch, the new 1860 retains what made the original great while adjusting a few things for tastes more aligned with 2023 rather than 1997. The watch still measures an ideal 36.5mm wide and 8.2mm thick but in a steel case for the first time (done in Chopard?s proprietary Lucent steel). The gold dial is done in a guilloché pattern that varies slightly from the original but is still masterfully done by the highly skilled craftspeople at Metalem. The biggest change, of course, is the lack of date window. Saving the best for last, turning around the case reveals the COSC-certified caliber 96.40-L which stays true to the iconic caliber 1.96 but removes the date function and adds hacking seconds. Stamped with the Geneva Seal, it is a sight to behold.
I am fortunate enough to have an original 16/1860/1 in my...