Of Kings And Crowns

The watches in Chopard’s LUC collection are fit for a king, declares Nicolette Wong

- Nicolette Wong

CHINA’S LAST EMPEROR was likely to be the first Chinese gentleman—at least, in the English sense of the word. Aisin Gioro Pu Yi, who was also known as the Xuantong and Kangde Emperor at different points in time, was enamoured with Western customs and products, influenced by his Scottish tutor Reginald Johnston. Pu Yi wore glasses, loved the cinema, and cut off his traditional Manchurian queue in favour of a full head of hair. He also spoke constantly of wanting to study at Oxford, and reportedly became addicted to buying pianos, radios, Western clothes, leather shoes, spectacles, clocks— and watches. This was the 1920s, and Pu Yi wanted to be a man of the modern world.

It was this gentlemanly Pu Yi who came to mind as I strolled through Chopard’s LUC l’Art d’une Manufacture exhibition in Beijing in November last year. The two-day popup was Chopard’s first exhibition in Asia completely dedicated to the LUC collection, which represents the brand’s return to its fine watchmaking roots. Created in 1996, LUC Chopard began as a sort of passion project for Karl-Friedrich Scheufele, Chopard’s co-president. It was important for him, as a lover of the art of horology, to do justice to the name of Louis-Ulysse Chopard, and “to build up the credibility and recognition of Chopard in the world of men’s watches”.