Chopard LUC Engine One Tourbillon "Only Watch" Special Edition

Swiss luxury timepiece maker Chopard is celebrating their 150th anniversary and as a tribute to this momentous occasion, the company has released a motorsports-inspired special edition watch that should have its fans drooling profusely.

The limited edition L.U.C. Engine One Tourbillon was unveiled at the recent Only Watch Charity Auction to benefit research on Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Dressed in a black and yellow-toned version of the Engine One Tourbillon model, the Only Watch limited edition is powered by an L.U.C Calibre 1TRM ‘motor’. It features a look similar to an engine block and is mounted on silent-blocks with a mechanical hand-wound tourbillon movement that was exclusively designed, developed, and built by Chopard. The mechanical hand-wound tourbillon movement beats at a cadence of 28,800 vibrations per hour while driving displays of the hours, minutes, seconds. It also has a power reserve that lasts for about 60 hours.

Staying true to the motorsports inspiration, the engine block on the face of the watch features the Chopard signature while the DLC titanium case features alternating matte and polished finishes and has been designed to be water-resistant of up to 50 meters. Even the watch’s dial bears inspiration from the motoring universe, as does the hand-sewn black alligator leather strap that comes with four reinforced inserts bearing inspiration from car seats found on classic racing cars. The slightly curved lugs that have been screwed into the case carry the effect of streamlined car wings to provide a snug and perfect fit on the wearer.

No word yet on how much the watch fetched at the Only Watch Charity Auction, but judging by the look and painstaking detail in developing the piece and the use of a plethora of expensive items, we wouldn’t be surprised in the least bit if this fine piece of craftsmanship fetches a price north of six digits.