From ornate jewellery and gems to fine mechanical watchmaking, Chopard is one brand that exemplifies beauty. Although well known for its jewellery making, Chopard's mechanical timekeeping legacy stretches back to 1860 when Louis-Ulysse Chopard established the firm at just 24. Their watchmaking savoir-faire ultimately progressed under the complete control of Paul-André, Louis-Ulysse's grandson. However, due to none of his sons showing an interest in taking over the firm, Chopard was acquired by Karl Scheufele III, who worked closely with his family to develop each string to the brand's bow, including the ladies' collections and high-end jewellery headed by Caroline Scheufele. At the same time, Karl-Friedrich Scheufele captained the watch department. Today both siblings remain at Chopard and share the presidency of this esteemed manufacturer.

During the 1990s, Karl-Friedrich opened up a manufacturer dedicated to developing and producing in-house calibres. Albeit a risky move, this decision was prosperous. In 1996 the watchmaker announced its first in-house calibre, the Calibre 1.96, and with a reputation for using svelte movements, the micro-rotor powered 1.96 debuted in the LUC 1860 collection in 1997, a new elegant and timeless design dress watch. With traditionally executed details and proportions, the LUC 1860 was fitted with a finely produced solid gold dial created by Metalem - a manufacturer who since worked with Philippe Dufour for his Simplicity. Various 1860 pieces have been produced over the years featuring a range of case materials and dial colours.

The initial reference number for these watches is 16/1860/1, and regardless of their case materials, they feature hunter case backs. They have been produced in a Limited edition of 100 per configuration.