Jumping Hours With The Monsieur De Chanel Superleggera Intense Black And Chopard L.U.C Quattro Spirit 25

You’ve probably seen all the Watches and Wonders 2024 recap articles and read how this year’s releases weren’t the most exciting ones. But, as I’ve already stated in my “favorites” article, that certainly doesn’t mean there weren’t any releases worth mentioning. Today, I’d like to highlight two watches we haven’t yet covered here on Fratello. They both feature a black dial with an ever-intriguing jumping-hour complication. They’re also both new versions of previously available models. That doesn’t make them any less interesting, though. Let’s take a quick look at the Monsieur de Chanel Superleggera Intense Black and the Chopard L.U.C Quattro Spirit 25, also in black.

I always find watches with a jumping-hour complication so intriguing to look at. The absence of an hour hand allows designers to come up with a completely different dial layout, which I find fascinating. In some cases, like the Quattro Spirit 25’s, this results in a clean, sleek look. But in others, such as this version of the Superleggera, it brings a more industrialized look to the watch. Whichever you prefer, these watches both deserve a second look and will be surefire conversation starters.

The Monsieur de Chanel Superleggera Intense Black

Chanel’s Monsieur collection debuted back in 2016. Back then, the watches were only available in a white or yellow gold 40mm case. They looked a lot more like dress watches with their silvery beige dials and black crocodile straps. Then, in 2017, Chanel introduced a limited version with a black enamel dial. The dial layout was still the same, but this model had a platinum case. It almost looks like that black-dial version inspired what came next because, in 2021, Chanel released an almost completely blacked-out version of the Monsieur — the Monsieur Superleggera Edition.

That watch has a lot in common with the Intense Black edition we’re looking at today. Both have a 42mm exterior with a ceramic mid-case and steel rims around the sapphire crystals on both the front and the back. There’s also a black ceramic bezel insert, and that’s why you can only see the steel edges on the bezel and the side of the case. As you can probably guess, the new Superleggera Intense Black is even blacker than the previous one. This is something you’ll mainly notice on the dial. In addition, the previous version’s red accents have gone, with only the Superleggera name and triangle at the bottom of the dial in gold.

Calibre 1

The dial layout, of course, shows inspiration from the dashboards of the Superleggera sports cars of yesteryear. The 240° retrograde minute dial looks almost exactly like a speedometer, and the huge window for the jumping hour could also be mistaken for the gear you selected. The sub-seconds register right in the middle is the only element that could’ve come from a regular three-hand watch. As Lex already thoroughly explained in his introduction article of the Superleggera Edition, its dial is very much a consequence of the Calibre 1 inside.

That movement was developed in close collaboration with Romain Gauthier, who’s famous for creating eye-catching designs. Chanel’s manually wound Calibre 1 is no exception. From the back, the movement looks so simple yet so visually pleasing. It also received an amorphous diamond-like carbon (ADLC) coating to match the rest of the Monsieur’s design. The twin-barrel movement offers a 72-hour power reserve, runs at a 28,800vph frequency, and features 30 jewels. The Chanel Monsieur Superleggera Intense Black is limited to 100 pieces and costs CHF 44,650. At the time of publishing, it hasn’t made it onto Chanel’s website yet, but you can see the previous versions there.

The Chopard L.U.C Quattro Spirit 25

As I already mentioned, the Chopard L.U.C Quattro Spirit 25 also isn’t a completely new watch. The previous version was introduced in 2021 for the Chopard manufacture’s 25th anniversary. It had a 40mm rose gold case and a very clean-looking white enamel dial. This new version has the same case shape, only this time, it’s made out of white gold and is matched with a black enamel dial. I love how clean and simple the designers kept the dial on the Quattro Spirit 25. There are the big numerals along the edge, then the classic railroad minute track, and inside it, you’ll find the window for the jumping hour and the L.U. Chopard name. Finally, the lone minute hand moves so close to the dial that it’s mesmerizing.

The Quattro Spirit 25’s name is based on the technology inside the L.U.C. 98.06-L hand-wound movement. It houses no fewer than four barrels and offers an impressive total power reserve of eight days (or just over 190 hours). You can check its power reserve on the beautifully hand-finished back of the movement. It looks much less modern than the Monsieur’s Calibre 1, but I think the Côtes de Genève decoration, polished bevels, and gilded engravings perfectly make up for that. As you may notice, the movement also bears the Poinçon de Genève. This 42-jewel caliber also runs at a 28,800vph frequency. Just like the Superleggera Intense Black, the Chopard L.U.C Quattro Spirit 25 in black is limited to 100 pieces. To make it yours, you’ll have to pay CHF 47,000. For more information, check the official Chopard website.

Which one would you choose?

There you have it — two (not completely) new jump-hour watches. The one from Chanel looks sportier and more modern than the one from Chopard. And yes, these watches are very expensive. For some reason, though, I can justify those prices as both watches offer something incredibly special with their looks and movements. As I prefer smaller, more classic watches, I think I’d choose the Quattro Spirit 25. But the Superleggera Instense Black Edition also looks attractive with its dashboard-like layout.

Which of the two would you choose, and what do you think of jump-hour watches in general? Let me know in the comments below.