Chopard Will Unveil Día de los Muertos Watch
A new one-of-a-kind L.U.C Full Strike watch will debut in New York City on October 16.
Updated on Oct. 14, 2026 in Jewelry

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Chopard has announced a unique L.U.C Full Strike timepiece themed around the Mexican holiday Día de los Muertos. The watch is scheduled for an official unveiling in New York City on October 16, 2026.
Why it matters
This release continues a series honoring Mexican cultural traditions through high-end horology. The design combines traditional marquetry techniques with complex watchmaking to celebrate the holiday.
The 42.5mm rose gold watch retails for $575,000 and features a dial created over 160 hours using eggshell and straw marquetry. It contains the manually wound L.U.C Caliber 08.01-L with sapphire gongs and holds Poinçon de Genève certification.
The players
Chopard
This Swiss manufacturer produces luxury watches, jewelry, and accessories.
WatchTime New York
This is an annual watch collector event held in New York City.
The details
The watch dial features a hand-arranged design utilizing over 70 pieces of rye straw and carefully cleaned eggshell pieces set over black lacquer. This marks the 13th edition in the series that honors Día de los Muertos, showcasing the artisanal labor required for each piece.
Timeline
The L.U.C Full Strike model was first introduced in 2016.
The watch won the Aiguille d'Or grand prize in 2017.
The watch will be unveiled at WatchTime New York on October 16, 2026.
Culture Shift
This release reflects a growing luxury market trend toward incorporating cultural heritage into high-horology collectibles. It highlights how heritage brands are increasingly using artisanal materials like eggshell and straw to differentiate limited editions from mass-luxury goods.
Attendees at the WatchTime New York event will have the first opportunity to view the watch in person. Potential buyers must be aware that this is a one-of-a-kind piece, meaning availability is limited to a single collector.
The takeaway
This timepiece demonstrates how watchmakers utilize hundreds of hours of manual labor to create one-of-a-kind cultural tributes. Collectors should note that such extreme craftsmanship often results in significantly higher valuations than standard luxury models.
Further reading
Discover more about luxury timepiece trends on our Jewelry section.
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