Lucien Rochat celebrates 100 years of history by presenting the new Iconic 100 Ans, an automatic solotempo produced in a limited edition of 1,925 pieces.
That of the Rochat family is a history that spans centuries and tells of traditions, evolutions and innovations. A family that grows thanks to solid roots and the ability to pass on the culture of savoir-faire: first farmers, then craftsmen and finally watchmakers, and it could not be otherwise (one might say) in the Vallée de Joux, the cradle of Swiss watchmaking.
The family tradition for precision mechanics had already developed in the 18th century when the Rochat progenitors specialised in the construction of automata, miniature mechanical masks with human features. And it is precisely this great skill in the construction of small precision mechanisms that is inherited by later generations, and in particular by Emile Rochat founded the first Lucien Rochat atelier in 1925, specialising in "chronographes compliqués". Thus began the establishment of the Lucien Rochat watchmaking company, recognised for its constant focus on quality and the use of mechanical movements in watchmaking: from the split-seconds of the 1930s and 1940s to the Keos and Kron, timepieces from the 1990s that express the creativity of that period. Over the last ten years, in a rediscovery of the brand's archives and codes, Lucien Rochat has presented several successful collections. From the Lunel, heir to the brand's iconic 'Moon Phase' watches, to the men's model Krab, to the more recent Iconic and Bienne collections.
A century of innovation, craftsmanship and design is therefore what Lucien Rochat is celebrating this year with the launch of Iconic 100 Ans, a model dedicated to its 100th anniversary. In a limited edition of 1,925 pieces (it was 1925, as mentioned, the year Emile Rochat founded his first atelier), it displays a 43 mm yellow gold PVD steel case, secured to the wrist by an alligator-print leather strap with folding clasp.
Lucien Rochat celebrates 100 years of history
The automatic Iconic 100 Ans model is produced in a limited edition of 1,925 individually numbered pieces on the case back.
The skeleton dial, like the visible case back, shows off the movement used: the Miyota automatic calibre 8N24 (21,600 vibrations per hour, 42-hour power reserve), engraved with the Lucien Rochat logo and the special 1925-2025 indication positioned at 6 o'clock. The glass protecting the dial is a sapphire crystal and water resistance is guaranteed up to 3 atmospheres of pressure (30 metres).
"With this watch, we want to celebrate the brand's glorious past, but above all the future of a tradition that continues to renew itself," explains Massimo Carraro, president of the Morellato Group. "It is a tribute to our savoir-faire, our customers and the enthusiasts who accompany us on this extraordinary journey.
Price449 euros.
