Dear friends of IWS, welcome back to our magazine. Today, we are here to celebrate the Chinese New Year, which this year began on February 10th.
The start of the new year, as per tradition, will be accompanied by 15 days of celebrations that will usher in the Year of the Dragon, symbolizing strong, courageous, and virile individuals, but also benevolence, prosperity, luck, and good news.
As usual, to celebrate one of the most important events in all of the East, several watchmaking houses have presented unique pieces in limited editions dedicated specifically to the Chinese New Year. Let’s now discover them all in detail within this article.
Hublot
For the Chinese New Year, the house that has made bold materials and design its hallmark, has launched a new variant of one of its quintessential shaped watches. This is the Spirit of Big Bang Titanium Dragon, a timepiece completely inspired by the Chinese art of paper cutting. The watch features a 3D dragon created through the art of paper cutting with a multi-layered dial that includes a base panel and multiple layers of appliqués.
The absolute uniqueness of this watch lies in having interpreted the symbol of the dragon in a totally new and different way from what we are accustomed to by tradition, something Hublot has always accustomed us to.
The dragon’s body then continues above the rubber strap created, for the first time, with an inlaid pattern. Inside the 42mm titanium case, there is the automatic movement HUB1710, ready to bring the dragon to life every time the watch is worn. The watch is a limited edition of 88 pieces.
Blancpain
For the Chinese year dedicated to the Dragon, Blancpain decided to present a new watch with a Traditional Chinese Calendar limited to fifty pieces worldwide. It is a highly exclusive timepiece with a 45.20mm diameter case entirely made of red gold.
This watch starts a cycle of 12 years and recalls the legend according to which the Jade Emperor summoned twelve animals to the gates of his palace. Indeed, at 12 o’clock, above the fantastic grand feu green enameled dial, it is possible to notice a window within which the 12 animals dedicated to each of the next 12 years of the Chinese calendar are depicted.
In addition to observing the dragon in the window at 12 o’clock, an engraving can be admired above the red gold oscillating weight that gives life to the 3638 caliber. As for the indications provided by this exclusive Chinese calendar, there are four dedicated hands, a window for the Zodiac, and one for the leap month. The ensemble indicates Chinese hours, which last 12 minutes, the sixty-year cycle of elements and Yin/Yang, the twelve-year cycle of the Zodiac, and the Chinese days, months, and leap months.
The Gregorian date is indicated by a serpentine hand. Finally, the moon phases are traditionally indicated by the disc located at 6 o’clock.
Breguet
Breguet has decided to celebrate the Chinese New Year with the presentation of two highly exclusive new watches. These are the Classique Double Tourbillon Dragon 5345 and the Classique Dragon 7145.
The first timepiece is characterized by the unmistakable presence of two tourbillons, an innovative precision solution devised by the house’s founder Abraham-Louis Breguet himself. This is a system capable of counteracting the effects of gravity on the regularity of watch movements presented on the now distant June 26, 1801.
On this singular version of the watch, dedicated to the year of the dragon, the house has created a dial above which it is possible to notice a dragon in gold fixed to the two barrel bridges that flutters between the two tourbillons. Between the dragon’s claws, it is possible to observe a mother-of-pearl sphere that, according to legend, contains the sacred essence that gives the dragon its power, a sign of wisdom.
The most interesting thing is that this special edition of the house will be customizable by future buyers, who can choose the shape and color of the dragon above the dial.
The second timepiece, on the other hand, is named Classique Dragon and is characterized by a dial adorned by the Métiers d’Art. The crimson red dial, with shades varying between the hour circle and the center, is made with the “grand feu” enamel technique. The dragon, protagonist of the dial, is applied in rose gold and is entirely hand-engraved.
Also on this dial, at 4 o’clock, the sphere, made of natural white mother-of-pearl, is constantly kept in view by the dragon. Finally, inside the 40mm diameter rose gold case, we find the caliber 502.3, which still today remains one of Breguet’s thinnest movements.
Longines
The historic Swiss brand has also decided to celebrate the arrival of the Year of the Dragon. Longines has presented the new Flagship Heritage Year of the Dragon, a variant of a regular production model characterized by the fascinating moon phase complication at 6 o’clock. In this version, with a 38.5mm diameter steel case, dedicated to the Chinese New Year, we find a fantastic red dial matched with golden hands.
On the back of the watch, we can also notice a dragon engraved at the center, recalling the fantastic animal that will accompany the new Chinese year.
Chopard
The Chopard L.U.C XP Urushi Year of the Dragon is not just a timepiece, but a true cross between precision engineering and art. With an ultra-thin 18-carat rose gold case 39.5 mm in diameter and just 6.80 mm thick, this watch houses the L.U.C caliber 96.17-L, featuring a micro-rotor that testifies to the union of technical mastery and artistic creativity at the Chopard Manufacture. But it is the dial that catches the eye, the result of Japanese handwork using the Urushi technique, enriched with gold dust and mother-of-pearl inlays to celebrate the year of the dragon, making each piece unique and testifying to the continuity of top-notch craftsmanship savoir-faire for the 12th consecutive year.
On the technical side, the L.U.C 96.17-L movement is a small masterpiece: thanks to the L.U.C Twin technology, which takes advantage of two superimposed barrels, it guarantees a power reserve of about 65 hours while maintaining a surprisingly slim profile (3.3 mm). The frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour (4 Hz) and its 208 components, including 29 rubies, testify to the sophistication and high precision of the mechanism. Complementing it is a black alligator leather strap with tone-on-tone stitching and 18-karat rose gold pin buckle, lending a touch of classic elegance to this collector’s watch, limited to only 88 pieces.
IWC
The Schaffhausen maison has launched, for the Chinese New Year, a very successful variant of one of their most iconic watches ever. This is the new Portuguese Chronograph, in a limited edition of 1000 pieces, made for the first time with a fantastic burgundy color and gold-plated hands in contrast. In addition to the burgundy color, further references to the Chinese New Year can be seen by flipping the 41mm diameter steel case over.
Through the sapphire glass on the case back, it is indeed possible to notice the oscillating mass of the 69355 caliber, manufacture-grade, in the shape of a dragon. Another reference to the celebration of the event is the inscription placed on the upper part of the case back bearing “year of the dragon.” This is not something new for the maison, which had already accustomed us to a very similar expedient during the year of the rabbit, keeping the watch sober and elegant.
Jaeger LeCoultre
Jaeger-LeCoultre celebrates the Chinese New Year with a reinterpretation of their iconic Reverso watch. In 2023, indeed, the maison has created the Reverso Tribute Enamel “Dragon,” which, at first glance, may appear as a “normal” version, with a rose gold case, of the famous watch of the maison.
The real detail is shown once the iconic reversible case is flipped, where a dragon impressed on the case back, made with the technique of enameling and engraving, will immediately catch the eye. Being a highly exclusive and celebratory model, this watch will be made only by order.
Bell & Ross
To inaugurate the Year of the Dragon, Bell & Ross presented a watch that is quite unusual compared to what we might expect from the house.
Despite being famous for its characteristic aviation instrument design, today Bell & Ross presents the new BR 05 Artline Dragon watch characterized by a novel and bold style. It indeed appears as a timepiece above which is depicted what, at first glance, may seem a tattoo.
This variant of the BR 05 line represents an artistic work meant to portray a real metallic tattoo depicting the head of a dragon at the center of the dial with the body extending over the rest of the watch, bracelet included.
The decorative motif is finely engraved using an exceptional laser engraving technique even in parts where the work was rather difficult and delicate. For the bracelet, in fact, this process meant engraving each link individually before assembly with the utmost precision so that the design would not be distorted and there would be continuity between one link and the next.
Animating this Bell & Ross dragon is the BR-CAL.321 caliber, enclosed in a 40mm diameter steel case. Limited to just 99 pieces, the BR 05 Artline Dragon will be sold exclusively in Bell & Ross boutiques and e-boutiques.
Genus
The independent Swiss brand Genus has dedicated different variants, rich in colors and materials, to the new Chinese year, of a watch entirely dedicated to the dragon. This is the Genus Dragon, a watch that encapsulates within it a singular “complication,” namely an articulated dragon capable of marking the passage of time by moving on the dial.
It is not just a decorative element but a real functional element that takes the place of the minute hand. Indeed, as it moves, the dragon’s head indicates the tens of minutes. A remarkable creative expedient that perfectly combines aesthetics with functionality.
Harry Winston
The famous high jewelry maison has created a singular watch where all the savoir-faire of watchmaking meets the impeccable use of precious stones. Above the rose gold case, brilliant-cut white diamonds are placed, perfectly matching those on the edge of the mother-of-pearl hour and minute counter at the center of the dial.
In contrast to these colors, from a decoration that seems to evoke clouds, finally emerges the red dragon with a precious pearl inside its mouth, which also serves as the 12 o’clock hour indicator.
Parmigiani
For the Chinese year 2024, Parmigiani has decided not to dedicate itself to a wristwatch but to create a true work of art for the table. With this fantastic clock, the house has indeed fused together high watchmaking and art, going on to create a large-sized clock-sculpture topped by a fantastically decorated dragon by hand with some of the world’s most precious techniques.
Ulysse Nardin
Ulysse Nardin, for the Chinese New Year, presents the new and singular Blast Tourbillon Dragon. It is a watch with a 45mm diameter case in rose gold and titanium that encloses a skeletonized dial topped by a fantastic three-dimensional red and orange dragon.
The dragon is made of rose gold, engraved and painted entirely by hand with the technique of micro-painting. The fantastic animal seems almost to come to life and with its head goes hunting for the tourbillon that, also on this occasion, is distinguished by a pearl.
Powering this fantastic watch, we find Ulysse Nardin’s first automatic winding skeletonized tourbillon caliber, the UN-172 caliber, visible through the sapphire glass case back.
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