A Timely New Year
The Emergence Of The Zodiac Tiger
CHOPARD
L.U.C XP Urushi Year of the Tiger
Since 2013, Chopard has dedicated a collector’s timepiece to the sign of each Chinese zodiac year, featuring a dial adorned using the Urushi Maki-e technique of combining lacquering and gold dust. In 2022, this tradition continues with the L.U.C XP Urushi Year of the Tiger.
Gold flakes placed between layers of lacquer light up a background featuring a tiger perched above a bay surrounded by cliffs, against a starlit background. Claws out and jaw turned sideways, it deliberately flaunts its strength and majesty. Attention has been focused on each detail of this scene in order to reveal its blend of realism and lyrical beauty.
Entirely carved from ethical 18-carat rose gold, the case measures 39.5 mm in diameter and is a mere 6.80 mm thick. This thinness is enabled by a 3.30 mm-thick in-house L.U.C 96.17-L self-winding movement equipped with a 22-carat gold micro-rotor. Its strong inertia enables it to ensure efficient winding of the two barrels stacked according to Chopard Twin technology, offering a 65-hour power reserve. Limited to 88-pieces.
BLANCPAIN
Traditional Chinese Calendar
A Blancpain exclusive complication, this 50-piece limited edition crafted in platinum presents the indications of the lunisolar calendar on a white grand feu enamel dial with the zodiac sign of the tiger highlighted on the back.
On its dial, the hours, minutes and the Gregorian calendar rub shoulders with the main indications of the Chinese calendar – traditional double-hours, day, month with indication of leap months, signs of the zodiac, as well as the five elements and the ten celestial stems. The moon phases, defining traditional Chinese months are also presented.
The refined 45 mm double-stepped case with under-lug correctors enable easy function adjustments and frames a display revealing Blancpain’s artisanal savoir-faire. Whilst the chapter ring of gold appliques contrasts with the enamel painted indications, the main hands shaped like slightly hollowed leaves are associated with a blued serpentine hand sweeping over the Gregorian date numerals, reminiscent of the 18th century watchmaking tradition.
Within, the self-winding 3638 movement’s complexity stems as much from the number of the indications to be displayed as from the irregular nature of their cycles. A major challenge, this complication took five years of research and development to complete.
