ANCESTRAL INSPIRATION
In ancient China, time was illustrated by astrological symbols. Days were made up of twelve 2-hour segments. And, this is exactly what this limited edition invites us to discover!
As the Chinese New Year comes around, Chopard celebrates the event with a highly-original model which combines métiers d’art and an astral theme. For the upcoming cycle, which begins on February 12, 2021 and where the Ox reigns supreme, the manufacture chose to center stage the traditional time system of the Middle Kingdom. To do this, it created a large aperture in the L.U.C XP Urushi Spirit of Shi Chen at 12 o’clock where the animals of the zodiac glide by. Each is displayed for a period of 120 minutes. The day dawns at 11pm with the hour of the Rat, features that of the Horse at midday and completes its rotation with the Pig. This animation is exalted by urushi artwork and the maki-e technique applied to the dial, handcrafted in the workshops of the Japanese firm Yamada Heiando by the master lacquerer Minori Koizumi. The gold dust sprinkled between the lacquered layers gift the composition with a sparkling personality. This also stands out through the magnificently-centrally-showcased symbol of the god of prosperity Lu Xing.
The automatic L.U.C 96-29-L caliber, specially created for the occasion, beats inside the 40 mm-diameter ethically-sourced rose gold case. Thanks to its twin-stacked barrels, it delivers autonomy of 65 hours to the watch. Last but not least, the sapphire-crystal caseback invites us to admire the Côtes de Genève-decorated bridges and the micro-rotor.
This L.U.C XP Urushi Spirit of Shi Chen, issued in just 88 pieces, is worn on a black alligator strap clasped by a rose gold ardillon buckle.
Price: EUR37,800 chopard.com
By Dan Diaconu