POWERFUL YET DELICATE
Since 2013, the manufacture has been unveiling exclusive series to celebrate each new Chinese zodiac cycle. And, this year’s newcomer perpetuates the tradition majestically.
Among the plethora of watch creations inaugurating the lunar New Year, Chopard stands out from the crowd by embracing métiers d’art. The 88-piece L.U.C XP Urushi Year of the Dragon limited series boasts a one-of-a-kind dial handcrafted in Japan. Minori Koizumi, a master craftsman known for his mastery of 100% eco-friendly lacquer, who works at Yamada Heiando, a firm founded in Tokyo in 1919, chose to use the traditional, delicate Maki-e technique. The lacquered surface is sprinkled with metal powder, in this instance, gold. An impressive gold-hued oriental dragon, reigning in this glittering scenescape, clasps a mother-of-pearl gem, symbolizing happiness, wisdom as well as knowledge for whomever holds it.
This harmonious composition, over which golden dauphine-type hour and minute hands hover, nestles in an extra-slim 39.50 mm-diameter, just 6.80 mm-high case, sculpted in 18-karat ethical rose gold. This precious container protects the L.U.C 96-17-L caliber, assembled using some 208 components, including an off-centered micro-rotor and Cotes de Genève-decorated bridges. Although this selfwinding movement is extremely fine, just 3.30 mm thick, it delivers a dazzling performance. The presence of two stacked barrels (Chopard Twin technology) ensures the device offers the watch a comfortable power reserve of 65 hours. As we enter the year of the Wood Dragon and the end of a full 12-year cycle, Chopard plans to showcase a set of its twelve L.U.C XP Urushi watches imagined since 2013.
