Six new limited edition timepieces in honour of the Chinese new year of the Rabbit – symbolising graciousness, kindness and benevolence.
Fourth in the Chinese zodiac, the lucky rabbit is feted for its quick wit and gentleness, and above all, its pure-hearted nature. 2023 rings in the year of the Water Rabbit, and is predicted to be a year of hope – much welcomed during a time of such global uncertainty.
In celebration of a new promise of peace and prosperity in Chinese culture, no less than six luxury watch brands are launching limited edition timepieces with lots of collector’s appeal.
TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Year of the Rabbit
Limited to only 500 pieces, the stunning black, red and golden chronograph features a subtle dial design inspired by the soft fur of a rabbit. Based on the 44mm TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph, the watch features an elegant steel case, deep black ceramic fixed bezel with tachymeter scale echoing its racing origins, and a custom designed dial. The indexes and hours and minute hands are 18K 5N rose gold-plated and accented with sophisticated dark red lacquer, lending the special design an overall festive auspiciousness. The watch’s in-house Calibre Heuer 02 movement offers great timekeeping precision and performance thanks to its vertical clutch and column wheel, and is visible through the case back.
Blancpain Villeret Traditional Chinese Calendar
Since 2012, Blancpain has unveiled a new edition of its Villeret Traditional Chinese Calendar model every year, and this year it launches its 50-piece limited edition in platinum for the year of the Rabbit. Produced in the Grand Complications workshop of the Manufacture in Le Brassus, where only a few watchmakers are capable of mastering its construction, this exceptional timepiece is based on the principles of Chinese tradition and its lunisolar calendar, which it combines with the Gregorian calendar. Crafted from platinum and measuring 45mm in diameter, the double-stepped case of the Traditional Chinese Calendar is faithful to the aesthetic of the Villeret collection, and features a 3638 self-winding movement, which is visible through the sapphire caseback, with a rotor showcasing a pair of bunnies in honour of the Chinese Year of the Rabbit.
IWC Portugieser Automatic 40 Edition “Chinese New Year”
This classic and elegant Portugieser in an ergonomic 40mm stainless steel case features just the right touch of festiveness with a striking burgundy dial and gold-plated hands and appliques. Limited to 500 pieces, this timepiece reveals a delightful feature hidden on the back – a gold-plated rotor in the form of a rabbit glanced through the transparent sapphire case back. Efficiently converting the movements on the wearer’s arm into energy for the mainspring, the automatic Pellaton winding system builds up a power reserve of 60 hours. In addition, the case back ring displays the engraving “2023 Year of the Rabbit” to ring in the lunar new year.
Breguet Classique 9075, 2023 Chinese New Year Edition
Breguet is celebrating the Year of the Rabbit with an 8-piece limited edition watch specially dedicated to women. Adorned with six frolicking bunnies, this Classique 9075 brilliantly showcases a combination of in-house artisanal techniques: enamel and engraving. All the patterns are hand-engraved on an 18-carat white gold dial employing a painstaking bas-relief technique, followed by a meticulous enamel painting and firing process, which only a handful of Swiss artisans can claim to have mastered. At the heart of this delicate timepiece beats the hand-decorated self-winding 591C calibre, which is equipped with 171 components and beats at a frequency of 4 Hz, with a 38-hour power reserve.
Piaget Altiplano Zodiac Chinese New Year
Piaget’s graceful bunnies in cloisonné grand feu enamel is once again created by the master enameller Anita Porchet, who has been collaborating with Piaget since 2006.
Available in just 38 pieces, this limited edition ultra-thin Altiplano depicts two luminous rabbits, housed in a 38mm 18K white gold case set with 78 brilliant-cut diamonds. This delightful watch is powered by the house’s exceptional 430P hand-wound movement that measures a mere 2.1mm in thickness, and comes fitted with a simple, elegant black alligator leather strap.
Vacheron Constantin Métiers d’Art The Legend of the Chinese Zodiac Year of the Rabbit
In celebration of Chinese New Year, Vacheron Constantin marries the traditional decorative art of paper-cutting in both Swiss and Chinese cultures – Jianzhi and Scherenschnitt – for two new timepieces. This artistic approach, highlighted in the Métiers d’Art The Legend of the Chinese Zodiac, has been given a fresh interpretation thanks to the expertise of the master engravers and enamellers. Available in both blue and bronze versions in nine models each, this timepiece features a hand-engraved rabbit in either platinum or pink gold against an opulent 18K gold Grand Feu enamel dial. Vacheron Constantin’s Calibre 2460 G4 movement provides a remarkable hands-free display to showcase the design, instead featuring four apertures showing the hours, minutes, days and dates.
Images courtesy of respective brands featured, artwork by Curatedition. All rights reserved.
Related Links:
Blancpain Ladybird: Spectrum of Dazzle
IWC Schaffhausen: Band of Gold
Breguet Classique: A Modern Twist on Classic Codes
The Piaget Polo: Bold in Green
Vacheron Constantin: Dazzling Precision
