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.
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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.
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