January 26, 2021: The Year of the Ox, beginning on February 12, 2021 and ending on January 31, 2022, represents a period conducive to both nature and agriculture. An Earth sign, this benevolent animal ensures the prosperity of the soil and the crops, the success of which depend on a peaceful climate. Signifying, and celebrating, this hard-working animal, Chopard has introduced three special timepieces.
Chopard’s L.U.C collection once again picks up the aesthetic codes of the finest Asian craftsmanship to create the L.U.C XP Urushi Year of the Ox timepiece. This 88-piece limited series is ultra-thin and exquisitely refined. Its Urushi lacquer dial, made by the workshops of the century-old Yamada Heiando company and its Master lacquer artist Minori Koizumi, reveals a scene evocative of ancestral toil and humble prosperity. As the Maki-e technique requires, captured between the layers of lacquer drawn from the sap of the Toxicodendron vernicifluum tree (Chinese lacquer tree), gold flakes illuminate a background that features a golden ox with straight horns and an abundant coat, harnessed to a wagon. Made of gold, mother-of-pearl and coloured lacquer, it conveys agricultural symbolism and prosperity.
Its L.U.C 96.17-L in-house movement testifies to the horological expertise of the artisans at Chopard Manufacture.
Steeped in the aesthetic codes of Chinese culture, the L.U.C XP Urushi Spirit of Shí Chen is the first L.U.C timepiece to display the traditional Chinese timekeeping system, Shí Chen. The animals of the zodiac that symbolises them parade slowly by on an Urushi lacquer disc, accompanied by the symbol of prosperity and its god Lu Xing. It consists of twelve two-hour units, each one represented by an animal from the zodiac cycle. The day thus begins at 11pm with the hour of the Rat and ends with the hour of the Pig, while noon is in the middle of the hour of the Horse.
This creative new complication also exists as an 88-piece limited edition. The dials are also produced by Yamada Heiando company. And as per the distinctive Maki-e technique, gold flakes are sprinkled between the layers of lacquer to illuminate the 40 mm ethical 18-carat rose gold case from within, which also houses the L.U.C 96.29-L Chopard Manufacture movement.
The third watch in this repertoire, Chopard’s iconic Happy Sport watch appears in a festive attire for a majestic luck-themed dance. Clad in splendid crimson, crafted in accordance with the golden ratio embodied in its 33mm-diameter ethical 18-carat rose gold case, this watch embodies the sport-chic trend while carrying eight dancing diamonds: a lucky number accentuating its talisman qualities. Paired with a red leather strap, the Happy Sport beats to the rhythm of the Chopard 09.01-C in-house movement.
