恭喜发财 / 恭喜發財 (Gōngxǐ fācái)
It is now a real tradition for watchmakers to observe Chinese New Year by creating beautiful, decorative timepieces adorned with some symbolic depiction of the appropriate sign of the Chinese zodiac, often using rare, artistic techniques to pay tribute to the eastern calendar.
The rooster is the eleventh sign of the 12-year zodiac cycle. According to Chinese astrology, the rooster is loyal and punctual – a great fit for a timepiece!
The Year of the Rooster begins on January 28, 2017.
Jaquet Droz Les Ateliers d’Art Tribute to the Fire Rooster
Jaquet Droz has authentic historic ties to China, making this type of limited edition a natural fit as well as a real feast for the eyes. The Jaquet Droz Tribute to the Fire Rooster edition comprises four variations of the Petite Heure Minute, two with gorgeous miniature painting and two with colorful miniature rooster sculptures and jadeite.
Jaquet Droz Petite Heure Minute Relief Rooster with diamond-set bezel
For more information, please visit www.jaquet-droz.com/en/news/jaquet-droz-celebrates-the-chinese-new-year-tribute-the-fire-rooster.
Quick Facts Petite Heure Minute Relief Rooster diamond-set
Case: 41 x 13.77 mm, 18-karat white gold set with 272 diamonds (1.02 ct)
Dial: 18-karat white gold inlaid with jadeite and engraved white mother-of-pearl with miniature painting; hand-painted and –engraved 18-karat white gold rooster relief appliqué
Movement: automatic Caliber 2653.P with balance spring and pallet fork in silicon; 68-hour power reserve via double spring barrels
Functions: hours, minutes
Limitation: 8 pieces
Price: $79,600
Jaquet Droz Petite Heure Minute Relief Rooster
Quick Facts Petite Heure Minute Relief Rooster
Case: 41 x 13.77 mm, 18-karat red gold
Dial: 18-karat white gold inlaid with jadeite and engraved white mother-of-pearl with miniature painting; hand-painted and –engraved 18-karat white gold rooster relief appliqué
Movement: automatic Caliber 2653.P with balance spring and pallet fork in silicon; 68-hour power reserve via double spring barrels
Functions: hours, minutes
Limitation: 28 pieces
Price: $68,300
View through the display back of the Jaquet Droz Petite Heure Minute Relief Rooster: that rotor is a feast for the eyes!
Jaquet Droz Petite Heure Minute Rooster
Quick Facts Petite Heure Minute Rooster
Case: 39 x 12.23 mm, 18-karat red gold
Dial: ivory-colored high-fire enamel with miniature painting
Movement: automatic Caliber 2653.P with balance spring and pallet fork in silicon; 68-hour power reserve via double spring barrels
Functions: hours, minutes
Limitation: 28 pieces
Price: $30,200
Jaquet Droz Petite Heure Minute Rooster with diamond-set bezel
Quick Facts Petite Heure Minute Rooster diamond-set
Case: 35 x 10.75 mm, 18-karat red gold set with 232 diamonds (1.23 ct)
Dial: ivory-colored high-fire enamel with miniature painting
Movement: automatic Caliber 2653.P with balance spring and pallet fork in silicon; 68-hour power reserve via double spring barrels
Functions: hours, minutes
Limitation: 28 pieces
Price: $37,100
Ulysse Nardin Classico Rooster
Donzé Cadrans has created another beautiful tribute to the Chinese New Year with this gorgeous animal in enamel. Using the champlevé technique combined with a delicate chiseling of the metal parts as a risky final step, this dial is a colorful, masterful work of art.
Ulysse Nardin Classico Rooster
For more on how Donzé Cadrans, a Ulysse Nardin-owned company, creates such masterpieces see Why Do Ulysse Nardin’s Dials Look So Good? Because Donzé Cadrans Authentically Fires Enamel.
Engraving an Ulysse Nardin Classico Rooster to make space for the champlevé enamel
Ulysse Nardin Classico Rooster
For more information, please visit https://www.ulysse-nardin.com/news/classico-rooster.
Quick Facts Ulysse Nardin Classico Rooster
Case: 40 mm, 18-karat pink gold
Movement: automatic Caliber UN-815, C.O.S.C. certified
Dial: champlevé enamel
Functions: hours, minutes, seconds
Limitation: 88 pieces
Price: €39,800
Piaget Altiplano Chinese Zodiac
Anita Porchet, a master of the enamel art form (and Gaïa Award winner), once again created the dial for 2017’s Chinese zodiac-themed timepiece by Piaget. Here she used the cloisonné enamel technique to stage the glorious, strutting animal.
Piaget Altiplano Chinese Zodiac
Quick Facts Piaget Altiplano Chinese Zodiac
Case: 38 mm, white gold set with 78 brilliant-cut diamonds (approx. 0.7 ct)
Movement: manually wound Piaget Caliber 430P, ultra-thin
Dial: grand feu cloisonné enamel
Functions: hours, minutes
Limitation: 38 pieces, available only in Piaget boutiques
Price: $61,000
Piaget Polo Tourbillon Relatif Chinese Zodiac
Marking the tenth anniversary of the exquisite Tourbillon Relatif, Piaget offers a unique piece to a fortunate collector, who can have his or her example’s dial, case engravings, and enamel markings entirely personalized. This unique edition includes the 12 Chinese characters associated with each of the 12 signs of the Chinese zodiac.
Piaget Polo Tourbillon Relatif Chinese Zodiac
Case band of the Piaget Polo Tourbillon Relatif Chinese Zodiac
Quick Facts Polo Tourbillon Relatif Chinese Zodiac
Case: 45 mm, hand-engraved and –enameled white gold
Movement: manually wound Piaget Caliber 608P with approx. 80-hour power reserve and one-minute tourbillon orbitally rotating around the dial in one hour
Dial: white gold hand-engraved and –enameled using champlevé technique
Functions: hours, minutes
Limitation: one unique piece, available only in Piaget boutiques
Price: $555,000
Vacheron Constantin Métiers d’Art Legend of the Chinese Zodiac Year of the Rooster
In an annual limited edition called Legend of the Chinese Zodiac, Vacheron Constantin’s artistic tribute to the Chinese New Year is based on the idea of a Chinese paper cutting art form called jianzhi.
Vacheron Constantin Métiers d’Art Legend of the Chinese Zodiac Year of the Rooster
A motif representing foliage stemming from Chinese iconography makes for a lovely background. It is engraved into the gold dial using a bas relief technique. After engraving, grand feu enamel is added in layers that are successively fired in a kiln.
The dial provides a calendar in the truest sense of the word: its four windows respectively show the current hours, minutes, day, and date. These watches are powered by automatic Caliber 2460 G4.
For more information, please visit www.vacheron-constantin.com/en2/watches/metiers-d-art/metiersdart-metiers-d-art-the-legend-of-the-chinese-zodiac-year-of-the-rooster.
Quick Facts Vacheron Constantin Métiers d’Art Legend of the Chinese Zodiac Year of the Rooster
Case: 40 x 12.74 mm, 18-karat pink gold or platinum
Movement: automatic Caliber 2460 G4, Seal of Geneva
Dial: 18-karat gold, hand-engraved, grand feu enamel, relief-engraved gold rooster
Functions: hours, minutes; weekday, date (all shown in windows)
Limitation: 12 pieces of each variation, available only in Vacheron Constantin boutiques
Price: $100,500 (pink gold), $122,100 (platinum)
Chopard L.U.C XP Urushi Year of the Rooster
The annual Chopard L.U.C. XP horological tribute to the Chinese New Year combines arts, crafts, and technology originating in Switzerland, China, and Japan: Chopard Manufacture’s L.U.C XP model with its ultra-thin movement; Japanese expertise in lacquer and mother-of-pearl marquetry; and China’s zodiacal symbolism.
Chopard L.U.C XP Urushi Year of the Rooster
Painting the dial of the Chopard L.U.C XP Urushi Year of the Rooster
The type of urushi lacquer utilized here is called maki-e, which sees the lacquered coating sprinkled with a metal powder – in this case gold – to accentuate the outlines of the depicted figures.
Chopard L.U.C XP Urushi Year of the Rooster
Quick Facts Chopard L.U.C. XP Urushi Year of the Rooster
Case: 39.5 x 6.8 mm, pink gold
Movement: automatic Caliber L.U.C 96.17-L with micro rotor; 65-hour power reserve via twin spring barrels
Dial: hand-painted urushi maki-e lacquer and mother-of-pearl marquetry
Functions: hours, minutes
Limitation: 88 pieces
Price: $24,290
Panerai Luminor 1950 Sealand 3 Days Automatic Acciaio
As Panerai’s ninth creation in its series of annual Chinese zodiac-themed wristwatches, the Luminor 1950 Sealand 3 Days Automatic Acciaio follows tributes to the ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, and monkey zodiac signs.
Panerai Luminor 1950 Sealand 3 Days Automatic Acciaio with cover closed
This year’s rooster resides on the special steel cover of the watch, which has been decorated with an Italian engraving technique known as sparsello, whose name reflects the tool used to achieve the art. After polishing, the grooves are inlaid with layers of gold threads, which are beaten until they fill them out. This provides the decorative yellow color.
Panerai Luminor 1950 Sealand 3 Days Automatic Acciaio with cover open
For more information, please visit www.panerai.com/en/collections/special-editions/2016/luminor-1950-sealand-3-days-automatic-acciaio-44mm_pam00850.
Quick Facts Panerai Luminor 1950 Sealand 3 Days Automatic Acciaio
Case: 44 mm, stainless steel
Movement: automatic Caliber p.9000 with three-day power reserve thanks to twin spring barrels
Cover: sparsello engraving inlaid with gold threads
Functions: hours, minutes, seconds; date
Limitation: 99 pieces
Price: $21,300
You might also enjoy:
Happy Chinese New Year With 8 Monkey-Themed Watches
Give Me Five! Happy Chinese New Year Of The Horse
Happy Chinese New Year With Goat Watches By Jaquet Droz, Ulysse Nardin, Vacheron Constantin And Arnold & Son
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It’s hard to believe they (some Swiss watch Houses, Mansions, Manufacturers….lol ) are still looking to the China Market? Was the Blancpain Chinese Calendar a success? I really don’t know, but I did read articles about the market having a lot of product that had to be redistributed. Maybe it’s just emotional sales which my work..