Blancpain
Watches to Welcome the Year of the Rat
Blancpain
Watches to Welcome the Year of the Rat
2020 doesn’t just signify the turn of a new decade, it’s also the Year of the Rat, which is the first sign of the zodiac. These special edition zodiac watches are highly collectible and treasured by connoisseurs in many Asian communities, who often look forward to completing a full set of the 12 signs. Let’s take a look at this year’s offerings.
Vacheron Constantin Metiers d’Art The Legend of Chinese Zodiac Year of the Rat
This year, inspired by the popular Chinese art of jianzhi, or paper-cutting, Vacheron Constantin’s master engravers and enamellers have created a floral motif that is etched directly onto the dial. Grand Feu enamelling is applied to the dial in blue or a bronze-tone in successive layers, before an engraving of the Rat, made in platinum or pink gold, is delicately placed onto the centre of the dial.
Inside the timepiece beats the Calibre 2460 G4, which shows the time (hours, minutes, days and dates) through four apertures on the edge of the dial, giving the artistic crafts a chance to shine right in the centre.
Breguet Reine De Naples 8955 Cammea
The art of cameo is one that Breguet has utilised in its other timepieces, an ancient art form where the designs are raised in relief from hand-engraved conch shells. Once the design is cut out from the shell, the surface is smoothed and flattened to reveal the white surface where the main image will appear. The final shell thickness is no more than two millimetres, but the detailed grooves in the shell reveal deeper coloured shades, giving rise to a striking image of the little rodent in ivory over a darker brown background.
In a rose gold case with a bezel set with 40 diamonds, the crown at 4 o’clock is also decorated with a briolette-cut diamond as a cabochon. The self-winding manufacture calibre 537/3 is visible through the sapphire caseback, with a power reserve of 45 hours and an engine-turned platinum rotor. The special series is limited to eight timepieces numbered from 1/8 to 8/8.
Piaget Altiplano Zodiac Watch
Anita Porchet, possibly the most widely recognised enamel artist today, is the master behind the work, bringing the two little rats to life on the Altiplano dial. The white gold case houses the 430P ultra-thin hand-wound Piaget movement, and the bezel is set with 78 diamonds.
Chopard L.U.C XP Urushi Year of the Rat
The 88 dials of the limited edition watch were created through the collaboration between Chopard and Yamada Heinado. On the dial is a golden rat, standing on an ear of corn to symbolise abundance and a khaki fruit, representing longevity. A plant in blue, green and gold is also painted on the dial, all lucky colours for the Year of the Rat.
The L.U.C XP is powered by the L.U.C 96.17-L Calibre, which can be admired through the transparent sapphire caseback.
Jacquet Droz Ateliers D’Art Petite Heure Minute Relief Rat
The 41mm Petite Heure Minute features an onyx dial as the backdrop for the Rat holding a pomegranate in its hands, a fruit that has long been a symbol for life and fertility. Hand-engraved and hand-painted, the Rat is depicted in 18K red gold appliqué in relief, holding a ruby pomegranate seed in its hands. The bigger pomegranate fruit can be seen at 9 o’clock, depicted by rubies arranged in a snow setting.
Limited to eight pieces, the watch is powered by a self-winding mechanical movement with a power reserve of 68 hours.
Panerai Luminor Sealand — 44mm
The technique is named after the tool, a little scalpel that is used to make incisions in the metal. These are then inlayed with gold threads that are hammered in to fill the recesses. Up to 50 hours is required to complete the design on the watch.
The mechanical movement powering the Luminor Sealand is the P.9010 calibre with a power reserve of three days. The watch, water resistant to 100 metres, is fitted with a semi-matte calf strap and comes with a second rubber strap. Only 88 pieces are made.
Blancpain Villeret Calendrier Chinois Traditionnel
On the white Grand Feu enamel dial, the animal of the year, the Rat, appears in a window at 12 o’clock. The double hours counter displayed in numbers and symbols are right underneath it. At 3 o’clock, the ten celestial pillars and five elements are displayed, while the two hands at 9 o’clock serve to read the month and date. The moon phase indication is positioned at 6 o’clock. And of course, you can still read the Gregorian calendar, pointed out around the rim of the chapter ring by a blued steel serpentine hand.
The 45mm platinum watch is driven by the self-winding 3638 movement, which comes with a seven-day power reserve, made possible by the use of three series-coupled barrels and high-performance springs. The movement, visible from the transparent caseback, comes with a white gold oscillating weight engraved with the Rat. Only 50 pieces are made.
TAG Heuer CNY 2020 Year of the Rat Special Edition
Instead, the silhouette of the furry creature is immortalised on the case back. The fun cartoon rat is portrayed with traditional pilot googles and holds a steering wheel between its paws, a fitting image that echoes TAG Heuer’s motor racing roots.
Inside the 42mm three-hand timepiece is the COSC-certified Calibre 5 automatic movement, with a 38-hour power reserve.
Swatch Chinese New Year Special Cheese Watch
What completes the package is the metal box — shaped like a slab of cheese