Highly Symbolic and Beautifully Detailed: Chopard’s L.U.C XP Urushi Year of the Rabbit
Since 2013, Chopard has dedicated a statement piece from its L.U.C haute-horlogerie collection to the sign of the Lunar zodiac year. This ethical rose gold watch is based on the L.U.C XP extra-flat watches, with a dial decorated using the traditional Urushi Maki-e technique – a combination of lacquer and gold powder – in a highly symbolic setting, and always produced in a limited series of 88 pieces. This tradition is revived in 2023, the Year of the Rabbit, through an exceptional watch made of ethical 18-carat rose gold: the L.U.C XP Urushi Year of the Rabbit model.
As a tribute to the Chinese New Year, Chopard is proposing a theme subtly linked to the zodiac symbolism of the rabbit. The furry animal represents prudence and agility. In combination with the element that characterizes the year of the water rabbit, it heralds longevity, peace and prosperity.
The Japanese master lacquerers called upon by Chopard have accordingly created a dial on which two rabbits – one gray and the other red – frolic under a full moon in a landscape dotted with Chinese olive trees and a fragrant Asian native shrub symbolizing success and achievement, which are qualities that are also often associated with the rabbit. The scene brings to life the animal’s essential symbolic elements while suggesting its energy, intelligence and alertness.
Faithful to tradition and the preservation of craftsmanship, Chopard works with the finest Japanese artisans specialized in the traditional Maki-e lacquering technique. The 88 iterations intended for the L.U.C XP Urushi Year of the Rabbit are produced by the workshops of the century-old company Yamada Heiando and crafted by master artist Minori Koizumi, a meticulous task requiring no less than 160 hours of work.
In accordance with this refined ancestral technique, gold flakes – placed between layers of lacquer made from the sap of the Toxicodendron vernicifluum tree – light up the background. The artisan’s attention was focused on each detail of the little scene so as to reveal its realism and lyrical beauty.
The case of this special L.U.C XP edition is entirely sculpted from a block of 18-carat rose gold, sourced from an ethical supply chain pioneered by Chopard. It measures 39.5mm in diameter and is a mere 6.80mm thick. This thinness is possible thanks to the in-house L.U.C 96.17-L self-winding movement equipped with an off-centered 22-carat gold micro-rotor. Its strong inertia ensures efficient winding of the two barrels, which are stacked according to Chopard Twin technology and store the energy to offer a power reserve of 65 hours.
The Chopard L.U.C XP Urushi Year of the Rabbit is available now with pricing available upon request.
To learn more, visit Chopard, here.