Chinese New Year will fall on January 31 and it will be the year of the Horse. Right in time, Chopard announces its new creation for the upcoming year – the amazing Chopard L.U.C XP Urushi Year of the Horse 2014 Special Edition Watch.
Chopard L.U.C XP Urushi Year of the Horse 2014 Special Edition Watch Front
Urushi – an ancestral decorative technique
With this magnificent timepiece, Chopard also honors traditional forms of craftsmanship with the traditional Japanese art of lacquer painting. This exceptional newcomer is the latest member of the famous Chopard’s Urushi series. Its dial is decorated with the paint derived from the resin of the Urushi tree which can be mainly found in Japan and China. This is a very rare material, because the resin can be harvested only one time in a year and it yields very small amounts of paint. Three to five years after it is collected, the resin needs to be transformed into the very resistant, honey-textured lacquer.
The gorgeous dial of the new Chopard shows classy prancing horse, encrusted with lotus flowers. This plant symbolizes personal fulfillment due to its capability to rise unblemished from the muddy waters where it is rooted, in order to blossom in the light. The dial also features gilt dauphine-type hour and minute hands.
Chopard L.U.C XP Urushi Year of the Horse 2014 Special Edition Watch
The fabulous dial comes together with a supremely elegant ultra-thin case crafted from the 18-karat rose gold. The case sizes 39.5mm in diameter and only 6.8mm in thickness. The case is shielded with glare-proofed sapphire crystals and provides water resistance of up to 30 meters (about 100 feet). On the right side, there is a simple rose gold crown with L.U.C logo.
The beating heart of the Chopard L.U.C XP Urushi Year of the Horse 2014 Special Edition Watch (ref. 161902-5052) is L.U.C Caliber 96.17-L mechanical movement which is hand made and decorated by the Chopard’s artisans. A self-winding movement is tooled with two barrels thanks to the smart construction of the off-centered micro-rotor. Twin barrels deliver a fairly generous power reserve of around 65 hours. The mechanism is collected on the 29 jewels and has the frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour (4 Hz).
Chopard L.U.C XP Urushi Year of the Horse 2014 Special Edition Watch Case
The watch is teamed with a black hand-sewn alligator leather strap, fitted with a pin buckle in 18-karat rose gold. This Special Edition watch comes in an octagonal-shaped presentation box which is also decorated with Urushi techniques. The octagonal shape of the box evokes the oriental symbol of gaiety.
The 2014 Year of Wood Horse
The Horse is the seventh in the twelve year cycle of the Chinese zodiac and it loves to travel towards new horizons. This free-spirited creature is the life of the party and where the horse is, everyone else wants to be there as well. The Horse symbolizes perception, nobility, class, creativity, speed and perseverance. People born in the Year of the Horse are extremely active, very smart and great speakers who have a gift for getting through to other people. They strive towards seeking freedom and happiness.
The Year 2014 is the Year of Wood Horse. Wood is related to tree or green, so it is also called the Year of Green Horse. The Year begins on January 31, 2014, and ends on February 18, 2015.
