Available at Chopard Pavilion Kuala Lumpur. 03-2145 3611
Costs RM 86,520 but Chopard's Monkey watch is not here yet but orders are being taken on first come, first served basis.
L.U.C XP Urushi
“Year of the monkey”
An original allegory
sublimated by an ancestral art
This
year Chopard is dedicating a new exclusive series of its L.U.C XP to the
Chinese zodiac. The Chinese year beginning on February 8th 2016 is
ascribed to the monkey and provides the theme for an exceptional Urushi
lacquered dial. Hand-crafted in Japan in small series by a master lacquer
artist, it depicts a popular scene believed to bring good luck and drawn from
Chinese iconography: a monkey gathering peaches.
The
many symbols of a superbly made dial
For
more than 1,000 years, the monkey of the Chinese zodiac calendar has conveyed
positive symbolism. People born in the Year of the Monkey are considered smart,
curious and drawn to knowledge. They are cultivated, inventive as well as
creative. It is an ‘earth’ sign associated with good sense. Stubborn yet
charming, the monkey loves to perform for an audience and is endowed with great
self-esteem. The monkey gathering eight peaches is a traditional Chinese theme
that symbolises longevity and good fortune, since the peach stands for good
health and eight is a lucky number.
In
the interpretation chosen by Chopard, a red-coated monkey is perched on a
branch laden with fruit. It is gathering peaches beneath a golden sky ablaze
with the last rays of the sun. Behind it, golden valleys compose a warm scene
in soft tones that make a perfect match with the rose gold of the case.
Fitted
with a black alligator leather strap, the L.U.C XP Urushi “Year of the monkey”
comes in a special presentation box also decorated using Urushi techniques.
Black on the outside and gold Maki-e inside, it is shaped like an octagon, an
oriental symbol of gaiety.
The
excellence of fine workmanship
Urushi lacquer comes from the sap of the “lacquer”
or “Japanese varnish” tree. It is skilfully harvested, aged and treated to
become a transparent lacquer that is applied in a series of extremely fine
layers. The Urushi master uses it to imprison gold dust motifs created using
the extraordinarily meticulous Maki-e technique. Each of these delicate
gestures, performed exclusively by experienced masters of this exceptional skill
who dedicate their lives to improving their art, are driven by a relentless
pursuit of excellence.
To create this precious dial, as well as the case
for previous L.U.C XP Urushi editions, Chopard has worked with the firm Yamada
Heiando, official purveyor to the Japanese imperial family. Raised to the rank
of “living human treasure” in Japan and acknowledged as the finest exponent of
his art, Master Kilchiro Masumura has designed and supervised the creation of
all dials, which were executed by Master Minori Koizumi, an Urushi master
chosen by Chopard for his extreme artistic mastery.
The
excellence of sophisticated mechanics
This Far Eastern nobility meets Swiss nobility in
the form of Chopard Haute Horlogerie, since this exceptional dial is housed in
a L.U.C XP case. Its slender shape and dainty bezel magnificently highlight the
creations of the Japanese Urushi artists, while inside it beats with an L.U.C
Calibre 96.17-L, an ultra-thin movement measuring just 3.30 mm thick.
This entirely in-house manufactured self-winding
movement is equipped with a 22-carat gold micro-rotor that is incorporated into
the overall thickness of the movement so as to combine slenderness with
practicality. Equipped with Twin® technology based on two barrels and ensuring
an unprecedented 65-hour power reserve, this calibre is finished according to
the highest standards of technical and aesthetic quality.
Chopard’s in-house approach to watch
manufacturing
Chopard
is a family business with a strongly ingrained philosophy of independence. Each
step involved in making L.U.C watches is performed in-house at the group’s
Meyrin and Fleurier production sites. Movement development, gold smelting,
finished product design, stamping and case machining, movement components and
metal bracelets, as well as traditional hand-crafted finishes, surface
treatments, polishing, assembly, adjustments and quality controls: such is the
comprehensive range of watch production operations fully mastered by Chopard
Technical details
L.U.C XP Urushi – Year of the monkey
Case:
- In 18-carat rose gold
- Total diameter 39.50 mm
- Thickness 6.80
mm
- Water resistance 30 metres
- 18-carat rose gold crown with L.U.C logo 4.00 mm
- Glareproofed sapphire crystal
- Transparent case-back
Movement:
- Mechanical self-winding L.U.C 96.17-L
- Total diameter 27.40 mm
- Thickness 3.30
mm
- Number of jewels 29
- Frequency 28,800 vph (4 Hz)
- Power reserve 65 hours
- Two barrels, Twin® technology
- Bridges adorned with Côtes de Genève
Dial
and hands:
- Dial crafted using the Urushi technique
with monkey motif
- Gilded Dauphine-type hours and minutes
hands
Functions
and displays:
- Central display of the hours and minutes
Strap and buckle:
· Hand-sewn alligator leather strap with Alsavel lining
· 18ct rose gold pin buckle
Ref. 161902-5061 – in 18-carat rose gold
with special “Year of the monkey” dial
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