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Roar into the Lunar New Year with These Dragon-Inspired Timepieces

 

2024 marks the return of the Year of the Dragon. Returning once every 12 years, this celestial creature is associated with prosperity and is a symbol of luck, strength and wisdom. The dragon is also an imperial icon that embodies life and immortality. In honour of this auspicious creature, LUXUO lists the exclusive festive releases and dynamic timepieces to usher in the Year of the Dragon — from dragon motifs to dragon figurines and every scale inbetween.

Vacheron Constantin

The Grisaille High Jewellery Dragon’s grisaille enamelling technique is objectively rare, and is a first for Vacheron Constantin in this shade of green. Note the 146 baguette-cut diamonds on the bezel and case of the 40 mm white gold watch, which take nothing away from the subtlety at the heart of this unique piece. Absent even a seconds indicator, it might be the most restrained watch on this list…

Ulysse Nardin

To celebrate the Lunar New Year, Ulysse Nardin combines the majestic dragon with the alluring pearl. The Ulysse Nardin Blast Tourbillon Dragon is an embodiment of in-house innovations, métiers d’art and the magic of the Year of the Dragon. This limited edition timepiece is crafted from 5N rose gold with black DLC-coated titanium sections. The two-dimensional enamel dial features an intricate red gold dragon extending across the dial towards a pearl sculpture. The case back’s “X” shape is a signature of the watch and has become a notable feature of the modern Ulysse Nardin.

Piaget

Piaget’s new Dragon & Phoenix capsule collection features 10 daring designs of exceptional watches and High Jewellery pieces – topped off with a pair of extravagantly exclusive, made-to-order high jewellery cuff watches. Each creation brims with emotion and exuberance, joyfully channelling the codes of the Maison while celebrating the house’s unparalleled watchmaking savoir-faire. In the example seen here, the dial features the fine paillonne enamel craftwork of the famed Anita Porchet, framing a engraved gold dragon.

Chopard

Chopard’s L.U.C XP Urushi Year of the Dragon is an 88-piece limited edition in ethical rose gold and boasts a continuation of the brand’s exploration of the traditional Japanese urushi craft; the dial was crafted by a Japanese Maki-e master using urushi lacquer, gold powder and mother-of-pearl inlays. The in-house L.U.C 96.17-L calibre with micro-rotor ensures that a slender profile of just 6.80 mm can be maintained. It mingles technical savoir-faire and artistic flair delivered by Chopard Manufacture.

Breguet

Classique Double Tourbillon Dragon 5345 (Special edition)

Breguet unveils two new exceptional timepieces as a tribute to the emblematic Year of the Dragon. The first is the special edition Classique Double Tourbillon Dragon 5345, which sees a hand-engraved golden dragon twirl between the watch’s twin tourbillons. The dragon is seen clutching a pearl made of mother-of-pearl in its talons. The rhodiumised gold rotating plate is hand-guillochéd with a fan motif. The gold bridge below the mainplate features an anthracite galvanic treatment and Clous de Paris hobnail motif guilloché.

Next is the Classique Dragon 7145 which features a hand-engraved rose gold appliqué dragon standing triumphantly on the dial with the watches Roman numerals, minutes track and clouds finished in a golden powder-pink hue. The manufacture calibre 502.3 beats inside a 40 mm rose gold case which is one of Breguet’s thinnest at just 2.40 mm thick.

Classique Dragon 7145 (Eight Piece numbered limited edition)

Hublot

Drawing inspiration from the traditional Chinese art of paper cutting, the Spirit of Big Bang Titanium Dragon layers its hands, wheels and H-shaped screws to form a 3D silhouette of an eastern dragon. It is a formidable expression of creativity that bridges form and function. Created in collaboration with the Chinese artist Chen Fenwan, this limited edition timepiece of 88 pieces is the perfect fusion of tradition and modernity, combining metaphors and symbols in the spirit of Hublot.

Bovet

Bovet’s artisans combined the art of sculpting miniatures with its established mastery of high horology in the Recital 26 Chapter Two Dragon. The result is a hand-engraved horological objet dárt. A domed blue quartz dial displays the local time zone’s hours and minutes in the upper part of the case. The dome located at 3 o’clock displays a second time zone specifically developed for this timepiece and patented by Bovet.

Roger Dubuis

Roger Dubuis utilised the Year of the Dragon to introduce the Excalibur Dragon Monotourbillon. The timepiece’s watchmaking innovation highlights the dance, complexity, artistry, and symbolism of the festive season all in one. For the sculpture of the dragon, the watchmakers have used 27 individual pieces of brass – each embellished with black lacquer on the sides and a pink gold treatment on the polished top surface. The pieces are then set on 25 different levels, producing a mutli-dimensional vision that is full of volume and vitality, thus enriching the skeletonised movement.

IWC Schaffhausen

IWC Schaffhausen welcomes the Lunar New Year with a special edition release of the Portugieser Chronograph. This timepiece features a 41 mm stainless steel case, a burgundy dial and contrasting gold-plated hands and appliques. Limited to 1,000 pieces, this watch features its rotor in the form of a majestic dragon, visible through the sapphire crystal case back. The watch is powered by the manufacture 69355 calibre.

Bell & Ross

Envoking tattoo artistry, the BR 05 Artline Dragon watch takes on this bold personality, with its own exclusive laser engraving. By adopting this graphic code, the timepiece visually plays on light and shadow through the relative fineness and thickness of each stroke honing in on the precision of line work that is crucial to “transcending the realm of drawing to that of a metal tattoo”. On the BR 05 Artline Dragon’s dial and integrated bracelet, the decorative motif is finely engraved.

Jaeger-LeCoultre

Jaeger-LeCoultre adds a new chapter to this story of craftsmanship and artistry with the Reverso Tribute Enamel ‘Dragon’. The new timepiece pays tribute to the Year of the Dragon, and to the talents of the master enamellers and engravers in the Métiers Rares atelier of the Manufacture Jaeger-LeCoultre. Created to celebrate the Zodiac Year and made only to order, the Reverso Tribute Enamel ‘Dragon’ is testament to La Grande Maison’s vision of culture and creativity, where the artistic crafts merge with the technical expertise of the watchmakers.

Blancpain

In 2012, Blancpain achieved a world-first when it debuted its Villeret Traditional Chinese Calendar wristwatch that spanned East-West with its combination of a complex Chinese calendar and a Gregorian date and moonphase. This year, the Manufacture enters its second 12-year cycle with the introduction of a new limited edition of this grand complication featuring a dragon engraved on the red gold winding rotor in honor of the symbol of the new lunar year. This special limited edition for the first time is executed in red gold with a green enamel dial against a frosted background; the dragon is flanked by a red ruby and a Chinese character engraving of the words “dragon” and “wood”, the element of 2024.

Franck Muller

Franck Muller’s release of special edition timepieces comes every Lunar New Year to mark the procession of animals in the Chinese zodiac. Honouring the mythical dragon, the new Vanguard Dragon Slim Skeleton Limited Edition bears a customised rotor that has been engraved with a dragon, which appears to coil around and protect the timepieces’s movement like a “mystical guardian”. The Vanguard Dragon Slim Skeleton Rouge and Vert are accented in red and green respectively, with the pops of color coming from its tinted sapphire caseback – the special bright hues reflected in said caseback mirror that of the dial. Only 10 pieces will be available of each reference, including the Colour Dreams version (which is distinguished by a transparent caseback) exclusively at Franck Muller boutiques in the Asia Pacific region.

Parmigiani Fleurier

Maison Parmigiani celebrates the Year of the Wood Dragon with a magnificent restoration of a masterpiece from its Métiers d’Art collection, the “Tempus Fugit”. Inspired by the legend of the Dragon and the Pearl of Knowledge, the piece incorporates powerful symbols anchored deep in traditional Chinese culture. This piece is a reference to Parmigiani Fleurier’s vast experience in the restoration of antique clocks and its fascination with kinetic art.

L’Epée

The movement “Swiss Made Caliber 1853” was created entirely by L’Epée 1839, has 124 parts meticulously assembled by the L’Epée 1839’s master watchmakers. Two dragons “protect” on either side of the most precious part of a kinetic object — the gearing mechanism. The dragons with golden or palladium scale adopt mirrored postures, their serpentine body coils protectively around the horological craftmanship.

For more on the latest in luxury watch releases, click here.

Lord Of The Skies – Bell & Ross’ Brand New BR 03-92 Patrouille De France 70th Anniversary Edition

The watches of Bell & Ross may be Swiss Made but the heart and soul of the brand are very much entrenched in France. Therefore, it makes perfect sense that for an aviation partnership, in 2021, they chose the Patrouille de France, an elite unit of the French Air and Space Force. This year marks the 70th anniversary of this prestigious aerobatic display team that has built its reputation on the prowess of its pilots.

To celebrate this momentous milestone with Patrouille de France, Bell & Ross launched a limited edition of their BR 03-92 which offers a dial in a mesmerising shade of blue, a colour that mirrors the team’s Alpha Jet. The beautiful dial is combined with subtle elements of colour in the form of the yellow Patrouille de France insignia, a beautiful logo to indicate its 70th anniversary and the colours of the French flag represented on a ring around the dial. This vibrancy is balanced nicely with the white Arabic numerals and hand tips to ensure the utmost legibility. It is, after all, designed with the input of the pilots.

The 42mm width of the square BR 03-92 case is made of the same high-tech ceramic found on previous models and it has also been given a matte black coating to ensure the case maintains a utilitarian look. On the back side, the designers have taken special care to fit in all five aircraft that have flown since the creation of the Patrouille de France in 1953. This includes the Thunderjet which was flown during the team’s debut, the Alphajet which has been in service since 1981, and the Ouragan, Mystère IV and Fouga Magister which have helped forge their legacy. These planes, built not for their destructive capabilities but rather for agility and manoeuvrability in the skies, have very interesting silhouettes adding to the uniqueness of the caseback.

The BR 03-92 Patrouille de France 70th Anniversary is powered by the solid BR-CAL 302 movement and the entire watch is water resistant up to 100 metres. Whether you are a Francophile, aerophile or just looking for a new shade of dial colour, this new launch from Bell & Ross will appeal to at least one, if not all the mentioned demographics. And at only 999 pieces available worldwide, you can be sure that it will quickly ‘fly’ off the shelf.

MOVEMENT BR-CAL.302 automatic
CASE 42mm in micro-blasted ceramic
STRAP blue calfskin and ultra-resilient black synthetic canvas fabric
PRICE MYR 17,600

Bell & Ross White Camo and Gucci shows hints that Luxury Streetwear has gone “Silent”

Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs declared a global recession underway in March. The coronavirus recession is the first since 1870 to be triggered solely by a pandemic said World Bank President David Malpass in his foreword to the latest edition of the Global Economic Prospect report released this week. The global economy will shrink by 5.2% this year due to the massive shock of the coronavirus pandemic and the pause on economic system resulting from trans-national lockdown measures to contain it.

In May, Risk Managers responding to a World Economic Forum survey, expected a prolonged global recession with half of them forecasting bankruptcies and industry consolidation, the failure of industries to recover and high levels of unemployment, particularly among the young.

“The crisis has devastated lives and livelihoods. It has triggered an economic crisis with far-reaching implications and revealed the inadequacies of the past,” said Saadia Zahidi, managing director of the World Economic Forum.

Bell & Ross White Camo and Gucci shows hints that Luxury Streetwear has gone “Silent”

This has prompted soul searching among the “haves”, who during the 2008 Global Financial Crisis, returned to quiet luxury so as not to flaunt shows of wealth in the faces of the “have-nots”. This trend has convinced some critics to declare the death of streetwear, which came into recent luxury mainstream appeal riding the “more is more” bandwagon of Louis Vuitton-Supreme collaborations and Alessandro Michele’s “larger than life” Gucci  aesthetic.

Virgil Abloh is not just founder of hypebeast label Off-White, he’s also Kanye West’s creative director and Louis Vuitton’s new Artistic Director.

Streetwear began as an expression of personal identity which coincided with street activities. Right up till 10 years ago, it was a term used to describe urban subcultures – a dress code for the street adopted by street artists, musicians and skateboarders. Today, it’s a buzzword for logo-ed haute-beast couture resulting from the luxury fashion industry which co-opted hype beast for its culture of exclusivity. As a result of becoming a mainstream commodity, Virgil Abloh famously said, “streetwear is dead.”

But far from it, streetwear isn’t dead. It’s just gone quiet, prompting some observers to describe a new era of silent streetwear. Nick Paget, senior menswear editor at trend forecaster WGSN (an analytics and forecasting consultancy which predicted everything from athleisure to oat-milk) heralded a return to “familiar menswear language, like the mantra ‘god is in the details” as ‘loud’ designs, logos and colours continued to decline, renewing focus on “Fabrics and washes [will] become more important, as will trims and clever features relevant to a consumer’s lifestyle. Hand-craft and considered [details] will be key once again. The patina of age, too, will become more attractive.”

Lanvin Introduced the Bumper Sneaker for SS20 with a vintage “aged” design with faux patina inspired by ’70s running shoes.

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PRE – FALL 2017

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Post Pandemic Luxury Trends Forecast

Indeed, silent streetwear: a nascent trend which potentially replaces the loud and proud distinctiveness of hautebeast, has been something already seen in Gucci Spring/Summer 2020 as the pioneering Alessandro Michele re-introduced muted palettes and classical silhouettes. Even with the departure of Phoebe Philo from Celine over 10 years ago, aficionados haven’t been content to leave the Queen of minimalism to her devices, resurrecting her old lookbooks from her tenure at Celine on social media.

“Speak softly, carry a big stick.”

 

These are trends are as relevant in fashion as they are in post-pandemic watchmaking. That’s not to say that designs are not as distinctive but simply, they’re muted with splashes of calls to attention, a visual interpretation of Theodore Roosevelt’s “speak softly but carry a big stick.”

Young-ish marques like Bell & Ross and Casio’s G-Shock are riding on a wave of subtle luxuries where details rather than outright screaming “look at me” make a far greater impact than the usual execution of horological swagger. Utilising the form of the brand’s BR03 series, a well designed square evocative of aeronautical and aviation instrument panels, the new BR 03-92 White Camo is a Limited edition timepiece designed according to the principles of industrial aesthetics but with a decidedly “street” aesthetic – a splash of white camouflage on the dial. What’s remarkable is the constraint expressed here in white on grey hues in contrast to a previous Bell & Ross BR03 rendered in camouflage for streetwear purveyor – BAPE.

Even “louder” renditions of the series like the BR03-92 HUD Limited Edition are a demonstration of restraint on the part of the Swiss brand headquartered in Paris. Taking an innovation known as the Heads Up Display, a glass panel placed in the pilot’s line of sight that displays vital information so the pilot can maintain situational awareness, the green “computer screen” tint on the sapphire with 90-degree markers reminiscent in a real cockpit HUD is muted by virtue of a matte-finished black 42mm ceramic case. That’s not to say that Bell & Ross isn’t mindful of a return to ‘normal’ post-pandemic, since the new limited edition BR 03-92 White Camo does come with a white camouflage strap edition which instantly dials the hype back up to level 10.

BR03-92 HUD Limited Edition – S$5900

G-Shock too, the OG wristwatch of choice for skateboarders and men of the streets, also sees a return to a more inconspicuous presence on the wrist. Following its retrotastic take on the new metal G-Shock Grid, Casio has presented a fresh take on the popular street motif with a Digital Camouflage series.

Where Bell & Ross went with a traditional woodland pattern, G-Shock embraced a pixelated design that fits right into the modern “Space Force” environment. The digital camo motif is focused on the metallic dials of the collection unlike the GMW-B5000TCM-1, a metal G-Shock with the full digital camouflage treatment across the case and bracelet:  black camouflage pattern laser rendered in digital, gives it a distinct pixelated look against a backdrop of black DLC coating; and then completing the streetwear look are gold accents on the dial and gold-coloured pushers. None of those elements from late last year are present in this year’s collection.

Creating a retro 8-bit appearance, the digital camouflage is understated even on the largest, most conspicuous member of the family, the GA-140DC-1A with the almost fluorescent face. The bold combination of fluorescent yellow accents and black resin cases provides a sporty streetwear vibe, backed by the superior shock resistance and 200-meter water resistance characteristic of all G-SHOCK watches.

Streetwear is far from dead, it’s just more evolved. If streetwear takes its cues from the folks in the street, then main street is clearly reflecting a more dissonant voice against the exuberance currently enjoyed in Wall Street. That said, even in post-pandemic conditions with plummeting retail segments and generally dour consumer sentiments, anyone proclaiming the death of streetwear isn’t looking closely at reality. What we call “streetwear” today, at least for luxury consumers, has been influenced by media and as the luxury fashion landscape grows increasingly homogenised, folks in the street have often pushed back with their own perspectives and opinions on design aesthetics, in short, its ultimately influential consumers who drive the trends.

Then there are brands like Bottega Veneta who shape the discourse and tenor of luxury streetwear design, by virtue of genetic subtlety and inconspicuousness. Bottega Veneta’s Intrecciato bags have not only been historically logo-free but in these modern times, led creatively by Philo disciple Daniel Lee, Bottega is once again ahead of the curve with streamlined designs.

Consumers’ new focus on sustainability also echos Michele’s when he gave a statement as Gucci’s went seasonless, writing on the brand’s Instagram page: “Above all, we understand we went way too far. Our reckless actions have burned the house we live in. We conceived of ourselves as separated from nature, we felt cunning and almighty.”

Consumers’ new focus on sustainability also echos Alessandro Michele’s when he gave a statement as Gucci’s went seasonless

Speaking to Business of Fashion, Francesca Muston, Vice President of Fashion at WGSN said, “In the age of anxiety, consumers are looking to strip back and focus on what is really important — being mindful extends beyond meditation to being mindful about how we spend our time and money.”

Brands like Christian Louboutin, which became en vogue for their bright red soles, have also doubled down on neutrals like beige tones in a feat of historic irony. At some brands like Yves Saint Laurent, black have become dominant colours. The modern, post-pandemic streetwear wardrobe isn’t necessarily simple or basic, but when exaggerated motifs or colours are paired creatively with neutral tones, silent streetwear results: creatively resonant and culturally appropriate.

Though streetwear at its core has always been characterised by loud graphics and cultural commentary, it’s not hard to see that the word on the street has been quite literally a conversation on what the real foundations of our social and economic systems are – covid-19 has essentially lifted the veil on what is truly essential and streetwear purveyors are starting to realise that the time for hiding behind outsized silhouettes and gregarious motifs is over, everything will be stripped back to its bare essentials and quality, construction, and details will have to stand on their own.

 

Interview: Tong Chee Wei on the Appeal of Round Watches by Bell And Ross

There is no arguing that Bell & Ross is known first and foremost for their square watches in the BR-01 collection, legitimately inspired by the shape and design cues of cockpit instruments. The same holds true for its variants in the Instruments range such as the smaller BR-03 and the more extreme BR-X1. Their success has been so overpowering that newcomers to the watch scene may not be aware of Bell & Ross’s round varieties.

We talk to Bell & Ross Asia General Manager Tong Chee Wei about the products, the watch shapes, the market and more. Providing the visual narratives, the newest watches in the Vintage collection take on the round shape while drawing inspiration from worlds other than aviation directly.

Bell & Ross Asia was established last year. Can we assume that Bell & Ross is growing in the time when many watch brands find to be challenging?

In the past 12 months, we did better in all Asian markets than the year before, except for Hong Kong which was much affected due to the China factor.

Is it possible to define the individual who wears a Bell & Ross?

We make highly readable and functional watches for professionals. So I would suppose men who wear our watches are mostly young, active people who live their life on the edge. For them, time is of the essence. Let’s say, if you are a bomb disposal unit, you are asked to defuse a bomb they find somewhere, every second is important because that’s your job. These are the men of Bell & Ross.

Does the explosive success of your square watches make it more difficult to sell your round ones? Why is that so?

Not at all. We developed the Vintage collection 20 years ago and since day one, we’ve always respected and has been consistent with our brand’s DNA, which largely draws its inspiration from military codes. Have you seen our round collection this year? If you have not, I would like to invite you to discover them together with me.

From your experience, who is your target age group of customers for the round watches in the Vintage range?

Our watches, be it Vintage or The Instruments, appeal to a wide audience due to our consistency in keeping to our brand philosophy and persistence in adhering to the brand’s DNA. If I have to put an age to it, I would say we appeal largely to men between early twenties to the late forties.

You have great images always for your new models. How can you manage that?

All images are in-house. And, I think what’s really, really important is that we have stayed true from day one to today. We have a consistent message. We are clear about the direction, the design and who we are making these watches for. Therefore, these images come pretty easy. It is not made up. It is natural.

Bell & Ross does not use brand ambassadors or celebrities.

We don’t. The stars are the product itself. We use humans in lifestyle images, but we don’t focus on the image of a certain person.

As a company of private ownership, what do you think is your greatest disadvantage against the larger conglomerates?

I think it’s challenging sometimes. But I take it in my stride. Bell & Ross has a real story and product on its own. It’s unique in its design. Come on, at the end of the day, the market is for everyone. Do I feel the pressure of the big groups coming after me? No, because as long as I have the market there for me, I will have my fair share. That’s how I look at it.

What is your goal for Bell & Ross in 2018?

We have achieved our goal in stabilising the market in the first year of Bell & Ross Asia, since July 2016. Now we are into the second year which is to develop, to tell the market that we are here. And 2018 will be an explosive year for us!

From: World of Watches #40.

Next Generation Bell & Ross BR-X2 Tourbillon Micro Rotor & KLCC Pop Up Store Unveiled

In a cocktail preview last Thursday, Bell and Ross revealed its latest next generation BR-X2 Tourbillon Micro Rotor to an appreciative crowd at Elements Hotel by Westin.

To commemorate the unveiling, a custom-built transparent stage was set up over the pool — to complement the cutting edge, see-through casing of the BR-X2 — for models wearing timepieces to walk on.

Guests were encouraged to admire the BR-X2’s movement during the event. A signature element of the BR-X2 has always been that it is framed inside an unconventional holder, cut from of stainless steel plates as thin as the movement itself. The plates are milled and polished until the right shape and clarity is achieved, then reinforced with sapphire enclosures to provide maximum protection to movement, the central masterpiece of the watch.

From now till the end of August, you can view the BR-X2 Tourbillon Micro Rotor and the full collection of the BR-X1 at a lifestyle pop-up store in collaboration with Cortina Watch. The store is located on Level 1, Suria KLCC.