In the Chinese calendar, 2024 sees the return of the dragon (Loong in Chinese), after a 12-year cycle. This celestial creature in Chinese culture is considered a deity and is associated with prosperity. A symbol of luck, strength and wisdom, the dragon is also an emblem of the empire, embodying life force and immortality.
Hublot celebrates the Chinese New Year with a watch that is a metaphor for the 'art of fusion', the continuous reinterpretation of materials and their modes of expression. In particular, some components of the watch, such as hands, gears and screws, are placed in multidimensional layers to form the silhouette of a dragon. The dragon's head is composed of five layers that alternate between the hands, gears and H-shaped screws, while the body and scales continue on the strap. The colours echo those of the sculpture created by Chinese artist Chen Fenwan, considered by press and critics to be one of the most important exponents of the art of paper cutting.
In the frame formed by a 42 mm titanium case, Hublot thus reproduces the multi-layered effect of the art of paper-cutting, thanks to a multi-layered dial with a base panel and many layers of "appliqués". As mentioned, the dragon silhouette extends to the rubber strap, embellished, for the first time in the company's history, with an inlaid motif. Each individual dragon scale is coloured, nano-vulcanised and integrated into the strap. This delicate procedure is carried out entirely by hand: it takes a good eight hours of work to complete one strap.
The Spirit of Big Bang Titanium Dragon, produced in 88 pieces, comes with a second strap in grey titanium fabric with Velcro fastening. The watch is driven by the calibre HUB1710 (Zenith Elite 670 base, 166 components, 28,800 vibrations per hour), mechanical automatic, with a power reserve of 50 hours.
Price30,800 euro.
