12 Dragon-themed luxury timepieces to splurge on this Lunar New Year
Watches

12 Dragon-themed luxury timepieces to splurge on this Lunar New Year

Big dragon energy

15.01.2024

By Benedict Unang

Featured images: Eve Lyn Lau for BURO Malaysia

As the festive spirit of the Chinese New Year sets in, preparations are in full swing—from curating the perfect menus to selecting the most stylish outfits. Amidst all the excitement, there’s one crucial element you wouldn’t want to miss: choosing the right timepiece to grace your wrist. Over the years, many luxury watches have released exclusive collections tailored specifically for the auspicious occasion, and we’ve pulled a selection of watches that promise to boost your ensemble. From the Chopard L.U.C to the Piaget Altiplano, welcome the Year of the Dragon in style with one of these 12 exquisite timepieces.

 

Chopard L.U.C XP Urushi Year of the Dragon

The L.U.C XP Urushi Year of the Dragon sports a dial adorned with a gold dragon, meticulously embellished using Urushi lacquer by a renowned Japanese artisan specialising in the Maki-e technique. When looked at closely, the background reveals a luminous interplay achieved through the careful placement of gold flakes within layers of lacquer. What’s more, this Chopard watch is driven by the in-house L.U.C 96.17-L calibre and boasts a remarkable 65-hour power reserve. Limited to just 88 pieces worldwide, the dragon-inspired addition wraps up the Maison’s depiction of the Chinese calendar. 

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Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Enamel ‘Dragon’

Jaeger-LeCoultre refreshes the iconic Reverso with a majestic dragon surrounded by golden clouds carved onto the pink gold watch case. The master engraver devoted 80 hours to creating this timepiece using the modelled engraving technique, capturing the dragon’s fine scales with precision and enhancing them with black rhodium. The use of opaque black Grand Feu enamel on the case back and the Reverso Tribute dial also adds value to this timepiece, as few watchmakers maintain in-house enamelling ateliers to preserve and advance the ancient craft. 

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Vacheron Constantin Les Cabinotiers Grisaille High Jewellery-Dragon

The remarkable Les Cabinotiers timepieces pay homage to China, a nation with a historical trade relationship with Vacheron Constantin since 1845. The latest timepiece commands attention with its dial boasting a five-clawed imperial dragon and its pearl, expertly crafted by the House’s master artisan in green grisaille enamel, setting a new standard for the manufacturer. The case is set with a total of 146 baguette-cut diamonds, embellishing the bezel, middle and lugs, while the crown features a brilliant-cut diamond. Further, the hallmark is equipped with the self-winding Calibre 1220 and comes with a luxurious dark green alligator leather strap. 

For more details, click here.

 

Piaget Altiplano Dragon Zodiac –  G0A48540

Piaget has put out a capsule collection for the Lunar New Year since 2012, and this year is no exception, offering six distinct dragon watches. One particular model that caught our eye is the Altiplano Dragon Zodiac in a sophisticated shade of blue. Limited to 38 pieces, the 38mm watch is encased in a white gold case and sports a blue dragon soaring against a white and grey mother-of-pearl dial. The same watch is perfected with a dark blue alligator strap that hugs the wrist with comfort and style. 

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Dior Grand Soir Year of the Dragon

The Dior Grand Soir Year of the Dragon is crafted for women with refined tastes and discerning styles. On its sun-brushed dial, you’ll find a captivating golden dragon head and gold-coloured feathers, accented by two marquise-cut diamonds and four brilliant-cut diamonds. Another luxurious touch is the 52 round-cut diamonds mounted on a yellow-gold bezel. Along with the silver satin strap, there is an additional white alligator strap available so you can customise it any way you prefer.

For more details, click here.

 

Tag Heuer Carrera Chronograph

The limited-edition Tag Heuer Carrera Chronograph is an excellent pick if you’re looking for something subtle yet fitting for the occasion. This wristwatch reinterprets the iconic Carrera reverse ‘panda’ dial style with a silver sunray brush face and two red ‘azurage’ subdials at the three and nine o’clock positions. Meanwhile, the sapphire caseback bears a unique printed Chinese dragon beside the etched words ‘One of 300’. More good news is that the watch is powered by the Calibre Heuer 02, offering an impressive power reserve of up to three days. 

For more details, click here.

 

Corum Bubble 47 Dragon

The Bubble 47 Dragon is inspired by the experimental divers’ watch of the 1960s, featuring an oversized domed crystal designed to endure the pressures of the ocean. Nestled within a stainless steel case treated with black PVD, the dial portrays the image of a deep night sky, with a delicate mother-of-pearl moon engraved on the black sunray base. Between mystical black clouds, a golden dragon hovers above the dial, illustrating the power and grace possessed by the legendary creature. 

For more details, click here.

 

Bell & Ross BR 05 Artline Dragon

The new BR 05 Artline Dragon watch takes on the bold personality of the dragon with one-of-a-kind laser engraving that recalls the intricacy of a tattoo. Nature-inspired motifs such as the sun and moon, as well as flora and fauna, decorate not only the dial but also extend to the bracelet. Powered by the BR-CAL.321 and boasting a 54-hour power reserve, the Bell & Ross watch is limited to 99 pieces worldwide.

For more details, click here.

 

IWC Portugieser Chronograph Year of the Dragon

IWC embraces the auspicious hue once again this year with the launch of the exclusive Portugieser Chronograph, showcasing a burgundy dial complemented by contrasting gold-plated hands and appliques. The latest chronograph is driven by the IWC-manufactured 69355 calibre and arrives with two straps: a black calfskin strap and a burgundy rubber strap, both fitted with a butterfly clasp for maximum comfort during wear. On the sapphire case back, the gold-plated rotor of the automatic winding system is shaped like a finely crafted dragon, while the encircling ring sports an engraving that reads ‘2024 Year of the Dragon’. 

For more details, click here.

 

Longines Flagship Heritage

This year, Longines partnered with a well-known Chinese artist, Zinan Lam, to rework the Flagship Heritage model. One of the new features is the red gradient dial, which has eleven applied gilded hour markers and is elongated at three, nine and 12 o’clock positions. There’s also a moon phase function at the 6 o’clock position, which radiates an air of oriental retro charm. The highlight of all is the caseback, which has been engraved with the head of the dragon. 

For more details, click here.

 

Ulysse Nardin Blast Tourbillon Dragon

Ulysse Nardin heralds the Year of the Dragon with a Blast Tourbillon Dragon watch. On the dial, the mythical creature winds its way around and through the skeletonised X structure to find the pearl that sits atop the cage of the flying tourbillon. Other than that, the timepiece is driven by the Calibre UN-172, which delivers up to three days of power reserve. The flying tourbillon at the six o’clock position brings additional performance and resistance benefits to the watch.

For more details, click here.

 

Arnold & Son Luna Magna ‘Year of the Dragon’ – Pietersite

The Luna Magna Red Gold ‘Year of the Dragon’ depicts the mesmerising encounter between a majestic dragon and the ethereal moon. The dial features a meticulously hand-engraved dragon in stunning red gold, coiling around to its majestic head. On the other hand, the sphere illustrates the phases of the moon and this symbol not only represents the cycles of the Chinese calendar, but also the legendary pursuit of wisdom by the dragon, ceaselessly chasing the inseparable pearl. The outstanding mechanical excellence of the Arnold & Son watch is supported by the A&S1021 calibre, which offers a 90-hour power reserve.

For more details, click here.

 

 

 

 

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