Top Watches Celebrating The Year of the Rabbit
By: Preston Turk | Posted: January 20, 2023
Starting around 15 years ago, Swiss luxury watch brands such as Piaget and Chopard began producing special edition pieces to celebrate the Chinese New Year and offer something interesting to the growing market of Chinese watch enthusiasts.
Since then, more brands have followed suit and these days it is a tradition for limited editions to be announced in December and January that feature an animal corresponding to the Zodiac sign of the upcoming lunar New Year.
For 2023, a number of these special editions stand out in their design and execution and are worth considering as a piece to celebrate the Year of the Rabbit, an animal which is a symbol of longevity, peace and prosperity.
Brand: Vacheron Constantin
Model: Métiers d’Art The legend of the Chinese Zodiac – Year of the Rabbit
Movement: Automatic Calibre 2460 G4
Limited Edition: Yes, 9 of each color.
Retail Price: $131,000 USD
Why should you consider it?
Vacheron Constantin has presented us with the most exclusive and technically interesting watches of the year in two variations, one in platinum and another in 18k pink gold.
Their Year of the Rabbit piece combines Grand Feu enamelling for the background of the dial, and hand engraving for the rabbit motif in either platinum or pink gold to match the case. The hour and minutes are displayed running on the top of the dial and additional displays of day and dates are displayed on the bottom as jumping complications, all via apertures.
Available in only 9 pieces of each variant, these are going to be hard to come by and very collectable in the future.
Brand: Ulysse Nardin
Model: New Classico Rabbit
Movement: Automatic Caliber UN-8152
Limited Edition: Yes, 88 pieces
Retail Price: $45,900 USD
Why should you consider it?
For 2023, Ulysee Nardin has collaborated with Donzé Cadrans, an enamel workshop the manufacture has owned since 2011, to create a beautiful sunrise motif dial featuring two rabbits in celebration of the New Year. The dial is made via traditional champlevé and cloisonné enameling methods and with green, red, white and brown hues it is one of the more colorful of the special editions available for 2023.
Brand: Blancpain
Model: Villeret Calendrier Chinois Traditionnel
Movement: Automatic Calibre 3638
Limited Edition: Yes, 50 pieces
Retail Price: $94,000 USD
Why should you consider it?
Blancpain’s Calendrier Chinois Traditionnel series is roughly as expected for this year, featuring a dial with lunisolar calendar in addition to the Georgian calendar, all in Chinese characters on a Grand Feu enamel dial. On the reverse, the Calibre 3638’s automatic winding rotor reveals which year is commemorated via two rabbits engraved on the 18k white gold weight.
While the design of this year’s iteration in design is not unique relative to prior years, a lunisolar calendar is unusual in the watchmaking world and still worth considering for the novelty of the function.
Brand: Piaget
Model: Altiplano Year Of The Rabbit
Movement: Manually wound 430P
Limited Edition: 38 Pieces
Retail Price: $78,190
Why should you consider it?
Piaget is one of the first luxury brands to start the tradition of Chinese New Year commemorative watches in 2012, and for their experience alone the Year of the Rabbit piece worth considering.
The dial of the watch, created by Grand Feu and cloisonné techniques, is hand painted by Anita Porchet, who is a legend in the world of enamel dials. She has done work for Piaget, Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin, among other smaller brands. Her work is highly valued by collectors not only for its execution but also for its rarity; this piece is no exception with only 38 pieces being made.
Brand: Chopard
Model: L.U.C XP Urushi Year of the Rabbit
Movement: Automatic L.U.C 96.17-L
Limited Edition: Yes, 88 pieces.
Retail Price: $26,000 USD
Why should you consider it?
Since 2011 Chopard has taken a different track from other brands who produce special editions in enamel, and have chosen to produce their Chinese New Year special edition dials in Japan via a traditional technique called “urushi.” This process, also used on writing instruments and pottery, involves gold powder, mother of pearl inlays and lacquer to achieve a dial that has color, depth and fine details.
For their Year of the Rabbit edition, the dial features two rabbits running across a field at night, with mother of pearl inserts for the clouds. This piece is worth considering for the uniqueness of its dial-work alone, but also at $26,000 USD for a very limited edition of 88 pieces, it presents a strong value for this category.
Brand: Franck Muller
Model: #FR2NCK MULLER Vanguard
Movement: Automatic FM 800-DT
Limited Edition: Yes, 800 pieces
Retail Price: $11,900 USD
Why should you consider it?
Franck Muller is not the first watch company to collaborate with a streetwear brand, as we saw with the Undefeated x H. Moser & Cie. watch earlier this year, however it might have earned the title for the edgiest.
The manufacture adopted design direction from #FR2 in a striking black and white motif that is continued on the strap that includes the #FR2 branding. The most striking feature however is at 7 o’clock position where two naughty rabbits, the emblem of the brand, are featured.
It’s irreverent, available, and also affordable at just under $12,000 USD. If you’re looking for something off the beaten path to celebrate the Year of the Rabbit, Franck Muller has delivered with this Vanguard.
Brand: Breguet
Model: Classique 9075 2023 Chinese New Year Edition
Movement: Automatic Calibre 591C
Limited Edition: Yes, 8 pieces
Retail Price: $47,000 USD
Why should you consider it?
For our last selection we have perhaps the most charming and whimsical edition on offer for this year, the Classique 9075 2023 Chinese New Year Edition.
It features a 33.5mm case and gemset bezel and lugs, more suited to a feminine wrist as opposed to last year’s “Tiger” edition. For the dial-work, the majority is a translucent blue Grand Feu enamel with patterning, and six champleve enamel filled rabbits frolicking around the center.
Breguet’s designs are typically very traditional, and we see the hallmark hands and case design here, however it is refreshing to see more light-hearted colors and accents for this edition.
Are you interested in any of the above pieces to celebrate the Year of the Rabbit? Or perhaps for something different that’s just as special?
Vintage Grail has an extensive global sourcing network; if we don’t already have what you are looking for, we can find it for you quickly!
Visit www.vintagegrail.com, contact us at [email protected] or ring our mobile at (+63) 917 159 1211 to get started.
