From left: Dior Grand Soir Year of the Rabbit watch; Breguet Classique 9075; and Piaget Altiplano Rabbit.
Bid farewell to the ferocious tiger and welcome the rabbit — a zodiac sign that symbolises hope, peace and longevity in Chinese culture — with these stunning tickers.
VAN CLEEF & ARPELS
Celebrating nature and renewal, the Lady Duo de Lapins watch sports a tender scene between two rabbits as they stroll through a forest, which is brought to life with a combination of 18-carat gold, diamonds, sapphires, garnets, lapis lazuli, mother-of-pearl, enamel, lacquer and miniature painting. This Van Cleef & Arpels creation is powered by a manual-winding mechanical movement.
VACHERON CONSTANTIN
The brand's Métiers d’art The Legend of the Chinese Zodiac is a 950 platinum watch with said animal at its centre, created using a technique of decoupage from China and Switzerland by master engravers and enamellers. This timepiece is completed with a dark blue Mississippiensis
alligator strap.
BREGUET
For this festive season, Breguet has released only eight pieces of the Classique 9075, a watch that showcases in-house artisanal techniques such as enamelling and engraving. The blue Grand Feu enamel dial is adorned with six rabbits, a creature in the Chinese zodiac that is closely associated with playfulness and intelligence.
DIOR
As some consider the rabbit as the luckiest zodiac sign, the maison aims to double your luck with the addition of a dragonfly taking flight on the Dior Grand Soir Year of the Rabbit watch. With a 36mm stainless steel case and pink gold bezel set with 52 brilliant-cut diamonds, the aventurine, mother-of-pearl and yellow-gold dial is also decorated with vegetal elements.
TAG HEUER
Limited to 500 pieces, the TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Year of the Rabbit is artfully designed with touches of red, representing luck, joy and passion. It also sports a dial with printed lines that mimic soft rabbit fur. Unlike most pieces this season, the rabbit image is known only to the wearer, as it is printed on the caseback.
PIAGET
Piaget’s Altiplano Rabbit, limited to 38 pieces, is an ultra-thin timepiece that has a 38mm white-gold case set with brilliant-cut diamonds. Produced in collaboration with Anita Porchet, one of Switzerland’s most respected enamellers, the detailed rabbits on the dial are crafted using Grand Feu cloisonné enamel, resulting in a soft and sophisticated appearance.
FRANCK MULLER
Made in collaboration with Tokyo-based streetwear label #FR2, the #Fr2nck Muller Vanguard is an edgy and fashion-forward timepiece with a Super-LumiNova-filled rabbit motif at 7 o’clock. This fun wrist candy, boasting Franck Muller’s signature numerals and tonneau case, also sports a white nylon strap emblazoned with black text.
ULYSSE NARDIN
The maison has created a timepiece that evokes positive emotions of peace and longevity. The Classico Rabbit has a warm toned dial design crafted using centuries-old champlevé and cloisonné methods of enamelling, encased in rose gold. This 40mm watch is limited to 88 pieces, with the UN-815 self-winding movement as its beating heart.
This article first appeared on Jan 16, 2023 in The Edge Malaysia. Story has been updated on Jan 17.
