Hublot Spirit of Big Bang Titanium Dragon Celebrates Chinese New Year
Whether it’s a case made from neon yellow SAXEM or a dial composed of a gemstone-studded rainbow flower, luxury watchmaker Hublot has earned a reputation for bold, colourful creations that push the limits of modern materials. It should come as no surprise, then, that for its annual tribute to the Chinese Lunar New Year, the brand wasn’t content to work within the confines of a typical palette. Instead, Hublot tapped Chinese artist Chen Fenwan to create the new Spirit of Big Bang Titanium Dragon, a limited-edition timepiece with a pink, purple, and silver dial inspired by the ancient art of Chinese paper cutting.
2024 (or 4722 in the Chinese calendar) is the year of the Wood Dragon. The mythical creature combines the eyes of a prawn, the horns of a deer, the mouth of a bull, the nose of a dog, the whiskers of a catfish, the mane of a lion, the tail of a snake, the scales of a fish, and the claws of an eagle.
The art of paper cutting, which has been practiced since the invention of paper more than 2,000 years ago, is another important aspect of Chinese culture and is listed among UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Chen Fenwan, who is a specialist in this technique, used her skills to create a tribute to Chinese culture and Swiss watchmaking. The result is a dial featuring a multi-layered dragon’s head composed of watchmaking parts and Hublot’s signature H-shaped screws, and a detailed strap containing the dragon’s tail.
Limited to just 88 pieces (a number associated with good luck in Chinese culture) the new Spirit of Big Bang Titanium Dragon features a 42 mm titanium case containing a HUB1710 automatic movement with a power reserve of 50 hours. In another first for Hublot, the dragon’s silhouette extends onto the rubber strap in a rubber marquetry motif composed of coloured and nano-vulcanized scales, each of which is painstakingly applied by hand.
The Spirit of Big Bang Titanium Dragon is the latest from Hublot in what has become an annual tradition to celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year. The previous edition, co-created by Chinese Artist Wen Na, marked the Year of the Rabbit with a dial decorated with a scene of frolicking cartoon bunnies and hour markers drawn from the ancient Chinese calendar of Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches. Before that, Hublot celebrated the Year of the Tiger with the Big Bang Carbon Gold Tiger, which was the first Spirit of Big Bang with a case made of frosted carbon and 18-carat yellow gold. Given the ever-increasing creativity of each of these pieces, whoever Hublot taps for next year’s limited edition dedicated to the Year of the Snake will have a tough act to follow.
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