Here comes 2020, Year of the Rat, the first of the 12-year cycle of animals in the Chinese zodiac.
With China’s growing importance to luxury brands, more and more are making devoted efforts for the Lunar New Year. The Year of the Rat will begin on January 25 2020 and end on February 12 2021. To attract the attention of Chinese consumers, luxury brands have released special-edition Year of the Rat products.
Chopard is celebrated for classic styles, fine finishes and technical mastery – attributes that describe its offering for the Lunar New Year. For its L.U.C XP Urushi Year of the Rat, the brand combines the Japanese art of Urushi and lacquer with gold dust to create the dial. The scene depicts a golden rat, standing on an ear of corn – a symbol of abundance – and in front of a khaki, a fruit that is picked in winter and represents longevity. It is facing a bouquet of flowers in the three lucky colours of its zodiac sign: blue, gold and green.
Limited to only 88 pieces, the dials were a collaboration between Chopard and its loyal partner company, Yamada Heinado, where the grand master of Urushi exercises his craft. This is one of the many demonstrations of the Swiss maison’s deep-felt attachment to celebrating rare skills and artistic crafts.
The watch is crafted in 18-carat rose gold and powered by L.U.C 96.17-L calibre, which is just 3.3mm thick, and has a comfortable 65-hour power reserve.
Swiss watch brand Blancpain is celebrating the Lunar New Year with a new watch from its Traditional Chinese Calendar collection. This masterpiece features a Chinese calendar as well as the date based on the Gregorian calendar.
The Gregorian calendar is based on the solar day, while the lunisolar Chinese calendar
is based on the lunar cycle, composed of 29,53059 days. A year of 12 lunar months is about 11 days shorter than a solar year. In order to maintain consistency with the seasonal cycle, a leap month is added to the Chinese calendar every two to three years. This distinctive feature is the reason behind the variability of the Chinese New Year date. But the complexity of this calendar does not stop there, since it uses a system of subdividing the day into 12 double hours, thus replacing the 24 hours composed of 60 minutes each featured in the Gregorian calendar. Each of these double hours is named, in successive order, after one of the twelve earthly branches and represented by one of the animals of the Chinese zodiac.
Driven by a self-winding 3638 movement, the watch is secured against inappropriate manipulation of the functions and equipped with a silicon balance-spring. This exceptional movement is housed in a 45mm platinum case featuring a crown and oscillating weight adorned with a cabochon-cut ruby.
Luxury luggage brand Rimowa wish our readers a glamourous and prosperous New Year with their new RIMOWA Attaché Gold.
This elegant suitcase retains the hallmarks of its vintage predecessor while embracing modern, minimalist design. Expert handling of the material can be seen in the smooth polished surface, rounded edges and sharply defined grooves. A metallic combination lock and handle completes the monochrome presentation, casting the case in a striking, solid gold colour. An auspicious shade for the upcoming year, and gold is a long-standing symbol of wealth and prosperity in Chinese culture. Priced at MOP 14,150, the limited-edition suitcase is available at Rimowa stores at Galaxy Macau and One Central Macau. Moreover, the brand has also launched an array of stickers that feature ancient coins and contemporary expressions of the 2020 theme.
A little red bag is a must-have item in Chinese tradition during Chinese New Year. French fashion house Louis Vuitton has presented key accessories, such as the Dauphine MM bag, in the celebration’s trademark colour – red. The new Dauphine Lugano MM is the staple of the Louis Vuitton Cruise 2020 collection. The elegance of smooth leather is combined with refined signature details like a gold LV circle lock with silver guilloche trim. Offering an array of carry options, it makes for an ultra-fashionable everyday bag.
Versace is also welcoming the Chinese New Year with a special limited-edition range of accessories from the house’s Virtus line, which is exclusively available in the Asia-Pacific region. The exclusive collection features a chain wallet in vibrant red and a small top-handle shoulder bag available in both red and black. The designs are crafted from supple leather in a quilted finish and are embellished with antique gold-tone hardware. The small top-handle is enhanced by a detachable shoulder strap for dual functionality, while the rectangular wallet can be suspended from a delicate jewellery-inspired chain. Both styles are adorned with the signature Barocco V, s updated with clear crystals.
ETRO has launched an adorable capsule collection especially for the Chinese New Year. The brand collaborated with Warner Bros to realease a collection of unisex fashion and accessories, which reinterprets the symbolism of Jerry, from the Tom & Jerry cartoon, in a fun and cheerful way. This famous mouse can be found on T-shirts, sweatshirts, shirts, foulards and a selection of bags, accessories and small leather goods crafted in the iconic Paisley canvas.
What is the favourite food of rats? Cheese! Longchamp worked with famous Chinese blogger Mr. Bag to create a special collection titled Le Pliage. The signature bags, such as Le Pliage Cuir and the mini bag Nano Pliage, are decorated with yellow cheese, which is perfect for the dark winter outfits. This unique, limited-edition collection is exclusively available at the brand’s Galaxy Macau store.
