The dragon holds a special place in Chinese culture and with the new Lunar Year fast approaching on 10th February 2024, Swiss luxury watchmaker TAG Heuer has unveiled two limited edition watches to mark the Chinese New Year and Year of the Dragon, merging Chinese cultural richness with TAG Heuer’s racing DNA.
In ancient Chinese mythology, the Chinese Dragon is a supernatural being with benevolent powers, symbolizing imperial strength and unity for thousands of years, embodying values like power and charisma, which align perfectly with the spirit of TAG Heuer. This can be seen in the bold design, strength and precision of the new timepiece’s movements mirroring the enduring legacy of the Chinese Dragon in the new year.
The two versions are crafted in rose gold and steel grey and pay homage to Chinese culture and the success embodied by the Chinese Dragon, mirroring TAG Heuer’s Carrera success story.
The steel version has a sunray-brushed silver dial while the gold version features a sunray-brushed 18K 5N rose gold-plated dial. Both watches are adorned with rhodium-plated and 18K 5N rose gold plated indexes accentuated by a red lacquer. The distinct red azuré subdials at 3 and 9 o’clock, contrast well with the dial.
The central red lacquered hand draws attention to the discreet yet significant calligraphic dragon character at 6 o’clock, while the caseback design is fully customised to reveal a printed Chinese Dragon figure around the sapphire glass. You will also notice special engravings indicating the watch’s limited release, with “Limited Edition” written along “One of 300” for the steel version and “One of 50” for the more exclusive 18K 5N rose gold version.
The watch case is 42mm in diameter and water resistant to 100 metres, and fitted with the Calibre Heuer 02 movement, which is visible through the caseback, and has been developed and produced in-house by TAG Heuer, giving perfect timekeeping precision and performance thanks to its vertical clutch and column wheel. It also has an 80-hour power reserve.
Both versions are fitted with a red alligator leather strap that complements the steel and 18K 5N rose gold cases and has a steel folding clasp with double safety push buttons.
These two limited edition watches are not just accessories, but symbolic tributes to a year of power, luck, and prosperity, and come with a special gift box that has been created to house this exceptional TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph, Year of the Dragon, in the same red as the watch, and includes the Chinese Dragon symbol in an elegant beige.
The TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph, Year of the Dragon is available exclusively in TAG Heuer boutiques, on their websites in select countries, as well as at select retail stores, priced from £5,500 for the steel grey version and £19,650 for the rose gold version. For more information, please visit: www.tagheuer.com.
Author Bio:
Simon Burrell is Editor of Our Man On The Ground, a former member of The British Guild of Travel Writers and professional photographer.
Photographs courtesy of Tag Heuer
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