Celebrating the Year of the Dragon and drawing inspiration from the traditional Chinese art of paper cutting, Hublot introduces the Spirit of Big Bang Titanium Dragon, a rubber strap with a marquetry design for the very first time, layers its hands, wheels and H-shaped screws to form a 3D silhouette of an eastern dragon. The limited edition of 88 pieces is the perfect fusion of tradition and modernity, combining metaphors and symbols in the spirit of Hublot: first, unique, different!
In the Chinese calendar, 2024 marks the return of the Dragon, which comes around every 12 years. This celestial creature, revered in Chinese culture, is associated with prosperity. A symbol of luck, strength, and wisdom, the dragon is also an imperial icon that embodies life and immortality. Loong is a symbol, an icon, and the universal auspicious meaning is the foundation of Loong culture.
Equivalent to the year 4722 in the Chinese calendar, 2024 marks the year of the Wood Dragon. In collaboration with the Chinese artist Chen Fenwan’s paper-cutting expertise, Hublot pays homage to wood through the natural fibers that form the soul and spirit of paper.
A metaphor for the ‘Art of Fusion’ embodied by the eastern dragon, the Loong features of nine different animals — 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 long tail of a snake, the scales of a fish and the claws of an eagle. A dragon whose metamorphosis has taken place over several thousands of years. Under Chen Fenwan’s touch, this sacred animal, talisman, and totem celebrate one of the greatest cultural legacies of Chinese art: the art of paper cutting. This is a craft that originated in China around 2,000 years ago, coinciding with the invention of paper. Chinese paper cutting has been on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity since 2009 and is used to express the moral principles, philosophies, and aesthetic ideals of its creators. It is used in festivities to honor events such as weddings and births, and paper-cut decorations symbolizing happiness and good luck are intrinsic to Chinese New Year celebrations.
The Spirit of Big Bang Titanium Dragon, offered in a limited edition of 88 pieces, comes with a second, titanium-grey Velcro fabric strap. This Chinese New Year celebration features a HUB1710 automatic movement and power reserve of 50 hours.
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