Blancpain Villeret Calendrier Chinois Traditionnel

In 2012, Blancpain achieved a world first when it debuted its Villeret Traditional Chinese Calendar wristwatch that spanned East-West with its combination of a complex Chinese calendar and a Gregorian date and moonphase. This year, the Manufacture enters its second 12-year cycle with the introduction of a new limited edition of this grand complication featuring a dragon engraved on the red gold winding rotor in honor of the symbol of the new lunar year. This special limited edition for the first time is carried out in red gold with a green enamel dial.

Each year, Blancpain has offered a special limited edition recalling the legend of the Jade Emperor summoning twelve different animals to the gate of his palace. The order of each animal’s arrival has been memorialized in the 12-year Zodiac cycle of the Chinese calendar and the official animal of the year is celebrated in each Blancpain special edition.

For the 2024 edition, the timepiece’s red gold winding rotor features this year’s animal, the dragon. Set against a frosted background the dragon is flanked by a red ruby and a Chinese character engraving of the words “dragon” and “wood”, the element of 2024. To inaugurate the new 12-year cycle, Blancpain’s artists refreshed the presentation of the Zodiac animal symbols with new portraits.