Harry Winston releases the Premiere Chinese New Year Automatic 36mm to celebrate the Year of the Rabbit

To celebrate the Year of the Rabbit, Harry Winston has unveiled the Premier Chinese New Year Automatic 36mm, a stunning rose gold timepiece from its Premier collection. The dial, a nod to the brand's signature codes and China's rich cultural traditions, features a moon rabbit (Jade Rabbit).

The Legend of the Moon Rabbit (Gyokuto)

　In Chinese tradition, the shadow patterns seen on the surface of the moon are believed to be the silhouette of a rabbit, and the story of how the rabbit ended up on the moon is told in the legend "The Rabbit in the Moon."

　This legend has been thought to be a continuation of the tale of the Chinese goddess Chang'e (Chang'e Runs to the Moon). The legend of the "Moon Rabbit" tells the following story:

　Three saints were searching for a trustworthy apothecary to create the elixir of immortality. Realizing that creating the elixir of immortality was a monumental task beyond the capabilities of humans, the three saints transformed themselves into poor men who begged for food from a fox, a monkey, and a rabbit.

　The fox and monkey were able to find food for the three poor men, but the rabbit was unable to find anything edible other than grass. The rabbit decided to sacrifice himself to perform a good deed, and jumped into the fire to offer his flesh to the poor men. The three sages were moved by the rabbit's selflessness and devotion, so they rescued him and sent him to the Moon Palace, where he became the Jade Rabbit, tasked with creating the elixir of heaven.

A legendary story told with brilliance

　The dial depicts a jade rabbit picking flowers to create an elixir of life. The charming rabbit silhouette is crafted from 18K rose gold and adorned with Harry Winston's signature diamonds, whose sparkle evokes the snow-white fur that a saint is said to have gifted to the rabbit as a token of gratitude.

　The rabbit's fluffy white tail and sparkling eyes are represented by round brilliant-cut diamonds, and the large ribbon around its neck is made of marquise-cut diamonds. 22K gold powder, scattered by hand by artisans, represents the rabbit on the moon. Because the 22K gold powder is applied carefully by hand, no two dials are the same.

An iconic timepiece depicting the twelve zodiac signs

　Since 2016, Harry Winston has celebrated Chinese New Year with iconic timepieces depicting the twelve zodiac signs.

　Considered the luckiest animal of the Chinese zodiac, the rabbit symbolizes wisdom, tolerance, creativity, and empathy. People born in the Year of the Rabbit are said to be graceful, sensitive, and blessed with an artistic temperament. Like many timepieces in the Premiere Collection, the dial is set with mother-of-pearl, exuding a magical lustre.

　The mother-of-pearl is a deep red that evokes Chinese tradition and a celebratory mood. In China, gold, along with red, also holds special symbolic meaning. The combination of red and gold represents "ultimate good fortune."