Blancpain Company at the annual exhibition BaselWorld 2012 has presented a watch with the Chinese calendar

At international exhibition BaselWorld 2012 the company Blancpain has introduced a series of exclusive watches Traditional Chinese Calendar by Blancpain (Ref. 00888-3431-55B), equipped with the Chinese calendar.
In the novelty by Blancpain, which takes its rightful place among the most important masterpieces of the company, is fully embodied the consummate skill of Swiss watchmakers.
On the watch dial indicators of time and calendar functions (according to the Gregorian calendar) are combined with the testimony of the Chinese calendar, which includes the traditional hour display (Chinese "hour" is about two o'clock in common), an indication of the day, month, or so-called "intermediate” month, signs Zodiac, as well as the five elements and the ten heavenly stems.

In the Chinese calendar system "heavenly stems" and the zodiac calendar, symbolizing the "earthly branches" - the basis of the Chinese calendar, numerological basis for orientation in space and time.
In this watch an important role pays the function of indicating the phases of the moon, with which is carried out the relationship between lunar cycles and the traditional for China the breakdown of months.
The traditional Chinese calendar is a lunar-solar, i.e., a solar calendar with the lunar cycle (29.53059 days) as the unit of reference (unlike the Chinese, the Gregorian calendar is solar, and the starting unit come from solar day).
In the Chinese calendar a year consists of 12 lunar months, or 354.36707 days, i.e. about 11 days shorter than the solar year (365.242374 days). To maintain a consistent change of seasons is added the so-called "intermediate" month.

Traditional Chinese Calendar (Ref. 00888-3431-55B) watch is collected on the basis of the automatic caliber 3638 (434 components, of which 39 - jewels, power reserve of seven days). The watch mechanism is equipped by an inertial load of white gold, adorned with Madagascan ruby and engraved dragon - the symbol of 2012.
An aesthetically pleasing caliber has no less "attractive" technical data. The mechanism is complicated with the function display of two calendars with different time cycles.
Hours, minutes, and the Gregorian calendar have the central indication. The hand-type indicator at the 12 o’clock position shows the hours according the Chinese system of calculation in numbers and symbols (24-hour cycle). Analog sector indicator, located at the 3 o’clock position, shows the celestial stems (10-year cycle) and the zodiac calendar. Zodiac sign of the current year is displayed by a window, located at the mark 12 (12-year cycle). The pointer of the month and date is set at the 9 o’clock position, a pointer to the moon phase – at the 6 o’clock position.

To adjust the pointer correctors are served buttons below the lugs for the strap (5 buttons).
The technically perfect mechanism is set in a round platinum case with a diameter of 45 mm. The round strict case is the ideal setting for the enameled dial. Time indexes repeat the contours of the case, central hands are spear-shape, and the third hand of serpentine shape is made of blue steel, and shows the date according to the Gregorian calendar.
The watches with the Chinese calendar are designed, of course, for the Chinese audience. I wonder, what is the reason of increased Blancpain attention to China?
The company’s representatives claim, that "with the creation of this model they pay tribute to the centuries-old culture of China." Believe in it is hard to: the manufacturers from Les Brass attract rather the financial interest than "cultural". Let's hope that the Chinese have increased interest in high watchmaking, and they will appreciate the novelty.
The watch is released in a limited edition of 20 instances. There is also a version of red gold, issued an unlimited number of copies.

Official website of Blancpain watches.