If you thought you had wrapped up the holidays with Epiphany, you were forgetting one, as, today, China kicks off its Chinese New Year celebrations. For those who don’t know, this period is the celebration of the lunar new year according to the traditional Chinese calendar. The year 2025 will be the year of the Snake, one of the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac, considered a symbol of wisdom, transformation and good fortune.
Ahead of this occasion, many maisons in the watchmaking scene have chosen to pay tribute to this very significant event for the eastern country.
So, dear friends of IWS, let’s go on a discovery of the main novelties in the world of hands dedicated to the celebration of the Chinese New Year.
Baume & Mercier Riviera Chinese New Year Limited Edition
Baume & Mercier celebrates Chinese New Year with the Riviera Chinese New Year Limited Edition, dedicated to the Year of the Snake. This timepiece, made in only 200 pieces, represents transformation and vitality with refined details.
The 39-mm dodecagonal steel and titanium case recalls the 12 branches of the Chinese zodiac. A golden snake decorates the sapphire crystal case back and seconds hand, a symbol of wisdom and good fortune. The Baumatic automatic movement guarantees a power reserve of five days. With a price tag of EUR 5,100, it is the perfect tribute to Swiss watchmaking tradition and art.
Blancpain Calendrier Chinois Traditionnel 2025
Blancpain pays homage to Chinese New Year with the Villeret Calendrier Chinois Traditionnel, a watch that combines, hear hear, the Chinese and Gregorian calendars. The 50-piece limited edition features a 45.2-mm platinum case, a Grand Feu green enamel dial, and a snake engraved on the white gold winding rotor.
Caliber 3638 provides a seven-day power reserve, with date, zodiac sign, moon phase and sexagesimal calendar indications. Patented correctors allow intuitive adjustments. With sophisticated details and innovations such as the silicon balance spring, it embodies Blancpain’s watchmaking mastery.
Breguet 7145
The watchmaking mastery of Breguet, fascinates with an exclusive model, the 7145 limited to 8 numbered pieces. This watch combines two craft techniques: guilloché and engraving, which transform the dial into a work of art. The snake, a symbol of wisdom and transformation in Chinese culture, is depicted with hand-carved details on gold, finished with black paint and a translucent green miniature.
With a 40mm-diameter rose gold case and the ultra-flat 502.3 caliber, the watch combines artistry and precision. The movement features a guilloché gold rotor and offers a power reserve of 45 hours. Price: CHF 69,000, corresponding to about EUR 74,000.
Harry Winston Chinese New Year Automatic 36mm
Harry Winston celebrates Chinese New Year by focusing on two limited edition timepieces(8 pieces each) 36mm in diameter, in white or rose gold. The mother-of-pearl dials, depict a red lacquered snake among green leaves, embellished with diamonds, emeralds and garnets spessartite.
The rose gold version evokes the day with vibrant hues, while the white gold version represents the night with darker shades. Both cases, slim and feminine, are set with 118 diamonds and complemented by a red alligator strap. Powered by the HW2010 automatic movement with 40 hours of reserve, they exhibit exclusive craftsmanship and luxury.
Hublot Spirit of Big Bang Year of the Snake
Hublot’s Spirit of Big Bang Year of the Snake celebrates Chinese New Year with a limited edition of 88 pieces. The black ceramic tonneau case and open dial house a three-dimensional gold-plated snake made with high-precision laser engraving.
The black rubber strap features a snakeskin texture, complementing the sophisticated design. Animated by the skeleton chronograph caliber HUB4700, the watch combines tradition and innovation, embodying the Hublot philosophy: “Be First, Unique and Different.” Price? EUR 36,500.
IWC Portofino Automatic Moon Phase 37 Year of the Snake
IWC‘s Portofino Automatic Moon Phase 37 Year of the Snake, a limited edition of 500, features a steel case (37 mm in diameter), burgundy dial with golden moon phases, and a snake as the oscillating weight on the back, a tribute to the Year of the Snake.
Powered by automatic caliber 32800, it offers 5 days of power reserve. Calfskin leather straps (black and burgundy) are interchangeable thanks to a rapid system. Elegance and precision characterize this model that combines Chinese tradition and Swiss engineering. Precious and sophisticated, it is a symbol of rebirth and change just like the reptile.
Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Enamel Snake
Jaeger-LeCoultre presents the Reverso Tribute Enamel “Snake,” a timepiece made to order and in a limited edition. The iconic flip-top case, in rose gold, is decorated with a hand-engraved snake, emerging from a spiral of golden clouds against a black Grand Feu enamel background. This technique, which requires extreme precision, highlights the savoir-faire of the manufacture’s master craftsmen. The dial, also in black enamel, echoes the Art Deco aesthetic with applied hour markers and “Dauphine” hands.
The movement is a hand-wound Caliber 822 with a 42-hour power reserve. The creation of each piece requires more than 80 hours of engraving and days of enameling, demonstrating Jaeger-LeCoultre’s artistry and technical mastery. This timepiece celebrates symbolism and tradition, paying homage to the longevity, wisdom and mystery of the snake.
Jaquet Droz Ophidian Hour Red Gold
Jaquet Droz is not unprepared for the Eastern event with exclusive interpretations of theOphidian Hour. After 12 years, the atelier unveils a model without hands, innovative in its design. The snake, carved in solid gold, is enameled with a dégradé of colors ranging from green to blood red, evoking symbols of protection and good fortune. The snake’s head indicates the hours, while its tail marks the minutes, with its sinuous body forming the inscription “bonheur” (happiness).
The dials are made of mother-of-pearl, engraved with bamboo, and Sonora Sunrise, a never-before-used mineral stone with an exceptional combination of green and red. The watch, complemented by a green rubber strap, has an automatic movement with 68 hours of power reserve and a magnificent red gold oscillating weight visible through the sapphire case back. Both models are unique pieces.
Longines Conquest Heritage
Longines dedicates a special edition of the Conquest Heritage to the Year of the Snake. The design, created by Chinese artist Wu Jian’an, depicts a mystical snake with a Reishi mushroom, a symbol of wisdom, transformation and rebirth.
The watch, limited to 2,025 pieces, features a shaded red dial with gold-plated hands and hour markers. The case back is engraved with the exclusive snake motif, a symbol of good fortune. The 40mm-diameter steel case houses the Longines L888.5 caliber with silicon balance spring, guaranteeing a power reserve of up to 72 hours. A black leather strap completes the watch.
Oris ProPilot X Year of the Snake Limited Edition
Oris presents the ProPilot X Year of the Snake Limited Edition to celebrate its 120th anniversary and Chinese New Year. Limited to 88 pieces, this watch features a cyan-colored skeleton dial symbolizing wisdom, wealth and new beginnings, inspired by the snake and the wood element of the zodiac.
The 44mm-diameter titanium case is paired with a bracelet also made of titanium, and inside is the hand-wound Oris Calibre 115 movement, with a 10-day power reserve and a power reserve indicator in the shape of a snake’s tongue. The caseback is engraved with symbols of the year of the Serpent. Retail price: CHF 8,200, corresponding to about EUR 9,000.
Panerai Luminor Perpetual Calendar PAM01688
Here is Panerai‘s Luminor Perpetual Calendar PAM01688, in a limited edition of 100 pieces. The burgundy dial, embellished with Chinese characters for the day and date, symbolizes luck, abundance and prosperity. The P.4100 automatic movement offers a perpetual calendar with a 3-day power reserve and a complication GMT for time zones.
The 44mm-diameter case, made of Panerai GoldtechTM, an alloy exclusive to the company, is water resistant to 50 meters. The PAM01688 is an elegant and functional watch with a transparent case back showing the movement and a black alligator strap with burgundy stitching. This model, available as an exclusive edition in boutiques, is a tribute to Panerai’s Chinese cultural heritage and technological innovation.
Raymond Weil Millesime Infinite Burgundy
The Millesime Infinite Burgundy Limited Edition focuses on tradition and timeless craftsmanship. With its burgundy dial paired with a matching leather strap, this watch expresses elegance and depth.
The 39mm stainless steel case embodies simplicity, while the RW4200 automatic movement ensures extreme precision. Each piece, engraved with “ONE OF 88,” underscores its exclusivity. With a 41-hour power reserve, this timepiece is a symbol of elegance, perfected in detail, and a tribute to the enduring connection between time and culture.
Vacheron Constantin Métiers d’Art The Legend of the Chinese Zodiac Year of the Snake
Vacheron Constantin surprised everyone back in the middle of last year with the “first look” at its celebratory watch. The Métiers d’Art celebrating Chinese New Year is a timepiece launched in two versions, limited to 25 pieces each, in rose gold and platinum, with grand feu enameled, decorated and hand-painted dials.
The Maison also integrated Chinese characters for days and dates into the creation, a tribute to Asian culture and its relevance to Vacheron Constantin. This watch represents the meeting of haute horlogerie and Chinese culture, combining technique and art in a sublime way.
It is also a further step in Vacheron Constantin’s presence in the Chinese market, a link that dates back to the mid-19th century when the brand began making watches with a refined design inspired by jewelry. In short, if you want to put a painting on your wrist, this is the watch for you.
Conclusions
Watches that celebrate the Chinese New Year are not simply instruments for measuring time, but true works of art that tell stories of culture, tradition, and symbolism. Each watchmaker has created unique models that not only celebrate the transition to the Year of the Snake, but also embody the values of luck, wisdom, prosperity and renewal. The limited editions, with their customized dials and innovative movements, offer collectors and enthusiasts a special way to celebrate the arrival of the Chinese New Year with style and sophistication.
Visit our Youtube channel to experience the best of the world of watchmaking firsthand.
For all real-time updates follow us on Instagram.
