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13 Serpentine Masterpieces to Toast the Lunar New Year 2025

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The snake, a symbol of intelligence and transformation, has long captivated watchmakers, inspiring an array of horological masterpieces. For enthusiasts of métiers d’art, Lunar New Year collections are always a highlight. While some animals captivate with their commanding presence, others charm with their subtle elegance—such is the case with the snake, the zodiac sign ushering in the 2025 Chinese astrological year.

This year, the artistry gracing watch dials reflects the snake’s allure, from vibrant and intricate designs to refined, understated interpretations for those with a preference for subtlety. Beyond these serpentine tributes, a few exceptional timepieces celebrate the Lunar New Year through alternative motifs, incorporating Chinese characters or the traditional Chinese calendar in place of the snake emblem. Take a closer look with Magnifissance at these standout timepieces.

Jaquet Droz

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Ophidian Hour by Jaquet Droz

Jaquet Droz introduces the Ophidian Hour for this occasion. This 41 mm masterpiece, crafted in red gold, displays hours and minutes via rotating discs—the snake’s head marks the hours, while its tail indicates the minutes. The dial features a sculpted white gold snake, its sinuous body symbolizing the Chinese character for happiness. Assembled from five gold segments, the snake rises to 4 mm, nearly touching the sapphire glass, a testament to Jaquet Droz’s exceptional craftsmanship.

The pièce de résistance lies in the enamel work, a feat of artistry and precision. Enamel powder, traditionally challenging to apply on curved surfaces, is seamlessly incorporated into the snake’s undulating body. Gradual hues of green or deep red emphasize its form, enhanced through hand polishing. These details, combined with a “Ruyi” motif—an emblem of protection and fortune designed by John Howe—make the Ophidian Hour an extraordinary piece rich in symbolism and artistry.

Louis Vuitton

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Escale Snakes Jungle by Louis Vuitton

The Louis Vuitton Escale Snakes Jungle, part of the Cabinet of Wonders Watch series, celebrates the Lunar New Year with a stunning homage to oriental themes. This timepiece features a reticulated serpent set against a lush bamboo forest, brought to life through exceptional craftsmanship. The snake, expertly engraved in white gold by Eddy Jaquet, is adorned with vibrant blue and green champlevé enamel by Vanessa Lecci. Surrounding it is a breathtaking jungle tableau created using marquetry, a mosaic-like technique. Composed of 367 hand-assembled pieces of wood, straw, and parchment in 14 shades of green, the intricate background replicates the rich textures and hues of a bamboo forest.

Franck Muller

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Silhouette CX Snake by Franck Muller

The Franck Muller Silhouette CX Snake is a limited-edition marvel that blends serpentine elegance with cutting-edge watchmaking innovation. Celebrating the mystique of the snake, the timepiece introduces the revolutionary Silhouette CX case, an evolution of Franck Muller’s iconic designs, crafted in 18k rose gold.
With asymmetrical curves and a flowing design, the watch subtly evokes the snake’s silhouette, while its case reimagines the Curvex CX and Vanguard collections. The dial enhances the case’s asymmetry, with numerals carefully arranged for visual harmony. Complementing the vivid green emerald accents, the snakeskin-textured green calf leather strap, with a durable rubber underside, enhances both luxury and wearability.

Vacheron Constantin

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Métiers d’Art Legend of the Chinese Zodiac – Snake by Vacheron Constantin

Vacheron Constantin unveils a new chapter in its Métiers d’Art Legend of the Chinese Zodiac series with a tribute to the Year of the Snake. Each 40mm timepiece, available in pink gold or platinum, is limited to just 25 pieces.

The dials are adorned with intricately engraved cobra motifs, surrounded by delicate foliage, all brought to life through the grand feu enamel technique. The background features subtle gradient hues, enhancing the depth and artistry of the design. The in-house Calibre 2460 G4 powers the watch, offering a unique display of hours, minutes, day, and date through four apertures positioned around the dial’s edge. On the caseback, a sapphire crystal window reveals the movement’s fine craftsmanship, including a guilloché-decorated 22K gold oscillating weight.

Hublot

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Spirit of the Big Bang Year of the Snake by Hublot

Hublot’s tribute to the Year of the Snake offers a bold and innovative interpretation of the serpent, seamlessly incorporated into the Spirit of the Big Bang model. Crafted in black ceramic and limited to just 88 pieces, the design extends the snake motif across the dial, case, and strap, creating a cohesive and striking aesthetic.
At the heart of the watch, an engraved gold snake wraps around the chronograph counters on the open dial, created with advanced laser precision. The black ceramic case is paired with a distinctive bezel featuring a snake scale pattern, echoed on the black rubber strap. This strap, with its velvet-like texture achieved through innovative embossing, further elevates the luxurious feel of the piece. This limited-edition timepiece masterfully blends intricate craftsmanship with cutting-edge design, making it a standout tribute to the serpent.

Brequet

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Classique 7145 Lunar New Year 2025 by Brequet

To celebrate the Year of the Snake, Breguet has created the Classique 7145 Lunar New Year 2025, showcasing exquisite craftsmanship through hand-engraving, guilloché, and miniature painting. The watch features a 40mm 18k rose gold case with Breguet’s signature fluted caseband and straight lugs, all within a slim 6.5mm profile.

The dial is a true testament to Breguet’s mastery of métiers d’art. It features a hand-engraved snake and floral motif on an 18k gold dial, which is black-coated, polished, and then hand-guillochéd. The finishing touch is the application of translucent miniature painting, which brings the serpent and surrounding foliage to life. Classic Breguet-style rose gold “open-tipped pomme” hands complete the dial’s refined aesthetic.

Breitling

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Avenger B01 Chronograph 44 Cobra by Breitling

The Avenger B01 Chronograph 44 Cobra by Breitling blends bold aesthetics with robust engineering. Part of the Avenger collection, which debuted in 2021 for fighter pilots, this 44mm timepiece features a grip-patterned bezel and crown for ease of use even with gloves.

Its vibrant yellow dial contrasts sharply with black subdials, while a vivid red cobra motif at the 9 o’clock subdial symbolizes speed, strength, and agility. The snake theme continues on the back of the watch, with an engraved design on the open caseback, adding a unique finishing touch.

Blancpain

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Villeret Calendrier Chinois Traditionnel 2025 by Blancpain

Blancpain’s Villeret Calendrier Chinois Traditionnel 2025 pays tribute to the Year of the Snake with a masterpiece of horological and artistic excellence. Housed in a substantial 45.2mm platinum case, the watch boasts a green grand feu enamel dial that integrates a traditional Chinese calendar with Gregorian dates and moon phases.

The engraved 22K white gold rotor features intricate snake motifs, ruby accents, and Chinese characters for “serpent” and “wood,” underscoring the attention to detail. This timepiece offers a seven-day power reserve and displays a wealth of information, including lunar months, Chinese zodiac signs, and the five elements. Despite its complexity, the watch maintains remarkable legibility.

IWC

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Portofino Automatic Moon Phase 37 Year of the Snake by IWC

IWC Schaffhausen celebrates the Lunar New Year with the Portofino Automatic Moon Phase 37 Year of the Snake, a watch that combines elegant design with refined craftsmanship. Encased in a 37mm stainless steel case, the watch features a captivating burgundy dial that complements the golden moon phase display. A serpent-shaped oscillating mass, visible through the sapphire caseback, serves as a tribute to the zodiac.

The golden moon and stars stand out beautifully against the rich burgundy backdrop, accented by gold-plated hands and appliqués. Powered by the IWC-manufactured 32800 calibre, the watch offers a five-day power reserve. Designed for versatility, it comes with both burgundy and black calfskin straps, equipped with a quick-change system for easy customization.

Harry Winston

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Year of the Snake Limited Edition by Harry Winston

Harry Winston continues its tradition of zodiac-inspired watches with the Year of the Snake Limited Edition. Available in both rose gold and white gold, these 36mm timepieces feature dials intricately decorated with lacquered snake motifs peeking through lush vegetation.

The rose gold version symbolizes daytime with its light green mother-of-pearl background, vibrant red snake, and engraved golden petals, while the white gold version represents nighttime, featuring a dark blue mother-of-pearl background and a coiled red snake surrounded by marquise-cut emeralds and diamonds. Both models are encased in diamond-set arches, with a pearl-adorned crown adding an extra touch of luxury. Powered by a Swiss automatic movement with a 40-hour power reserve, each version is limited to just eight pieces.

Panerai

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Luminor Perpetual Calendar PAM01688 by Panerai

Panerai introduces the Luminor Perpetual Calendar PAM01688, a limited-edition timepiece designed to celebrate the Chinese New Year. Encased in Panerai Goldtech, this 44mm watch stands out with its deep burgundy dial and culturally inspired design.

Chinese characters replace traditional numerals for the day and date, seamlessly incorporating elements of Chinese heritage. Limited to 100 pieces, the watch also highlights the lucky number 88 in its reference, symbolizing fortune and abundance in Chinese culture.

H. Moser & Cie

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Endeavour Chinese Calendar Limited Edition by H. Moser & Cie

The Endeavour Chinese Calendar Limited Edition by H. Moser & Cie is an ingenious combination of the Chinese lunisolar calendar and the Gregorian calendar. Limited to 100 pieces, the watch features a midnight blue fumé dial housed in a red gold case.

Crescent-shaped apertures on the dial display lunisolar months, days, and the current zodiac sign, while retrograde hands track additional calendar elements. The watch also accounts for embolismic months and the corresponding zodiac animal. With its minimalist aesthetic and technical brilliance, this timepiece is a refined tribute to Chinese tradition.

Jaeger-LeCoultre

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Reverso Tribute Enamel Snake by Jaeger-LeCoultre

Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Reverso Tribute Enamel Snake transforms the iconic swiveling case into a canvas for artistic expression. The caseback features a hand-engraved snake emerging from golden clouds, set against a glossy black grand feu enamel backdrop.

The dial echoes this theme with rich black enamel, achieved through a meticulous layering and firing process that takes 24 hours per layer to complete. The Reverso’s classic rectangular case highlights the maison’s mastery of light and texture, blending traditional craftsmanship with modern elegance.

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