Franck Muller, Hublot and Jaeger-LeCoultre celebrate the Year of the Snake

Franck Muller – Silhouette CX Snake

Franck Muller pays tribute to the Chinese zodiac with the Silhouette CX Snake, an Asia-Pacific exclusive timepiece that celebrates the elegance and mystery of the Year of the Snake. Limited to just 28 pieces, the watch combines groundbreaking craftsmanship with the serpent’s symbolic allure.

Crafted from 18k rose gold, the Silhouette CX Snake showcases Franck Muller’s new Silhouette CX case – an evolution of the brand’s iconic Curvex designs. Its asymmetrical shape mirrors the sinuous grace of a snake, while the dial dazzles with a snow-set emerald snake motif, offering glimpses of the serpent’s silhouette minus its head and tail.

Precision engineering underpins the watch’s allure. Its sapphire crystal, shaped through advanced CNC techniques, seamlessly curves in two directions, extending to the lugs. Meanwhile, the FM 2038 movement ensures flawless performance, housed in a casing designed to fit the asymmetrical case.

Completing the look is a green calf leather strap embossed with a snakeskin texture, adding tactile elegance. Priced at S$66,000, the Silhouette CX Snake is a captivating addition to Franck Muller’s legacy, blending artistry, innovation and mystique.

Hublot – Spirit of Big Bang Year of the Snake

Hublot once again captures the spirit of the Chinese New Year with its latest creation: the Spirit of Big Bang Year of the Snake. Limited to just 88 pieces, this extraordinary timepiece celebrates the snake, a revered symbol of wisdom, transformation and charm in Chinese culture.

The highlight of the watch is a stunning, gold-plated snake that appears to slither across the open chronograph dial, winding through the three counters. Engraved with remarkable precision using state-of-the-art laser technology, the serpent’s three-dimensional design is both lifelike and mesmerising.

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The barrel-shaped ceramic case is a perfect canvas for Hublot’s craftsmanship, featuring a bezel engraved with intricate snake scales. This pattern flows seamlessly into the black rubber strap, which boasts a unique velvet-like shimmer achieved through innovative embossing.

Underneath the artistry lies the Hublot automatic skeleton chronograph calibre HUB4700, a modern evolution of the legendary El Primero movement, renowned as the first Swiss high-frequency integrated chronograph. This powerful movement is visible through the sapphire display back and the open dial.

Retailing at S$49,300, this exceptional timepiece is available exclusively at Hublot boutiques and The Hour Glass, Hublot’s sole partner in South-east Asia.

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Making time for the Year of the Snake

Jaeger-LeCoultre – Reverso Tribute Enamel “Snake”

In celebration of the 2025 Chinese New Year, Jaeger-LeCoultre introduces the Reverso Tribute Enamel “Snake”. This made-to-order limited edition features a powerful snake motif hand-engraved into the pink gold case, capturing the animal’s symbolism of wisdom, longevity and mystery in traditional Chinese culture.

The case-back and dial are both adorned with glossy black Grand Feu enamel, perfectly matched to create a seamless, lustrous surface. The snake, which emerges from a wreath of golden clouds, is intricately detailed with hand-drawn scales in black rhodium, while the contrasting sandblasted clouds add depth and texture. The engraver’s use of modelled engraving – an exacting technique – ensures remarkable volume and movement, all achieved with precision despite the enamel’s delicate surface.

True to the Art Deco aesthetic of the Reverso Tribute, the dial features faceted hour-markers, a chemin de fer minutes track, and Dauphine hands. All this is set against the striking black enamel dial, which looks deceptively plain but belies the complex and unpredictable nature of Grand Feu enamelling.

Achieving such a deep, rich black requires meticulous layering – five to six coats of enamel, each followed by firing and cooling. This process alone demands over 24 hours of work spanning several days. Following this, more hours are put into polishing to bring out a flawless, uniform lustre. The perfect colour match and purity across both surfaces showcase a mastery born from years of experience.

As one of the few watch manufacturers with an in-house enamelling workshop, Jaeger-LeCoultre continues to preserve and advance this time-honoured craft through this novelty.