Making time for the Year of the Snake
Watch brands are still celebrating Chinese New Year, tough times or not
TRADITIONS HAVE THEIR PLACE, REGARDLESS of the economy. So it is with luxury watch brands, which continue to unveil timepieces relevant to the Chinese zodiac every time a new year rolls around.
Look out for these three models created specifically to celebrate the Year of the Wood Snake – they will no doubt be conversation starters at reunions.
IWC: Portofino Automatic Moon Phase 37 Year of the Snake
The snake in the Chinese zodiac is said to be wise, clever and courageous, but also a lover of the finer things in life. Flaunting an auspicious burgundy dial, this 37 mm IWC timepiece is perfect for welcoming the wood snake. Through the sapphire case-back, you’ll see the gold-plated, oscillating mass of the automatic movement, crafted in the shape of a snake.
While most commemorative timepieces showcase the animal in front, IWC’s Portofino line is known for its classic elegance. Thus, the dial features a tasteful and timeless moon phase display instead.
This charming feature will make you understand why the Portofino Automatic Moon Phase 37 is among collectors’ most coveted watches. The golden moon and stars in the display window stand out against the burgundy backdrop, and harmonise with the gold-plated hands and appliques.
More than just being decorative, the moon display is a complication which works so precisely that it deviates from the orbit of Earth’s satellite by only one day after 122 years. The Lunar Year model is limited to 500 pieces.
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Price: S$13,000
Longines: Conquest Heritage Year of the Snake
This watch features an intricate engraving depicting a snake clutching a lingzhi mushroom, its form spiralling into concentric circles, evoking ripples that symbolise the passage of time and the continuity of life.
Found on the angled, screwed-down case-back of the 40 mm stainless steel timepiece, this design symbolising good fortune is the work of Wu Jian’an, an artist from China’s most prestigious art school, the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing. Titled Divine Snake Presents Treasure, it reinterprets the story of Stealing the Immortal Herb from the famous Chinese tale The Legend of the White Snake.
The theme is also reflected on the watch’s face, which features a vibrant sunray gradient, red-domed dial with gilt hands and indexes. The dazzling display perfectly complements moments of New Year celebration and reunion.
Limited to 2,025 pieces, the Conquest Heritage Year of the Snake is powered by a mechanical self-winding movement with a silicon balance spring and innovative components that ensure a magnetic resistance 10 times greater than the ISO 764 reference standard. The movement has a power reserve of up to 72 hours.
Price: S$4,300
Blancpain: Villeret Calendrier Chinois Traditionnel 2025
Since 2012, Blancpain has unveiled a commemorative model every year. The watch reveals one of the 12 Chinese zodiac animals through a 12 o’clock aperture on the dial, as well as an engraving on the rotor, seen through the sapphire case-back.
The highly complicated timepiece also displays the Chinese calendar with the Gregorian date and moon phases, a symbolic meeting of Eastern and Western traditions. For 2025, the restyled reptile is for the first time presented in a 45.2 mm platinum case with a green Grand Feu enamel dial. On the frosted finished white gold rotor, the snake is accompanied by natural ruby and an engraving of the words “serpent” and “wood” in Chinese. The watch is limited to 50 pieces.
Price: S$126,500
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