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Feature: The best Year-of-the-Snake watches 2025

Every year a handful of watchmakers release a special watch to usher in the Chinese New Year. As a result, we get to see limited-edition pieces adorned with creatures from mythical dragons to adorable rabbits. This year it’s the turn of the snake, a creature that in Chinese culture can represent love, happiness and wisdom—as opposed to the mostly negative connotations it holds in the Western world. So, sit back and admire some truly eye-catching serpent-inspired watches from the likes of Vacheron Constantin, Breguet and more.

Breguet Classique 7145 Lunar New Year 2025

Breguet didn’t need any tricky complications to impress with this release

Breguet has dispensed with tricky complications and gone down the metier d’art route for this year’s Chinese New Year release. This incredible watch may do nothing more than tell the time but its partially painted dial depicting a snake among green foliage is a masterpiece featuring exquisite engraving and guilloché work—all done by hand. The self-winding calibre 502.3 keeps the fluted rose-gold case slim thanks to the micro-rotor taking up less space. It’s limited to eight pieces.

Arnold & Son Perpetual Moon 41.5 Red Gold Year of the Snake

The lower half of the dial depicts a snake beside a traditional Chinese pagoda

Another watch made in a series of eight (a favourite lucky number among the Chinese), this Arnold & Son watch in rose gold places an oversized moonphase aperture within a glittering blue aventurine glass dial. But the real artistry is in the lower half of the dial where you’ll find a hand-engraved snake beside a traditional Chinese pagoda. Even the movement is special, with two spring barrels providing a huge 90-hour power reserve.

Hublot Spirit of Big Bang Year of the Snake

The gold snake neatly outlines the three chronograph subdials

Hublot isn’t shy about making bold watches, and this Spirit of Big Bang is no different. The watchmaker has embraced the essence of the serpent with a black snakeskin-textured rubber bracelet and ceramic case. The highlight, though, is the gold snake which drapes over the dial outlining the three chronograph subdials, in what we think is a neat touch. At 42mm, this is a watch perfect for lovers of large timepieces that make a statement. It’s a limited edition of 88 pieces.

Swatch Year of the Snake Collection

Swatch released a two-watch collection this Chinese New Year

Swatch doesn’t mess around when it comes to the Chinese New Year, unveiling not one, but two watches in honour of the festivities. Both watches—the Golden Red Bamboo and the Blue and Golden Lithe Dancer—embrace “the power of flexibility” with dials and straps that subtly feature bamboo and, of course, snakes. Swatch’s children’s brand FlikFlak has also released a watch, featuring a charming cartoon snake on the strap, plus a matching box with stickers and a colouring-in sheet.

Corum Golden Bridge Classic Serpent

This exquisite timepiece is a one-of-one

Corum’s distinctive Golden Bridge series deserves to be better known. After all, packing all the components into a baguette-shaped movement placed vertically on the dial makes for a visually arresting watch—doubly so when a snake is wrapped around it. This rose-gold tonneau-shaped model even has sapphire sides so that you can view the manual-wind Caliber CO 113—and the ornate foliage surrounding it—from almost any angle. Surprisingly, this one-off piece wasn’t released as a Year-of-the-Snake watch, but it’s so on-theme, we had to include it.

Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Enamel Snake

This Reverso showcases the talents of the artists at Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Atelier des Métier Rares

Reverso casebacks have often been used to showcase the many talents of the artists at Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Atelier des Métier Rares. This one features a rose-gold hand-engraved snake wreathed in flames, set on a black Grand Feu enamelled backdrop. Flip it over to the dial side and this too is presented in an enamel of the deepest, darkest black. The intricate snake engraving alone took 80 hours to complete, using no less than 10 different chisels.

Vacheron Constantin Métiers d’Art The Legend of the Chinese Zodiac Year of the Snake

This exquisite piece is also available in platinum

More fine engraving and enamel work, this time from Vacheron Constantin, who have put the pink-gold snake at the very centre of the dial, unobscured by hands. The two upper apertures provide the time, while the two lower ones display the day and date. All four are placed at the periphery so that the snake remains the focus. 25 pieces are available in pink gold and the same number in platinum.

Baume et Mercier Riveria Chinese New Year Snake Edition

This understated model boasts an impressive 120-hour power reserve

Baume et Mercier’s commemorative Chinese New Year Riveria is on the subtle side, making it ideal for people who prefer pared-down watches. The matte-grey snakeskin-effect dial boasts a snake protruding from it in between 4 and 5 o’clock. The gold hands and indices pop against the dial, whereas the squiggly-shaped seconds hand resembles a writhing snake. Flip this piece over to admire the gilded serpent signature above the Baumatic manufacture movement, equipped with a huge 120-hour power reserve.

Jaquet Droz Ophidian Hour

The dial is dominated by a snake decorated in a Chinese “ruyi” motif

Jaquet Droz collaborated with the renowned illustrator John Howe on this sensational rose-gold watch, whose dial is dominated by a snake decorated in a Chinese “ruyi” motif. With no hands present, the time is indicated by the snake’s head and tail-tip, which point to discs featuring the hours and minutes, respectively. Enamelling the snake required an innovative process that the brand is keeping under wraps. Two unique pieces have been made, one with a mother-of-pearl dial and one with a Sonora Sunrise mineral dial.

Franck Muller Silhouette CX Snake

The two sparkling streaks of snow-set emeralds depict the silhouette of a snake

This striking Franck Muller combines technical innovation with “serpentine allure”. Most alluring of all are the two stunning streaks of snow-set emeralds that cut through the sunray-brushed dial and represent the silhouette of a snake. The signature Franck Muller tonneau case in rose gold perfectly complements the dial’s green accents and the matching snakeskin-textured leather strap. Exclusive to the Asia Pacific market, this is limited to just 28 pieces.

Bulgari Serpenti

The Serpenti and its famous wrist-coiling bracelet

We couldn’t write an article on snake-themed watches without mentioning the Serpenti. This Bulgari classic is wholly dedicated to the creature, with design hallmarks including its seductive wrist-coiling bracelet, and the drop-shaped case that resembles a snake’s head. Versions with a standard bracelet featuring a snakeskin-inspired hexagonal pattern are also available. The Serpenti is an ultra-glamorous timepiece worn by the likes of actress, Elizabeth Taylor, who catapulted the watch to worldwide fame.

Boucheron MEC Cobra

The fierce serpent takes centre stage on the case of this Boucheron

Although this timepiece wasn’t released for the Year of the Snake, this bold Boucheron celebrates the divisive reptile all the same, thanks to the rose-gold tonneau case with a cobra coiled around it—hence the watch’s name. In true Boucheron fashion, the snake is set with a dusting of diamonds, as well as one green emerald eye. Set on a striking purple leather strap, this is a sensational piece that’s sure to get people talking.

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