Chinese New Year will be celebrated on February 5, 2019 marking the start of the Year of the Pig. The twelfth and final animal in the Chinese zodiac, those born in the Year of the Pig are said to enjoy good fortune and the finer things in life while also being pragmatic, energetic and enthusiastic – thus often ending up in positions of power and status. Mark the occasion by adding one of this year’s crop of limited edition Chinese New Year watches to your collection…
Chopard L.U.C XP Urushi Year of the Pig
This intricate and elegant timepiece by Chopard takes the ancient Japanese art of Urushi as its starting point. This delicate art form sees Japanese artisan Kiichiro Masumura use the sap of the Urushi tree to create a rare lacquer in which a playful hand-painted image of a pig set against a pretty outdoor landscape is depicted.
Case: 18k rose gold, 39.5mm
Strap: Alligator
Movement: L.U.C 96.17-L self-winding
Waterproof: 30 metres
Limited edition: 88
Price: $24,600, chopard.com
Jaquet Droz Petite Heure Minute Pig
The first of two Year of the Pig special editions created by Jaquet Droz, the Petite Heure Minute Pig is available in a 35mm diamond case and 39mm red gold case with each limited to 28 pieces. Each version sports an ivory Grande Feu enamel dial on which Jaquet Droz’s mastery of miniature painting has been chosen to showcase a naturalistic-style pig standing in a wheat field.
Case: 18k red gold, 35mm or 39mm
Strap: Alligator
Movement: Jaquet Droz 2653.P self-winding
Waterproof: 30 metres
Limited edition: 28
Price: £29,200 (35mm) and £23,850 (39mm), jaquet-droz.com
Jaquet Droz Petite Heure Minute Relief Pig
The second of Jaquet Droz’s Chinese New Year editions also joins the Petite Heure collection but this time exhibits the maison’s skill in engraving. Available in red or diamond-set white gold, a wild pig is shown standing proudly in front of eight great oak trees – symbolising longevity, morality and power - against an onyx background.
Case: 18 red or white gold, 41mm
Strap: Alligator
Movement: Jaquet Droz 2653.Si self-winding
Waterproof: 30 metres
Limited edition: 28 (red gold), 8 (white gold)
Price: £53,800 (red gold), POA (white gold), jaquet-droz.com
Vacheron Constantin Metiers d’Art The Legend of the Chinese Zodiac Year of the Pig
Vacheron Constantin has become a go-to for Chinese New Year watches thanks to its long-standing tradition of releasing a Metiers d’Art timepiece to celebrate the occasion each year. As with last year’s Year of the Dog special edition, Vacheron Constantin’s Year of the Pig watch is inspired by an ancient Chinese paper-cutting technique known as Jianzhi which has ties to the watch community thanks to its Swiss counterpart Scherenschnitt. Crafted in platinum or pink gold with either a blue or bronze dial, each piece features an intricately hand-engraved pig in the centre.
Case: Platinum or 18k pink gold, 40mm
Strap: Alligator
Movement: Calibre 2460 G4 self-winding
Waterproof: 30 metres
Limited edition: 12 of each
Price: POA, vacheron-constantin.com
Harry Winston Premier Chinese New Year
This colourful timepiece from Harry Winston takes China’s traditional lucky colour – red – as its base and employs stone setting and artistic craftsmanship to create a standout addition to the Premier Collection. Harry Winston’s pig is created, rather unusually, using pearl marquetry which sees a rose gold pig inlaid with vivid magnolia flowers in another tribute to Chinese cultural traditions.
Case: 18k rose gold, 36mm
Strap: Alligator
Movement: Calibre HW2008 automatic
Waterproof: 30 metres
Price: POA, harrywinston.com
Blancpain Villeret Traditional Chinese Calendar
Another brand which has built up a strong collection of Chinese New Year timepieces, Blancpain once again offers collectors the chance to own its highly complicated Traditional Chinese Calendar to mark the Year of the Pig. Rather than using the celebration to showcase its artistic skill, the house instead presents an unusual and complex complication which displays both the Gregorian and Chinese calendars with indications for days month, leap months, moon phases, signs of the zodiac, elements and the ten celestial stems. The pig itself is discretely depicted on the watch’s caseback in this limited edition version.
Case: Platinum or red gold, 45mm
Strap: Alligator
Movement: Calibre 3638 self-winding
Waterproof: 30 metres
Limited edition: 20
Price: POA, blancpain.com