In this article, we try to provide you with a list of some of the best and historical watches inspired from and based on the Lunar Year themes. This year the theme for the Lunar Year or more famously called The Chinese New Year is – The Year of the Snake. Themes are based on circulation of 12 Chinese/Asian Zodiac signs which includes 12 different animal with each appearing once every 12 years.

Bulgari Serpenti

You gotta make the ladies of the house happy before jumping out on your new toys of the year. Call it a coincidence that Blvgari re-introduced their iconic Serpenti line with an automatic movement just at the beginning of the year.

The movement now comes in both its famous swirling expandable bracelet form as well as the generally worn round form with a clasp bracelet. The watches are packed with the BVS100 Lady Solotempo automatic movement in cases and bracelet made in precious metals, preferably rose gold.

This is not the first time Bulgari has put a mechanical movement in the Serpenti, it does come in manual wound [found in its more ornate collection, rarely made] and it’s experiments with ‘tiny tourbillions‘ on the line.

But using an automatic not only makes it acceptable as a piece of horology in watch circles, separating it rom the general ‘jewellery watch’ category but also desirable as an individual, everyday watch. The earlier versions of the Serpenti sported regular quartz movements , ocasionally tiny mechanical movt’s too but more emphasis was given to its aesthetic than the movement powering it.

Vintage enamel Serpenti. Image: 1st Dibs 

What better watch for the year of the snake than a watch made of snake, like this vintage serpenti which has ‘Chinese New Year’ written all over it. Expect to find this somewhere in a wealthy Chinese grandma’s closet.

Breguet

One of the nicest watches on this list, continuing the tradition of explicitly decorated lunar year watches, Breguet released a limited of eight watches welcoming the Year of The Snake.

Cased in the Classique 7145, these beautiful watches are powered by the ultra-slim Calibre 502.3 – which honestly no one cares about. Priced at $80k, the major highlight is the dial, surprisingly the two-tone hand engraved dial revealing the enigmatic snake and leaf motif.

The snake’s scales and scrolling foliage are further accentuated with a black galvanic treatment before different tonalities of translucent green are hand-painted on the leaves.

Ironically, the watch is full of green instead of the more common Red theme in the Chinese New Year.

Developed in the 1960s, the 502.3 is one of the thinnest automatic movements in production, with a thickness of just 2.4mm. The off-centred 22k gold rotor is also hand-engraved with a guilloché barleycorn pattern. The openworked barrel delivers a 45-hour power reserve, and the 3Hz movement is equipped with a flat silicon balance spring to counter the effects of magnetism. [Monochrome Watches]. What a treasure!

Cartier

C comes after B. If there is Blvgari, so comes Cartier. If money is not an issue and the lady’s heart yearns for some gems and diamonds to cover hear arm to the heart, let me take you back in time to meet some of the Snakes of Cartier.

If the post by this particular Pinterest user is correct, this is a Cartier Diamond Serpent watch made by renowned French jeweller Henri Lavabre for Cartier Paris in 1920. Need I say more about this? It had left me speechless. I have no way of confirming it but all the reasons to believe it from my limited knowledge. Just spectacular. Not to mention how rare and coveted Cartier Paris watches are, irrespective of the gender.

Henri Lavabre was a renowned French jewelry maker who primarily worked exclusively for Cartier between 1906 and 1921, producing a large portion of their gold and enamel pieces, particularly known for his exquisite craftsmanship in enamel work; his workshop continued to collaborate with Cartier into the 1930s. His work often sells for blowed up prices at auctions due to its craftsmanship and rarity.

For example, this piece unique introduced at the Watches & Wonder 2014 under the Cartier savoir-faire. 1/1. via worldtempus

IWC

This probably the best watch on this list. Hands down. The IWC Portofino Automatic Moon Phase 37 ‘Year of the Snake’ released in late last year.

Following the themes of Red, Gold (Rose Gold) and Burgundy which are a staple for Lunar Year, IWC has hit it right with a time-only moon phase sized at a nice 37mm which hits the sweet spot to a large population, specially Asian markets which have considerably slimmer wrists.

What sense does a time-only moon phase really make? Such combinations are rarely seen and almost always come with at least a date. IWC did think very cleverly on this and what is exactly called ‘good product design’ in the larger industry.

Each Asian ethnicity has their own type of calendar in respect to the native faiths. The Muslims have the Hijri, the Indians have the Panchang and the rest of the Asian use the Buddhists lunisolar calendar. Chinese New Year, also known as the Lunar New Year, is based on the lunisolar calendar, which combines the lunar and solar calendars. The date of Chinese New Year is determined by the first new moon that occurs to the nearest midpoint between the winter solstice and the spring equinox, sometime in late January to mid-February on the Gregorian-English calendar.

Now you know why this watch is called the best on this list, one where the moon phase is actually useful :). At the end of January you can look at your watch, catch the time and moon phase and announce the beginning of new year!

According to IWC, the moon phase display works so precisely that it only deviates from the actual orbit of Earth’s satellite by one day after 122 years, or so many new years. This watch is a complete watch, unlike its counterparts (which are very nice too) who played with snakes on the dial as the theme, this watch beautifully integrates the theme while making it an everyday watch which can be hidden in plain sight.

The watch is powered by the IWC’s Automatic 32800 caliber with a power reserve of five days. The movement features another very relevant highlight, the oscillating mass is an 18-ct gold engraved and cut in form of a beautiful snake. Truly a treasure to have. However I do wonder what it would look like with a full role gold case complementing the dial!

Parmigiani Fleurier

The kind of watch that deserves its own article (soon). The new PF Tonda Xiali was released earlier this year by the the brand as a tribute to the Chinese New Year. The model is progress to the successful steel version which was released last year.

The whole watch is based on the Traditional Chinese Calendar. Other than the central minute and hour track, all the hands indicate distinct terms of the traditional Chinese lunisolar calendar.

The Tonda PF Xiali is the only mechanical watch in the market featuring a full working Chinese lunisolar calendar. Mind it, it is not a usual moon phase perpetual calendar. The watch harmoniously integrates the 24 solar terms (Jieqi), lunar phases, zodiac animals, the 10 heavenly stems, and the 12 earthly branches. These are more peculiar details of the traditional Chinese calendar, to be explored in an individual article.

The watch comes in a 18ct rose gold case and integrated bracelet, sized at an average 42mm with a display case back. An incredible feat of technical advancement, the watch is part of Parmigiani Fleurier’s Tonda PF Cultural Calendars which also include an Islamic Hijri calendar and Gregorian calendar watches. Coming in an ‘imperial red’ dial with an intricate Grain d’Orge hand-guilloché dial which is just serene. The whole watch just takes you back, inspired from the Imperial Forbidden City with the gardens laid down on the dial.

The Tonda PF Xiali is not a limited edition production but the only golden from the four Xiali’s released so far. The best watch money can buy this Lunar Year, or the next!