The new year of 2025 has arrived. This year is the Eulsa Year, The Year of the Blue Snake. In East Asia, Where the tradition of the twelve zodiac animals inherited from ancient calendars remains, Especially in China which has a strong influence on the watch market, Watches themed on the zodiac have been released from the end of last year into the beginning of this year. What used to be a limited edition produced by a few watchmakers has now become an annual event. Once again, Various products have been launched to commemorate the Year of the Snake.

Métiers d’Art

Cartier Métiers d’Art Panther ⓒ revolutionwatch

Before looking at the Year of the Snake editions, Let us first discuss Métiers d’Art. This is because many zodiac editions use Métiers d’Art techniques. To put it simply, Métiers d’Art refers to traditional handcraft techniques. Not limited to watchmaking, It encompasses crafts such as engraving, Enameling, Miniature painting, And guilloché, All completed by skilled artisans by hand and incorporated into the dial, Case, And other parts of the watch.

Métiers d’Art production process ⓒ revolutionwatch

Intricately painted artwork on a small dial, Engravings on the case and rotor, All beautifully decorate the watch and elevate its artistic value. The outcome depends on the artisan’s skill, And even with the same theme, The results vary slightly, Giving each piece a unique character. The animals featured in the zodiac editions are introduced through various Métiers d’Art techniques.

Vacheron Constantin

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

The legend of the Chinese Zodiac - year of the snake
ⓒ vacheron-constantin

Métiers d’Art The Legend of the Chinese Zodiac ‘Year of the Snake’, Available in platinum and pink gold, Showcases a tradition. The function of displaying hours, Minutes, Date, And day through four windows has been used in the annual zodiac editions. Tracing back, It started with the Métiers d’Art ‘Four Season’ commemorating Vacheron Constantin’s 250th anniversary and has since been featured in various Métiers d’Art watches.

ⓒ vacheron-constantin

In Chinese culture, The snake is considered a mystical and wise auspicious animal. In this edition, The snake is depicted with each scale meticulously detailed, And the rock’s texture is revealed through delicate hand engraving, Then enhanced with painted shading. The sky and leaves in the background are completed using enamel techniques. Compared to previous versions with dazzling patterns and sculpted zodiac animals on blue and brown dials up to 2024, This edition feels less ornate. Perhaps this is a shift from splendor to realism.

Breguet

Classique Ref. 7145BR/15/9WU 06

Breguet Classique 7145 7145BR/15/9WU 06 ⓒ breguet

The decision to omit the small seconds slightly offset to the right and opt for a simple time-only function with just hours and minutes aligns with the overall concept. The snake, Appearing in the grass with its tongue out, Is crafted using several Métiers d’Art techniques. The bold lines that define the overall impression are completed by hand engraving, While the background is adorned with various guilloché patterns. At least five or six guilloché patterns seem to have been used. The green of the grass is highlighted with translucent enamel to accentuate the engraved leaves. This contrasts sharply with the rose gold hands and case. The finishing touch is a green alligator leather strap, Further enhancing the contrast.

Jaeger-LeCoultre

Reverso Tribute Enamel ‘Snake’

Reverso Tribute Enamel Snake ⓒ jaeger-lecoultre

Reverso, Meaning ‘to reverse’, Allows the case to be flipped to protect the glass. While the use of hard sapphire crystal glass makes this less necessary today, It can be used as a second dial or to reveal the hidden case back. This feature has also been used to offer engraving services for initials.

2022 REVERSO TRIBUTE ENAMEL “TIGER” /
2024 REVERSO TRIBUTE ENAMEL “DRAGON”
ⓒ jaeger-lecoultre

The Reverso Tribute Enamel ‘Snake’ follows the 2022 Year of the Tiger edition, Skipping the 2023 Year of the Rabbit, And continues with last year’s Dragon and this year’s Snake. The hidden case back is finished with black enamel like a jet-black dial, And the snake and clouds are boldly or delicately engraved. Zodiac editions may lose their significance after the year passes. However, With the Reverso Tribute Enamel ‘Snake’, Unless you flip the case, The animal of the year remains hidden, So its meaning does not fade.

Blancpain

Villeret Traditional Chinese Calendar ‘Year of the Snake’

Villeret Traditional Chinese Calendar “Year of the Snake”
ⓒ watchesbysjx

This is the Year of the Snake version of the Villeret Traditional Chinese Calendar (2012), Which incorporates both the Gregorian and Chinese calendars in a perpetual calendar. Even before being used as a zodiac edition, It was introduced as a product displaying the Chinese calendar, And as seen from the dial filled with Chinese characters, It was optimized for the Chinese market. The Year of the Snake version follows last year’s Dragon edition, Featuring a green enamel dial inspired by jade. The rotor is engraved with a snake and the characters Eulsa (乙巳). Overall, It is similar to the Dragon edition, But the case is now platinum, Resulting in a higher price due to the material.

IWC

Portofino Automatic Moonphase 37 ‘Year of the Snake’

Portofino Automatic Moon Phase 37 Year of the Snake
(Ref. IW459604) ⓒ iwc

The Portofino Automatic Moonphase 37, With its neutral 37mm diameter, Is designed for both men and women. It is sized for men who prefer smaller watches and women who like oversized styles. The combination of a red dial, Gold moonphase, And indexes is a popular choice in the Chinese market.

Portofino Automatic Moon Phase 37 Year of the Snake
(Ref. IW459604) ⓒ iwc

This year’s featured animal, The snake, Is engraved on the rotor, Wrapping around the rotor’s axis and the IWC logo to create a sense of dynamism. The combination of the red dial and gold indexes has continued since the 2022 Year of the Rabbit and seems likely to become a tradition for IWC’s zodiac editions.

Although not all Year of the Snake editions have been covered, We have looked at the major editions marking the start of 2025. How did you find them? While the significance of zodiac editions may fade after the year passes, If it matches your birth year like a birth-year vintage watch, It can still be meaningful. For collectors, The twelve zodiac animals could be a great collecting theme. Since zodiac editions have not been around for very long, Collecting them is not particularly difficult. However, The limited quantities of each edition do raise the level of difficulty somewhat. Wishing you a happy new year and a strong start to 2025.