This year, Byeong-o year, Is said to be a year when fire meets fire. It is a time when we can expect energy of drive, Passion and explosive expansion. It is considered a very good time to start something new or to bring out into the world something you have been preparing for a long time. Now, Let me introduce the Horse Edition, Which embodies the powerful energy of the red horse.

Hermès

Arceau Rocabar de Rire

Hermès, Well known for the Birkin bag that is coveted by many women, Originated as an atelier making harnesses and saddles in the 19th century. The Hermès logo was also inspired by the four-wheeled carriage Calèche, Clearly showing that the brand's identity is inseparable from the horse. For this reason, Hermès continues to create watches inspired by horses.

Arceau Rocabar de Rire, Unveiled at last year's Watches & Wonders, Is not a Horse Edition directly targeting the Byeong-o year, But it is considered the watch that most perfectly embodies the horse motif.

The Arceau, With its asymmetrical case shaped like a stirrup, Delicately captures the playful image of a horse on the dial. Using engraving and miniature painting techniques, The lively appearance of the horse is brought to life, And in the background, Hermès' iconic Rocabar blanket is recreated on the dial with horsehair marquetry. (Marquetry is an inlay technique similar to parquet flooring, But horsehair marquetry uses carefully selected strands of horsehair instead of wood, Delicately attached to the dial to complete the pattern.) Through such a sophisticated and complex process, A dial with vivid texture and three-dimensionality is completed.

The on-demand impulse function installed in this watch is operated by a button at the 9 o'clock position on the case. When the button is pressed, The horse sticks out its tongue and makes a playful expression. This playful and cheerful feature is the biggest highlight of the Arceau Rocabar de Rire.

Following last year's Year of the Snake, Brands such as Vacheron Constantin, Jaeger-LeCoultre and IWC also released watches commemorating the Year of the Horse. Each watch company has its own circumstances, But almost every year, A new main model themed on that year's zodiac sign is released, Making it feel like a long-running series.

Vacheron Constantin

Metiers d’Art The Legend of the Chinese Zodiac Year of the Horse

As proof of the series, Two versions were released again this year, In platinum and pink gold cases. This expression method started with the 'Les Quatre Saisons' edition, Which commemorated Vacheron Constantin's 250th anniversary, And shows details of nature that seem to come alive.

The function of displaying hours, Minutes, Date and day in digital format through four windows on the outer dial is commonly used in every zodiac edition. Thanks to this layout, The center of the dial becomes a generous canvas, And a dynamically crafted horse runs in the middle of the dial. The horse and the ground beneath it use the same material as the case. The ink painting-style dial background shows slightly different details depending on the case material, So there is the fun of discovering subtle differences.

Jaeger-LeCoultre

Reverso Tribute Enamel Horse

The Reverso was created for use in polo, A sport played on horseback. It is a watch with a deep connection to horses. Except for 2023, Jaeger-LeCoultre has consistently released zodiac editions since 2022, Making this Year of the Horse edition even more meaningful. The 'Reverso Tribute Enamel Horse', With its time-only function for hours and minutes, Expresses the image of a horse appearing among mysterious clouds on the case back using black grand feu enamel and engraving techniques.

As with the Year of the Snake, The combination of zodiac animals and clouds is a consistent composition of the Reverso Tribute Enamel series, So it is a good choice if you want to create a collection with a clear theme.

IWC

Portugieser Automatic 42 Year of the Horse

IWC has been releasing zodiac editions using existing models. This time, They chose the Portugieser Automatic 42. Last year, It was the Portofino Automatic Moonphase, And before that, The Portugieser Chronograph or Portugieser Automatic 40 were used. In common, The overall atmosphere is set by the combination of a crimson dial with gold hands and indexes, And the animal of the zodiac is engraved on the rotor. This edition also uses the same patterned dial as before, And a vigorously running horse is engraved on the rotor. As befits the 'Year of the Red Horse', The crimson dial is even more emphasized.

Wouldn't it be quite a grand collection if you gathered all 12 zodiac animals from IWC, Just like the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Enamel series?

TAG Heuer

Carrera Chronograph Year of the Horse

This model is based on the asymmetric design heritage of the 'Carrera Chronograph Dato'. To emphasize the 'Year of the Red Horse' theme, TAG Heuer used a champagne gold dial, Red chronograph hands and counters, And the simplified Chinese character '马' meaning horse instead of the Arabic numeral '7'. This is because the horse is the seventh animal of the zodiac. In addition, A galloping horse is printed on the see-through back showing the Caliber TH20-07, Faithfully expressing the details of the Horse Edition and presenting a unique coloring.

Although Breguet and Blancpain, Who released Year of the Snake editions last year, Did not participate this time, Their absence was filled by brands armed with artistry and bold colors. Piaget elegantly expressed the horse using metiers d'art and gem-setting techniques. Longines expressed the Fire Horse with a striking red dial, And Harry Winston also featured a red horse.

The 2026 Horse Edition offers a special meaning that goes beyond a simple watch collection, Embodying the energy of explosive expansion and passion. We hope that these watches, Filled with the energy of intense fire, Will become a powerful driving force for those preparing for a new beginning.

Felix

Writer

Watch Columnist