The Chinese Fire Horse at full gallop: Special editions from watch brands

For a long time now, many watches have not only had functions and a contemporary design, but also their own, more or less current theme. Sporting events, exhibitions, cinema blockbusters, or all kinds of historical anniversaries. Anything that creates an emotional bond with buyers, perhaps even serving as a statement of commitment, is a possibility.

Every brand can therefore find a motif for a special series at any time, preferably limited edition, because this increases desirability and the best time for sales is clearly defined. Every winter, however, a number of companies all focus on the same animal. Namely, the one that determines the coming year according to the Chinese zodiac calendar. Starting on February 17, it will be the particularly energetic “Fire Horse” that will now be interpreted on watch models from a wide variety of brands.

The Chinese 12-year cycle: of cunning snakes, hungry pigs, and swift horses

The myth behind this is that the Jade Emperor, the main god of Taoism, once had various animals race across a raging river. The first twelve of them made it into the calendar, where they form a twelve-year cycle.

First place went to the clever rat, who let the buffalo carry him almost to the finish line. The fast horse would also have had a chance of winning. However, the cunning snake had hidden on the horse and frightened it shortly before the finish line. Last place went to the pig, who had stopped to eat.

In combination with one of five elements (fire, metal, earth, wood, and water), this results in a cycle of 60 years, each with its own character. Each combination only occurs once every 60 years.

Of course, such periods can also be represented by the workings of a watch, but this remains the exception. Blancpain, for example, offers such a specialty in its “Villeret Calendrier Chinois Traditionnel” collection.

Others are now focusing on expressive representations of the fire horse, sometimes explicit, sometimes cryptic, but always as characteristic of the brand as possible. A wide variety of craft techniques are used to achieve this. Some models are not intended for the German market, but collectors, especially those who travel a lot, know how to get their hands on the objects of their desire.

2026 and the Fire Horse

This year’s Fire Horse is considered particularly powerful, but also somewhat contradictory. People born in the Year of the Horse are traditionally considered freedom-loving, energetic, adventurous, charismatic, quick to get excited, independent, and sometimes impulsive.

Incidentally, 2027 will be the year of another hoofed animal: the fiery goat. In terms of image, this poses a greater challenge than the horse, at least in markets outside China. But designers are surely already busy creating attractive models.

Longines: “Master Collection Moonphase, Year of the Horse”

Longines has long been closely associated with both equestrian sports and China. Limited to 3,200 pieces, the “Master Collection Moonphase ‘Year of the Horse'” symbolically addresses this theme on the front with a gradient dial in the lucky color red. The moon phase emphasizes that China uses a combination of lunar and solar calendars. On the back, the horse is depicted in concrete terms: as an engraving on the gold-plated rotor. (RRP €3,200)

TAG Heuer: “Carrera ‘Year of the Horse'”

TAG Heuer takes a similar approach with its limited edition “Carrera Year of the Horse” model, limited to 250 pieces. It features red and gold accents on a champagne-colored dial, with the Chinese character for “horse” replacing the number 7 on the date disc. A racehorse is also engraved on the glass back. (RRP €8,100)

IWC Schaffhausen: “Portuguese Automatic 42 ‘Year of the Horse'”

The “Portugieser Automatic 42 ‘Year of the Horse'” follows the same principle, but features an all-over wine red dial and bracelet. Here, the entire rotor of the watch, which is limited to 500 pieces, forms a galloping horse, thus making a subtle reference to the Chinese calendar. (RRP €15,300)

Piaget: “Altiplano Zodiac Horse”

Piaget, on the other hand, presents a leaping horse on the dial of its “Altiplano Zodiac Horse” – a work of art created using hand engraving and various enamel techniques. The flat white gold case is set with diamonds. Only 18 of these watches will be produced; the price is available to customers on request.

Louis Moinet: “Puzzle Fire Horse”

The small, exquisite manufacturer Louis Moinet primarily builds mechanical specialties. For the “Puzzle Fire Horse,” a miniature painting was cut into 81 pieces, which were then reassembled after extensive finishing to create a unique surface that is barely distracting from the flying tourbillon rotating in front of a fire opal. (One-of-a-kind piece, RRP approx. €150,000)

Vacheron Constantin: “Métiers d’Art ‘Year of the Horse'”

Vacheron Constantin also shows its courage with horses in its limited edition of 25 pieces of the “Métiers d’Art ‘Year of the Horse'” in rose gold and platinum. The automatic caliber 2460 G4 clears all time displays in windows at the edge of the dial, creating space for special works of art. Here, it is a gold high relief of a horse in front of a miniature painting. (Price on request)

Arnold & Son: Perpetual Moon 41.5 Red Gold ‘Year of the Horse’

In addition to an elaborate horse sculpture, Arnold & Son’s “Perpetual Moon 41.5 Red Gold ‘Year of the Horse'” features a huge moon phase display. Not only is it extremely accurate (it only needs to be corrected every 122 years), but it also glows brightly in the dark, transforming the horse scene into a night scene. The timepiece is equipped with a manual-winding movement and is limited to eight pieces. (RRP €74,200)

Swatch: “Riding the Clouds”

Swatch, on the other hand, is targeting the mass market of horse-loving girls and boys—not only in China—with its quartz model “Riding the Clouds.” The cheerful motif, which extends across the dial and strap, was created in collaboration with artist Yu Wenjie. (RRP €100)

Luminox: “Year of the Horse”

A quartz movement is also found in Luminox’s “Year of the Horse” edition, limited to 600 pieces. A subtle horse’s head is hidden at seven o’clock. Otherwise, the watch features golden accents against a dark background and characteristics that match the motto: resilience and endurance. (RRP €575)

Oris: “Year of the Horse Limited Edition”

Oris has opted for two micro horses in its visual representation. They symbolize the extremes of the 10-day power reserve indicator of the in-house caliber 113, which offers special calendar indications: in addition to the date, it also displays the month and calendar week from the center. The dial translates the enthusiastic character of the fire horse into striking red gradients. Less poetically, the Cordovan strap reminds us that horses can also be used to make excellent leather. The 88 pieces are reminiscent of the Chinese lucky number 8. (RRP €6,650)

Blancpain: “Villeret Calendrier Chinois Traditionnel”

Finally, Blancpain offers a universal solution for the entire 60-year cycle mentioned above with its “Villeret Calendrier Chinois Traditionnel,” but is still offering 50 copies of a special model for the year 2026: with a salmon-colored enamel dial and a traditional horse motif on the white gold rotor. (RRP €87,300)