15 watch brands celebrating the Year of the Snake 2025

Borna Bošnjak

In a never-ending calendar of new commercialised occasions to celebrate, the end of January always brings about a slew of releases. The upcoming LVMH Watch Week contributes a fair chunk, but there’s also Lunar New Year, guaranteeing numerous watches incorporating the theme’s of that year’s zodiac sign. For 2025, Lunar New Year falls on the 29th of January, and marks the beginning of the Year of the Snake taking over from the Dragon, with wood being the celebrated element. And to mark the occasion, here are some of the watches celebrating Lunar New Year 2025.

Arnold & Son Perpetual Moon 41.5 Red Gold Year of the Snake

Arnold & Son pretty much have the perfect canvas for a Lunar New Year watch. The Perpetual Moon sports a huge precision moonphase dominating most of the dial, with the lower portion used for a lumed representation of a hand-engraved snake set against an aventurine glass dial. The Moons themselves are in lumed mother-of-pearl, while the eight-piece limited editions are all cased in red gold. Price: CHF 57,200 (~U$63,700)

Baume & Mercier Riviera Chinese New Year Snake Edition

For one of the more creative takes on a Year of the Snake tribute piece, look at B&M’s Riviera. Its wave dial is interrupted by a slithering snake, almost making it appear as if it’s a sea serpent of some sorts, extending its influence onto the wiggly seconds hand. The 39mm case is in steel and titanium, with gilded elements between the bezel and case matched by those on the dial. Price: CHF 4,500 (~US$5,000)

Blancpain Villeret Calendrier Chinois Traditionnel 2025

While still uncommon, these days, a perpetual calendar is not the most innovative complication in the world. As a result, a select few watchmakers have attempted more complex calendar complications, and among those, the Lunar calendar reigns supreme (with only one watchmaker ever making a perpetual variant). Blancpain was among the first to do this, and the latest iteration comes in the form of a hulking 45.2mm x 15.1mm platinum case and green grand feu enamel dial, with correctors hidden behind the lugs in signature Blancpain style. The only giveaway of this being a Year of the Snake LE is a serpent engraving on the solid gold winding rotor. Price: US$87,800

Breguet Classique 7145 Lunar New Year 2025

Rather than going all-out with some insane complication like their Year of the Dragon watch, Breguet is dedicating the Year of the Snake to its artisanal savoir-faire. The solid gold dial of the two-handed Classique 7145 has been hand-engraved with a snake motif set against tones of jade, and amazing hand-guilloché for the snake’s scales and background. The eight-piece limited edition sports a rose gold case that’s just 6.5mm in height despite having an automatic movement, thanks to an off-centre winding rotor decorated with rose engine engravings. Price: CHF 69,000 (~US$76,000)

Casio G-Shock G-Steel GSTB400CX

Though its design inspired by that of the Ouroboros, the self-devouring serpent, the G-Steel Year of the Snake G-Shock could easily pass as just another, regular variant. From the front, the angular G-Steel case is accented by gold pushers and dial elements, while the integrated rubber strap gets a vaguely snake-like texture. The only giveaway is the caseback, emblazoned by an engraving of Ouroboros, but this isn’t just a new colour refresh. In fact, the GST-B400 sports a new, thinner module allowing it to be the slimmest G-Steel piece yet. Mind you, this is a G-Shock we’re talking about, but 12.9mm is really not too bad all things considered. Price: US$380

Dior Grand Soir Year of the Snake

The Grand Soir is one of the smaller, and definitely one of the more ornate pieces on this list. The pink gold bezel is set with 52 diamonds, while the mother-of-pearl dial sports a Toile de Jouy-like pattern beneath cherry blossoms and golden flowers, through which slithers a pink gold snake. The movement is obscured by a semi-opaque crystal, though its bridge layout seems to indicate a Sellita SW300. Price: US$44,000

Franck Muller Silhouette CX Snake

The Silhouette case takes Franck Muller’s signature tonneau design, and distorts it ever so slightly along either shoulder – perfect for a snake-inspired watch, if you ask me. With the Silhouette CX Snake, the serpent is portrayed more symbolically, beginning at the crown, it winds through the emerald-set dial into the patterned strap, and twists around the wearer’s wrist, ending in a tail coming from the other end of the strap. Price: SG$66,000 (~US$48,500)

Hublot Spirit of Big Bang Year of the Snake

The Spirit of Big Bang seems to be brand’s chosen canvas for its Lunar New Year limited editions, though this year’s is distinctly different, with dark, moody tones taking over from the happy dragon. With a monochrome snakeskin pattern around the bezel and on the strap, the centrepiece of the design is a gold-plated serpent snaking its way around the chronograph sub-dials and aligning with the 12 o’clock index. Price: US$35,100

IWC Portofino Automatic Moon Phase 37 Year of the Snake

Launched in August of 2024 at Watches & Wonders Shanghai, this Portofino keeps its Lunar New Year tribute reserved for the caseback, with a snake-shaped winding rotor in gold. There’s still plenty to look at from the front, though, with a burgundy red dial adorned by gold hands and indices, with a small moonphase nestling in at the 12 o’clock. Price: US$9,700

Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Enamel Snake

Now that most Reverso wearers no longer need the caseback of their watch to protect from potential polo strikes, JLC’s artisans can apply their skills in a new way. We’ve seen Art Deco engravings and Hokusai renditions, but for the Year of the Snake, the Reverso Tribute gets a seemingly simple enamel engraving of a snake. For starters, the motif is hand-engraved only after grand feu enamel is already baked in, with the fine lines further painted in black rhodium. Price: US$107,000

Longines Conquest Heritage Year of the Snake

With a red-to-black gradient dial and golden indices, the Conquest Heritage Year of the Snake easily passes as a flashier dress watch, but it’s the caseback engraving that reveals its true intentions. The curled up snake is surrounded by commemorative text indicating that this is one of 2025 pieces, the caseback hiding the ETA A31-based L888 calibre. Price: US$3,150

Oris ProPilot X Year of the Snake Limited Edition

If 2025 was the Year of the Pig, Oris’ new Miss Piggy watch would be absolutely perfect. But alas, we’ll have to wait for 2031 for the next one. Instead, Oris opted for the ProPilot’s bigger brother, the 10-day power reserve-equipped ProPilot X. You might’ve expected this piece to be red, but Oris actually also tribute the element of the new year, which in this case is wood, represented by a cyan colour. It’s a cool way of avoiding riffing on the same theme, and a watch that quite easily stands on its own as a non-commemorative release, though it is limited to 88 pieces. Price: US$9,100

Raymond Weil Millesime Infinite Burgundy Year of the Snake

For another less thematic take on a Year of the Snake release, Raymond Weil merely took the red colour synonymous with the celebrations, and used it for its excellent Millesime. Fitted to a red leather strap, it’s still the same 39mm case and 9.25mm thickness that made the original watch so attractive, with the only indication of it being a LNY special edition is the limited edition number of 88 pieces, like the Oris – the luckiest number in Chinese culture, usually associated with wealth and good fortune. Price: US$1,650

Swatch Year of the Snake Collection

For the most affordable (and often most colourful) way to get a Lunar New Year watch on your wrist, look no further than Swatch. The Year of the Snake duo comprises of a Big Bold and Skin Irony model, both depicting a more conceptual snake theme, with one slithering across a bamboo-covered strap and dial. If you’re after something more overt or to match with your kid, I’m personally a big fan of this year’s Flik Flak, with an expectedly adorable snake slithering out of a red pocket envelope. Price: US$45 (Flik Flak Year of the Snake), US$130 (Big Bold Blue and Golden Lithe Dancer), US$195 (Skin Irony Golden Red Bamboo)

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

We end with a watch that actually released midway through 2024, but if you’re familiar with Vacheron Constantin’s modus operandi, that will come as no surprise. The Métiers d’Art Year of the Snake comes as a duo of 25-piece editions in pink gold and platinum, complete with hand-engraved and painted grand feu enamel dials. It’s also a continuation of Vacheron Constantin’s presence in the Chinese market, one which it established in the mid-19th century with intricately designed jewellery-oriented timepieces. Price: on request