Once again, to the delight of collectors, Vacheron Constantin is celebrating Chinese New Year. The watchmaker is offering two artistic limited editions of its Métiers d’Art La Légende du Zodiac watch. This mechanical marvel has no hands, since it is powered by the in-house 2460 G4 calibre. It features automatic winding and a unique hours, minutes, day and date display via four discs visible through apertures around the edge of the dial. The design provides a vast creative canvas where watchmakers can give free rein to their imagination.
Each year, the dial centre showcases the Chinese zodiac’s animal of the year. Looking back at the past five years of this dream menagerie, we’ve seen an ox in 2021, a tiger in 2022, a rabbit in 2023 and a dragon this year. For 2025, when the Chinese New Year falls on 29 January, a snake will take centre stage.
The snake, the sixth sign of the Chinese zodiac, symbolises wisdom and is associated with renewal and agility. It’s also believed to bring good luck and prosperity. Vacheron Constantin’s skilled engravers and enamellers have brought this creature to life in the form of a cobra. The snake and the rock it rests upon are carved from gold, a process that required three days of meticulous work to achieve their exceptional texture.
A master enameller was entrusted with the decoration, employing two different techniques. The dial background features graduated Grand Feu enamel, while the flora are created using an ancestral Genevan technique: miniature opaque enamel under flux.
To create this intricate decoration, the master enameller applied enamel powder in the chosen colour to the dial’s surface using an extremely fine brush. Each application of colour required firing in a kiln at temperatures between 820°C and 850°C. This process was repeated numerous times to achieve all the shades required to create this breathtaking scene.
The snake-themed watch is available in two new limited series of the Métiers d’Art La Légende du Zodiac, each comprising 25 pieces: one in rose gold and the other in platinum. This release is sure to delight collectors, some of whom acquire a new edition each year, gradually transforming their watch boxes into a veritable menagerie.
Over the past five years, five creatures have graced these Chinese New Year celebrations, each requiring masterful engraving and enamelling. From 29 January next year, the snake will join the ox, tiger, rabbit and dragon in this magnificent, growing collection. Vacheron Constantin’s artisans are already at work on the 2026 edition, which will feature the horse – another powerful symbol, representing strength, energy and an indomitable spirit. We can’t wait for the next chapter.
