Vacheron Constantin’s Year of the Horse Watch Gallops into View

The lunar calendar has long been an important focus for watch brands — particularly those with strong ties to China or the East Asian diaspora. Special product editions for the Chinese zodiac have served not just as a timely commercial opportunity, but also as a way for maisons to demonstrate cultural understanding and foster deeper connections.

With the Year of the Horse on the horizon, luxury watchmakers are releasing limited editions featuring bold equine designs. Vacheron Constantin is one such brand, continuing its Métiers d’Art: The Legend of the Chinese Zodiac series with a new timepiece — although this particular symbol has even deeper meaning for Chinese culture, notes Sandrine Donguy, the company’s product and innovation director.

“The horse…has held an important place in Chinese culture since ancient times, carrying very diverse symbolic meanings,” she says. “[It is] regarded as a symbol of strength and courage, particularly due to its role in ancient warfare, where warhorses were vital companions to soldiers, embodying determination and a fearless spirit.”

The Vacheron Constantin Year of the Horse watch has a Caliber 2460 G4 movement and a hands-free dial, with the hours, minutes, date and day visible in individual apertures. This gave the watchmaker’s artisans a larger canvas with which to work. To create the scene on the dial — a metallic horse leaping over rocks — they used several heritage crafts, including relief engraving, micro-painting and grand feu enameling. There are just 50 of these pieces available: 25 in 18-karat rose gold, and 25 in platinum.

Main image: Rose-gold edition of the Year of the Horse watch. (Vacheron Constantin)