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Just like with many other industries — cars, movies, tech — the luxury watch industry is constantly looking for ways to make inroads with the lucrative Chinese market. As the world’s most populous country and second-largest economy, China stands as one of the world’s biggest tastemakers — especially regarding watches. More and more with each passing year, the Chinese are gobbling up luxury watches. In 2022, China led the world in luxury watch market revenue, nearly doubling the sales of the second-place United States.
So it’s no wonder that brands look for specific ways to entice Chinese customers, and there is perhaps no better or more creative way for them to do so than with annual limited-edition watches based on the Chinese New Year. A type of Lunar New Year celebration, Chinese New Year celebrates the start of the traditional Chinese calendar, with each new year aligning with one of the twelve symbols of the Chinese Zodiac. 2024 is the year of the dragon, which has inspired many watch brands to interpret the mythical creature in myriad unique and often incredible ways. Below, you’ll find our favorites.
A collaboration with Chinese artist Zinan Lam, this special edition of Longines’ best modern dress watch — limited to 888 pieces — features a striking red dial and an engraved dragon on the caseback.
Unasssuming on the dial-side with its maroon and gold combo, the draw here is found on the rear, where an intricately engraved dragon on the gold-plated rotor is visible through the sapphire caseback.
A growing annual tradition at JLC, the 2024 Chinese Zodiac Reverso features a stunning dragon hand-engraved into the back side of pink gold case against a backdrop of Grand Feu black enamel, with matching enamel on the dial side.
Specs
Case Size
45.5mm x 27.4mm
Movement
Jaeger-LeCoultre 822 manual-wind
Water Resistance
30m
Pros
An elegant everyday dress watch hiding a surprise
True craftsmanship in the engraving
Cons
Hard to not be terrified of scratching the enamel side
A dragon-themed version of one of Hamilton’s wildest watches, this blacked-out version of the most extreme Ventura model features an abstract carving of a dragon’s head in the dial.
Specs
Case Size
42.5mm x 44.6mm
Movement
Hamilton H-10-S automatic (ETA base)
Water Resistance
5om
Pros
Dragon design is only there if you go looking for it
Vacheron Constantin Métiers d’Art The Legend of the Chinese Zodiac – Year of the Dragon
Part of Vacheron’s exclusive Métiers d’Art collection, this piece in pink gold features intricate engraving and enameling on the dial. The dragon is allowed to be the focus, while the Geneva-sealed movement displays the time and date in apertures on the edges of the dial.
Specs
Case Size
40m
Movement
Vacheron Constantin 2460 G4 automatic calendar
Water Resistance
30m
Pros
Gorgeous hand-engraved solid gold dragon is front and center
Unique time display
Cons
Rare and expensive
Probably not something that will see a lot of wrist time
A continuous red, gold and blue dragon design flows throughout both the dial and strap of this Swatch, one of five different watches the affordable Swiss brand created for the Year of the Dragon.
This collaborative effort with with Chinese artist Chen Fenwan interprets her style of paper cutting through layered pieces on the dial to create a 3D image of a dragon (complete with “H” logo eyes), along with individually placed “scales” on the rubber strap.
The rubber strap of the Hublot Spirit of Big Bang Titanium Dragon contains dozens of individual, hand-mounted “dragon scale” decorations.Photo by Johnny Brayson
Chopard
Chopard
Chopard L.U.C. XP Urushi Year of the Dragon
For a more traditional interpretation of East Asian art, Chopard utilized a mix of Urushi lacquer, gold powder and mother-of-pearl inlays to create the stunning work of art on the dial. A micro-rotor movement keeps things svelte.
Baume & Mercier Riviera Chinese New Year – Dragon Edition
A red and gold theme complete with an ornate dragon dresses up the moonphase on this version of Baume & Mercier’s signature sports watch, while an additional gold-tone dragon decorates the sapphire caseback.
Specs
Case Size
43mm
Movement
Baume & Mercier Baumatic 14 automatic moonphase
Water Resistance
100m
Pros
Dragon-accented moonphase display is fun
In-house movement for an affordable price
Cons
Too big for a lot of people at 43mm
Doesn't feel that different from a standard Riviera
A hand-engraved and painted dragon slithers in and out of the dial, forever in pursuit of a pearl located at the center of a flying tourbillon. This watch is basically a Chinese fairy tale on your wrist, but one with 72 hours of power reserve and an 18k rose gold and titanium case.
Limited to 99 pieces, this Chinese New Year edition of B&R’s integrated bracelet sports watch features an all-encompassing laser engraving of a dragon across the entire case, bracelet and dial — with the lacquer-filled hour and minute hands acting as the dragon’s whiskers.
Specs
Case Size
40mm
Movement
Bell & Ross BR.CAL-321 automatic (Sellita base)
Water Resistance
100m
Pros
Cool monochromatic design
Affordable for the level of artisanship on display
Breguet seemingly spared no expense for this intricate tribute to the Year of the Dragon, which features a hand-engraved solid gold dragon clutching a mother of pearl “pearl” as it dances between two tourbillons, all within a platinum case and powered by a remarkable movement containing 738 components.
Specs
Case Size
46mm
Movement
Breguet 588 N manual-wind double tourbillon
Water Resistance
Splash-resistant
Pros
You know what's better than one tourbillon? Two tourbillons
Contains enough expert haute horlogerie techniques to fill a book
TAG Heuer’s Carrera is one of the most recognizable and timeless designs in the entire watch industry, and it’s a great platform for other forms of expression like this gold and burgundy version that honors the Year of the Dragon with subtle touches.
Specs
Case Size
42mm
Movement
Heuer 02 automatic chronograph
Water Resistance
100m
Pros
Can easily function as a daily watch
A classic design reinvented for a special occasion
Cons
Date wheel should be color-matched to the dial
Dragon decoration on the caseback looks like a sticker; it should be more elegant to match the gold case
For Chinese New Year, Blancpain didn’t go the typical route of throwing a dragon on the dial. Instead, it outfitted a Villeret dress watch with its 3638 calibre movement, which in 2012 became the first watch movement to track the traditional Chinese calendar. Blancpain makes other watches with this movement, but this special edition is the only to pair a red gold case with a green Grand Feu enamel dial (plus there’s a dragon on the gold rotor).
Specs
Case Size
45.2mm
Movement
Blancpain 3638 automatic Chinese calendar moonphase
Water Resistance
30m
Pros
The movement actually tracks the Chinese calendar
Beastly power reserve lasts a full week
Cons
The complication, while cool, isn't very useful if you can't read Chinese
Originally crafted by Parmigiani Fleurier in 2012 for the previous Year of the Dragon, this mashup of high art and high horology was painstakingly restored and reimagined for 2024. Once the base clock is wound, the dragon, carved from silver and adorned with gold, jade and other jewels, makes one revolution per hour in eternal pursuit of a jewel-encrusted pearl, which flies out of his reach six times per hour, triggering a chime each time. The objet d’art took over 5,800 hours to complete and contains nearly 1,000 components.
Longines
