What time is it?

The season of celebration continues as we enter 2026, with the Lunar New Year only a month away. Naturally, festive fashion and celebratory dining offer choices galore. And now, the world of watches gives us even more reason to saddle up and gallop into the Year of the Horse with the most stylish of accessories.

From wild mane-inspired designs to pieces embodying the fearless spirit of the horse, here are timepieces that give free rein to artistry.

Images: Respective brands.

The Mane Event

 

Twenty limited edition white-gold watches marry Patek Philippe‘s minute repeater with India’s Chunar horse tradition. Here, hand-engraving defines every surface. Observe the applied equine ornament, the mane-patterned bezel, found even on the buckle. 

Elsewhere, a gradated varnish coats the granulated dial. Then, the calibre R 27 movement chimes on cathedral gongs visible through sapphire crystal. With its chocolate strap and dauphine hands, this limited edition masterpiece represents horology meeting heritage.

For more from Patek Philippe, visit here.

Annual Tradition

 

True to form, Vacheron Constantin releases its annual Métiers d’Art homage to the Chinese zodiac, this time in honour of the Year of the Horse. A mark of genuine artistry, the 40mm timepiece features a three-dimensional gold horse leaping over a bed of rock across hand-enamelled foliage. Impressively, sculpting and colouring the horse and rock alone required three days of meticulous work. 

Likewise, grand feu enamel provides the backdrop, fired repeatedly at 800°C to achieve its graduated tones. Uniquely, powered by the hands-free Calibre 2460 G4, the watch displays time through peripheral apertures. Thus, the dial is left uncluttered for decorative work. A thing of beauty made available in pink gold or platinum, limited to only 25 pieces each.

Learn more about this exceptional timepiece here.

Some Burgundy, Perhaps?

 

IWC Schaffhausen welcomes the Year of the Horse with characteristic precision. Behold, the Portugieser Automatic 42, limited to 500 pieces, arriving in stainless steel with a burgundy dial. The real charm? A gold-plated rotor shaped like a galloping horse, visible through the sapphire case back.

Moreover, this watch is powered by the manufacture 52011 calibre with a seven-day power reserve. Better still, the model comes with both black and burgundy alligator straps for versatility. In other words, this is a watch that bridges Swiss craftsmanship with Eastern symbolism in true sophistication.

For more on this watch, go here.

Ruby Seduction

 

Bvlgari’s Serpenti Seduttori Automatic arrives for Lunar New Year as a limited edition that captures the season’s spirited energy. Consequently, Its ruby-red guilloché dial evokes the Horse’s forward motion through carefully crafted shimmer, whilst the precision of Bvlgari’s in-house automatic movement—a mere 3.90mm in thickness—demonstrates quiet mastery. 

Furthermore, this timepiece balances festive colour with Serpenti’s signature aesthetic, creating something that transcends seasonal novelty. Indeed, it’s a piece designed for celebration and longevity in equal measure.
For more from the Bvlgari Serpenti Seduttori line the here.

Celestial Mechanics

 

Blancpain celebrates the Year of the Fire Horse with a salmon-rose enamel dial that breaks new ground for the Manufacture. Furthermore, calibre 3638’s 464 components orchestrate Chinese double hours, leap months and moonphases within a 45.2mm platinum case.

The hand-engraved rotor, meanwhile, captures the legendary Tianma in mid-gallop. Limited to 50 pieces, this fifteenth interpretation of the Chinese calendar demonstrates why certain complications remain the preserve of very few.
For more from Blancpain, visit here.

LUNAR ARTISTRY

 

For 2026’s Year of the Horse, Arnold & Son crafts a nocturnal tableau in 41.5mm red gold. Visually, a hand-engraved stallion rears against black aventurine skies, trailing hand-painted golden sparks that ignite with Super-LumiNova at dusk. 

In addition, the dial’s mother-of-pearl moon bears constellations. Meanwhile, the manual A&S1512 calibre beneath tracks lunar phases with extraordinary accuracy. Limited to eight pieces only, each watch is a study in miniature painting, three-dimensional engraving and astronomical complication. Undoubtedly, Swiss watchmaking meets zodiac mystique at its finest.
For more from Arnold & Son, visit here.

Golden Gallop

 

Like a page from a fairy tale book, Dior’s Grand Soir celebrates the Lunar New Year with a rose-gold horse. In essence, the creature picks its way through a mother-of-pearl meadow, complete with pink gold butterflies for company.

At its heart, the watch captures Chinese New Year symbolism without the usual fanfare. Limited to 30 pieces, this is horology as miniature landscape, launching in China mid-December before trotting worldwide this January.

Visit here to learn more.

Eastern Grace

 

Trust Jaeger-LeCoultre to bridge cultures through horsepower. Fundamentally, this Reverso Tribute Enamel collection honours Xu Beihong, the father of modern Chinese painting, with three limited timepieces (ten each) featuring his iconic horses on the caseback. 

Thus, the 1931 polo watch gets an artistic update. Here, miniature enamel paintings requiring 80 painstaking hours meet jewel-toned dials in symbolic Chinese hues. Running Horse, Two Horses, Standing Horse. Each manually wound, each in white gold, each a rather compelling argument for wearing art on your wrist.
For more from jaeger-LeCoultre, visit here.

Out of the Shadow

 

Breitling’s Top Time B01 Shadow Rider arrives as a limited edition of 288 pieces, marking the Lunar Year of the Horse with deliberate precision. Inside, the 38mm cushion-shaped case houses the brand’s Manufacture Caliber 01, whilst the dial features a striking shadow rider silhouette at 9 o’clock.

Additionally, the beige perforated calfskin strap evokes vintage driving gloves, and the 1960s-inspired “squircle” chronograph subdials confirm this timepiece as a considered choice for those who value an updated take on heritage.
Visit here to explore more from Breitling.

Equine Elegance

 

Swiss enameller Anita Porchet elevates Piaget’s Altiplano Zodiac Horse Edition with cloisonné artistry. Furthermore, the 41mm white gold case houses the 830P calibre, measuring just 2.5mm. Subsequently, hand-engraving and grand feu enamel create a three-dimensional equine form across the dial. In addition, baguette-cut diamonds punctuate the bezel, whilst palace-style décor references the maison’s 1960s heritage in this 18-piece edition.
To discover more of Piaget’s Altiplano collection, click here. 

Time for Fortune

 

The Black Bay 58’s new burgundy iteration celebrates auspicious beginnings this Lunar New Year. Drawing inspiration from an unrealised TUDOR Submariner design, the watch features a rich burgundy dial and coordinating bezel that evoke prosperity. 

Additionally, the watch carries METAS Master Chronometer certification, ensuring exceptional precision and reliability. Fitted on a five-link stainless steel bracelet with the intuitive T-fit clasp, this 39mm timepiece offers both symbolic resonance and technical excellence. Furthermore, its 200-metre water resistance makes it remarkably versatile for everyday wear.

Explore more Black Bay 58 models here.

Fire Horse Rising

 

The Chinese Fire Horse arrives once every sixty years, and Louis Moinet marks the occasion with precision. Therefore, their Tourbillon Puzzle features 81 individually painted fragments that reveal a spirited stallion in motion. Additionally, the 40-millimetre red gold case cradles a flying tourbillon movement with impressive 96-hour autonomy.

Meanwhile, a fire opal positioned behind the tourbillon cage honours the element itself. This unique creation exemplifies how haute horlogerie interprets astrological symbolism through exquisite micro-painting and technical mastery.
Dive deeper into the Louis Moinet Tourbillon Puzzle Fire Horse watch here.

Painterly Strokes

 

Talk about artistic excellence. Longines marks the Year of the Horse with a Master Collection edition that pairs Swiss watchmaking with Chinese artistry. Naturally, the 42mm timepiece features a gradient red dial and moonphase complication. Whereas the gilt rotor bears an engraving from Peon Xu’s celebrated painting “Galloping Horse”, courtesy of the Peon Art Museum.

With calligraphy by the artist’s son, Qingping Xu, and the L899.5 self-winding movement beneath, the watch is a considered fusion of Eastern symbolism and mechanical prowess. Limited to 2,026 pieces worldwide.
Visit here for more info.

The Legend of Qianlima

 

G-SHOCK‘s Year of the Horse edition arrives with serious confidence. The GBM-2100CX-9A features a gold-ion-plated bezel engraved with flowing mane details. Furthermore, red accents honour the mythical Qianlima, the fabled steed said to traverse 500 kilometres in a single day.
Of course, beyond its lustrous exterior lies Smartphone Link functionality and Tough Solar technology, all within the series’ characteristically slim profile. This special edition launches on Casio’s official website from 12 January 2026.
For more info, visit here.

Cloud Prancers

For the Year of the Fire Horse, Swatch taps artist Yu Wenjie to create Riding The Clouds. Where two horses surge across the dial in black and white, wings ablaze, set against crimson clouds and flames.

Visually, the design balances traditional Chinese symbolism with contemporary energy. Above all, this is a watch for those who appreciate both cultural heritage and forward momentum.
Shop for this watch here.

Last updated January 19th, 2026. Please check back regularly for updates to this article as more watches are released in the coming month.
Looking for some festive fashion to go with your chosen timepiece? Visit here to explore CNY collections from some of your favourite Malaysian designers.