8 Year Of The Dragon Watches For Lunar New Year 2024
Roar into the new year with the spirit of the dragon.
The mighty Dragon is the most popular zodiac as it is believed to bring the most fortune, especially because the animal is revered as a symbol of strength, power and boundless success. In celebration of the Lunar New Year, several maisons have unveiled special Year of the Dragon watches to honour the auspicious creature. Keep scrolling to see the eight watches that made our list.
VACHERON CONSTANTIN’S LES CABINOTIERS GRISAILLE HIGH JEWELLERY – DRAGON
This year, we will be ushering in the Wood Dragon. The element adds stability, growth and harmony into the mix but what exactly does that have to do with watches? Well, this might be the sign to embrace this forest green Les Cabinotiers and all its splendour from the impeccable Grisaille dial, which consists of layers of enamel that were fired in a kiln to achieve the depth of the dragon artwork, to the glimmering diamonds that adorn the bezel, middle, lugs and crown.
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PIAGET’S ALTIPLANO DRAGON ZODIAC WATCHES
Working closely with enamel master Anita Porchet, the maison introduces a new fleet of dragon and phoenix watches for Chinese New Year that feature exceptional métiers d’art dials. Within the collection lies two Piaget Altiplano references that depict dragons; the 38mm version boasts a gorgeous blue cloisonné enamel dragon among white and grey mother-of-pearl clouds while the 41mm high jewellery watch showcases a gold-engraved dragon grasping an opal fireball against Porchet’s fine paillonné enamelwork resembling fireworks.
CHOPARD’S L.U.C XP URUSHI YEAR OF THE DRAGON
This year marks the twelvth anniversary of the Chopard Urushi timepieces, which are always extravagant works of art. Tapping on the skills of a Japanese master lacquerer once again, the 2024 dragon watch edition—limited to only 88 pieces—sees a moody and elegant black dial decorated with Urushi lacquer, gold powder and mother-of-pearl inlays to bring a red and yellow dragon to life that is soaring in the sky.
HUBLOT’S SPIRIT OF BIG BANG TITANIUM DRAGON
Inspired by the traditional Chinese art form of paper cutting, this Spirit of Big Bang watch forms a three-dimensional silhouette of a bold eastern dragon by layering its hands, wheels and H-shaped screws within the rectangular titanium case. The dragon extends out onto the rubber strap featuring a marquetry motif—a first for the brand—with each scale coloured and integrated into the base of the strap.
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IWC SCHAFFHAUSEN’S PORTUGIESER CHRONOGRAPH WITH A BURGUNDY DIAL
This 41mm stainless steel watch sports a vibrant burgundy hue on the dial that matches the rubber strap, which exudes that classic notion of welcoming longevity and luck. But that’s not all. The transparent sapphire caseback reveals the movement with a gold-plated rotor that takes the form of a majestic dragon.
JAEGER-LECOULTRE’S REVERSO TRIBUTE ENAMEL ‘DRAGON’
Taking a more subtle approach, the manufacture presents a new Reverso for Chinese New Year that reveals a golden dragon when the watch is flipped to its reverse side. Engraved into a pink gold case, it took over 80 hours of work to achieve the details, volume and depth of the mythical creature while maintaining the pristine glossy black Grand Feu enamel background. The dragon with scales highlighted with black rhodium appears to be leaping out of the watch due to the contrast of the sandblasted-textured clouds that catch and refract light.
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ARNOLD & SON’S LUNA MAGNA RED GOLD “YEAR OF THE DRAGON”
Arnold & Son combines fine watchmaking, miniature sculpture and gemstone craftsmanship to create two magnificent watches that feature a 3D red gold dragon circling a large moon also in red gold and pietersite or onyx. This moon holds double meaning—the cycles directing the Chinese calendar and, based on legends, the pearl of wisdom that is inseparable from the dragon.
ULYSSE NARDIN’S BLAST TOURBILLON DRAGON
Coming in with a huge wrist presence at 45mm, this Lunar New Year reference embodies the superb in-house innovations and métier d’art techniques of Ulysse Nardin. The unique dial with a 3D dragon sliding between the hands, the gear trains and the X structure took two years to develop, which was also necessary as bespoke adjustments had to be made to the design of the case, bezel and glass-box crystal to accommodate the artwork.