Perhaps surprisingly for devices dedicated to the measurement of time, aside from a steady stream of anniversary editions, the watch industry doesn’t pay much attention to the big calendar events each year. The major exception to this rule is, of course, the Lunar New Year. Every year in February, Switzerland’s top brands can be relied upon to offer a lil’ something special to commemorate the beginning of the new year on the traditional lunisolar Chinese calendar. There are a few good reasons for this. For one, with roughly a quarter of the world’s population observing the holiday, that’s a lot of available wrists to court. For another, with a different animal designated for each year in the 12-year cycle, there’s plenty of room for creative interpretation. Here are our favourites for 2026, the year of the horse.
IWC Portugieser Automatic 42 Year of the Horse
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Limited to 500 pieces, this version of IWC’s famous mariner’s watch features a slim stainless steel case, a box-shaped sapphire crystal, and a burgundy dial with gold hands and hour markers. Its red and gold colour scheme — the typical colours of Lunar New Year — is on the subtle side, but the reverse of the watch pays more specific homage to the occasion with a rotor carved to resemble a galloping horse. ($20,000)
Blancpain Villeret Calendrier Chinois Traditionnel – Year of the Horse 2026
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This Swiss brand is best known for its pioneering diver’s watch, the Fifty Fathoms, but it has a long and storied history of calendar watches, too. This one adds several layers of complexity to one of their most rarefied designs thanks to a platinum case, a salmon-rose Grand Feu enamel dial — the first of its kind at Blancpain — and a traditional Chinese calendar display. ($117,400)
Bulova Super Seville Year of the Horse
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On the more affordable end of the spectrum, Bulova has customized its 1970s-inspired Super Seville with a gold-tone case and a red dial depicting a prancing stallion in a limited edition of 888 pieces (an auspicious number in Chinese culture). ($1,295)
Hublot Spirit of Big Bang Year of the Horse
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A reliable bet for one of the more creative takes on the form, Hublot doesn’t disappoint with this year’s entry. Limited to 88 pieces, its centrepiece is a dial made from hand-laid carbon marquetry with 3N gold-plated brass appliqués forming a horse motif. The case is also made from the brand’s signature matte “frosted” carbon. ($49,000)
Longines Master Collection Moonphase Year of the Horse Edition
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Another subdued option is this handsome vintage-inspired calendar watch with a red gradient dial. In addition to a rotor engraved with the profile of a galloping horse, the moon phase complication is particularly appropriate for a Lunar New Year watch. ($4,100)
Vacheron Constantin Métiers d’Art The Legend of the Chinese Zodiac
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The world’s oldest watchmaker is marking the holiday in typically over-the-top form with the introduction of two 25-piece limited editions in 950 platinum or 18K 5N pink gold. Distinguished by an image of a horse created by relief engraving, micro-painting, and grand feu enamelling, both feature “trailing” hours and minutes, plus jumping day of the week and date displays visible through apertures in the dial. (PRICE ON REQUEST)
