Vacheron Constantin's "Year of the Horse" special-edition watches. (Vacheron Constantin)
Following its successful "Year of the Snake" edition watches from this past year's zodiac calendar, Swiss watchmaker Vacheron Constantin has introduced its new horse-themed collection for the upcoming Chinese New Year.
According to Blouin ArtInfo:
The two “Year of the Horse” models are crafted in pink gold or platinum, and are said to draw inspiration from the art of paper-cutting, or Jianzhi, first created in China. While paper-cutting works are not featured within the 40mm case, such art form is emulated with enameling and hand-engraving works on the dial.
The watches feature a leaf motif, stemming from classic Chinese iconography, with raised bamboo stalks that appear to be floating over the dial. Both features are directly engraved in the gold dial. Then a horse positioned as if ready to gallop is placed at the center of the dial.
The display of time is done through four windows showing the hour, the minutes, the day and the date respectively. According to the brand, the first two indications are of the dragging kind and the last two of the jumping type.
The company is emphasizing the watches' exclusivity and craftsmanship in a bid to attract discerning Chinese buyers. There will only be 12 available in each color, and the brand's website features a special series of images detailing the hand-crafted production process.
In addition to Vacheron Constantin, S.T. Dupont, DKNY, Shanghai Tang and Moleskine, and Rolls-Royce have introduced horse-themed Chinese New Year products.
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