With the Lunar New Year celebrations less than a fortnight away, an air of festive anticipation can already be felt throughout Hong Kong. In a bid to amp up the atmosphere even further, renowned Swiss watchmaker Jaquet Droz has introduced four stunning limited-edition Chinese New Year watches to mark this auspicious occasion and usher in the Year of the Pig in true style.
Part of its annual series of Chinese Zodiac-inspired haute horological models, Jaquet Droz pays tribute to the incoming Pig sign with its signature dedication to handcraftsmanship. The first pair of new designs – the Petite Heure Minute Pig – are encased in red gold, with a ladies’ 35mm version boasting a diamond-set bezel and a larger unisex 39mm interpretation with no diamonds. A tribute to the art of miniature painting, both dials featuring a hand-painted Pig standing calmly amidst an abundance of wheat crops. Limited to just 28 pieces per design, its gold caseback is engraved with a similarly fetching scene.
For the second pair of limited-edition Chinese New Year watches, Jaquet Droz has opted for the more rugged Boar as its central design conceit. Available in a red gold (28 pieces) or a rarer white gold (8 pieces) case-engraving combination, both interpretations of the Petite Heure Minute Relief Pig boast an eye-catching black onyx dial atop which the Boar stands triumphant. The product of painstakingly beautiful engraving techniques, here the porcine hero stands firm before eight mighty oak trees – auspicious symbols of power and longevity – as if to salute the incoming lunar year. On the caseback lies another surprise, a relief engraving of a boar striding a midnight sky (courtesy of an onyx applique on its base), with the oscillating movement visible overhead.
With these latest Pig-inspired Chinese New Year watches, Jaquet Droz once again proves that its reputation for merging top-class watchmaking with beautiful craftsmanship is more than well deserved. Available only in very limited releases, each individual design is a more-than-fitting addition to the collection of any true haute horology enthusiast.