Chinese New Year 2026: The luxury watches paying tribute to the Year of the Horse

From 17 February 2026, the world will officially enter the Year of the Fire Horse as celebrations begin to mark the Chinese New Year. Each year, these festivities mark the transition between the Chinese zodiac signs, with celebrations lasting for up to 16 days, culminating in the Lantern Festival (in 2026, it will fall on 3 March).

This auspicious elemental zodiac sign signifies freedom, independence, energy, endurance, success and ambition; a year reserved for movement, growth and momentum. Unlike last year, which focused on introspection, the Fire Horse is all about progress, the rise of new opportunities and the courage to move forward and pursue new goals in life with confidence. In Chinese culture, the horse is also considered lucky – admired for its strength, spirit and sociable nature. Because of this, it is believed that the Year of the Horse brings opportunities for growth, exploration and positive change.

To mark this momentous occasion, many luxury horology brands have released special, limited-edition watches that pay tribute to the Year of the Horse. Here, we take a look at five special designs that capture the spirit of the Chinese New Year.Portugieser Automatic 42 Year of the Horse, IWC Schaffhausen

IWC Schaffhausen has unveiled its limited-edition version of the Portugieser Automatic 42 to welcome the Year of the Horse. The Portugieser Automatic 42 Year of the Horse features a stainless-steel case with a 42mm diameter. The case construction has a slender side profile and box-shaped sapphire crystals on the front and back. The burgundy dial, inspired by the auspicious red tones widely used in Lunar New Year celebrations, features the characteristic Portugieser design. Inside the case, the IWC-manufactured 52011 calibre is at work while, visible through the sapphire glass case back, the gold-plated rotor is crafted in the shape of a galloping horse to pay tribute to the Lunar New Year. The watch comes in a black alligator leather strap and an additional burgundy alligator leather strap. Both straps can be fitted with the stainless-steel folding clasp that is delivered with the watch.Reverso Tribute Enamel ‘Horse’, Jaeger-LeCoultre

Jaeger-LeCoultre always has an exciting release up its sleeve come Chinese New Year – and the limited-edition Reverso Tribute Enamel ‘Horse’ is no exception. Limited to just 10 pieces, the watch is the fourth in a series paying homage to the Chinese Zodiac, following the Years of the Tiger, Dragon and Snake. Turning the watch case to its reverse side reveals a majestic hand-engraved horse whose head and forelegs seem to leap out from golden clouds suspended in the sky. Surrounding it, the opaque black Grand Feu enamel complements the shine of the horse’s polished surfaces, while contrasting details on the mane, muzzle and hooves – hand-drawn with black rhodium – add a lifelike appearance to the horse. A sand-blasted texture on the clouds enhances the illusion of movement. The dial features the same glossy black Grand Feu enamel as the case back, and the watch runs on the Calibre 822 movement. The timepiece comes with a black alligator strap with interchangeable folding buckles.Altiplano Zodiac Horse Edition, Piaget

Piaget is the epitome of sophistication when it comes to watchmaking, celebrating the Chinese Zodiac with a limited edition Altiplano Zodiac Horse Edition watch. Limited to just 18 pieces, this timepiece is set with 18 baguette-cut diamonds. At its core lies the ultra-slim Calibre 830P. The 41mm Altiplano case is encircled by baguette-cut diamonds, with the lugs accented by additional brilliant-cut stones and a rose-cut diamond crowns the winding stem. Rising above this landscape is a three-dimensional horse captured mid-leap, sculpted in cloisonné enamel. In shades of blue to white, the tension of the muscles and the reflections of the coat, the horse comes alive, making this watch a true horological marvel. The Legend of the Chinese Zodiac – Year of the Horse, Vacheron Constantin

Vacheron Constantin has long paid tribute to Chinese culture through its Métiers d’Art The Legend of the Chinese Zodiac collection. This year, the brand has introduced two 25-piece limited edition watches dedicated to the Year of the Horse. Set in a 40mm case, both timepieces are powered by the brand’s calibre 2460 G4, with dials that feature intricate relief engraving, micro-painting and grand feu enamelling, available in a 950 platinum or 18K 4N pink gold case. The dials are dominated by the three-dimensional figure of a horse leaping over a large rock and set against a delicately painted enamel background. The use of relief engraving creates visual depth and enhances the impression of dynamic movement. The horse and rock are sculpted from 18K white or pink gold. The pink gold expression is completed by a brown alligator leather strap, while the platinum is complemented by a blue alligator strap.Dior Grand Soir CNY Horse, Dior

Limited to just 30 pieces, the Dior Grand Soir CNY Horse features a 36mm stainless steel case with pink gold bezel set with 52 brilliant-cut diamonds. It has a milky translucent sapphire crystal case-back with pink gold metallisation. The dial is mother-of-pearl, printed with a floral pattern of mother-of-pearl bushes and flowers set with amethysts, spessartites and yellow and blue sapphires. There are also horses, butterflies and flowers in pink gold on the dial, bringing a beautiful and serene scene to life. The hour and minute hands are in pink gold, with the Christian Dior logo featured in the same colour. The watch is powered by the Sellita SW300 calibre movement and comes with a beige satin strap with a steel ardillon buckle set with 18 brilliant-cut diamonds.

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