Serpentine Sophistication: Timepieces for the Year of the Snake
Some fear snakes, while others are fascinated by these sleek reptiles. And the watch industry? It delves into the rich mythology and symbolism, honoring the newly commenced Chinese Year of the Snake with thematic editions.
By Marianne Eschbach
In China, the most significant festival is celebrated between late January and mid-February, concluding after approximately two weeks with the Lantern Festival. The dates vary each year by a few days according to the lunar cycle. In 2025, we entered the Year of the Snake on January 29th, according to the Chinese lunar calendar. It will end on 16 February 2026.
There are twelve Chinese zodiac signs, each governing for a year, making such an event occur only every twelve years. In contrast to Western astrology, where the zodiac signs change monthly. The Chinese element cycle—earth, fire, water, metal, and currently wood—lasts even longer, with each element reigning for 12 years.
The Snake and the Wood
Accordingly, it takes 60 years for a zodiac-element combination to recur. The last Year of the Snake was in 2013, and the last Year of the Wood Snake was in 1965.
In many cultures, snakes are attributed with symbolic powers. In the Chinese zodiac, snakes are a symbol of intelligence, courage, and wisdom. They assume an observant position and are reserved.
Charming, Charismatic, Intuitive
People born in the Year of the Snake are considered charming, charismatic, and intuitive. As the snake is associated with wisdom and agility, snake people are also regarded as excellent problem solvers with strong analytical skills. However, those born under the snake sign can also be ruthless and cunning. The snake also brings luck, fertility, and renewal. Its regular shedding makes it a symbol of change and rebirth.
The element wood represents growth, energy, departure, flexibility, and development in Chinese philosophy. Wood snakes are considered open, cooperative, consistent, principled, and tasteful. The forecast for the Year of the Wood Snake 2025 thus sees opportunities for change, growth, and creativity, which, combined with hard work and preparation, lead to significant successes to resolve conflicts and embark on new paths.
New Year and Spring Festival
As in our culture, people in China and other Asian countries exchange gifts during major holidays. In China, red envelopes containing money are most popular, allowing recipients to fulfill their own wishes. The envelope is red because red stands for luck, joy, strength, prosperity, and success. According to legend, red and gold are also colors that protect against evil.
The Chinese New Year, also called the Spring Festival, is primarily a family celebration. It is the time of year in China when the working population can take vacations. To make this possible, people work through the weekends before and after.
Economic Factor
On the big day, a massive travel wave begins in the Middle Kingdom. It is expected that this year, 500 million train tickets and 90 million flight tickets will be purchased to visit family.
Not to mention the countless car kilometers that Chinese people cover to travel from their place of residence and work to their hometown in the vast country. A journey can easily take 20 hours or more.
Lavishly Decorated Models
An estimate anticipates an unimaginable nine billion individual travel movements this year. With travel, family meals, and gifts, the New Year festival in the country with 1.5 billion people represents an enormous economic factor. The Swiss watch industry has been producing timepieces for the Chinese market since the 19th century.
The Chinese emperors particularly loved lavishly decorated models. The special watch editions launched in recent years for the Chinese New Year, featuring the respective current zodiac sign, vaguely recall this, but are probably more an expression of contemporary watchmaking business acumen.
1. Hidden Snake
The snake is discreetly hidden in the form of the oscillating weight on the back of the watch. Like a tattoo known only to the wearer, its golden color and the burgundy of the dial and strap protect against evil, according to a Chinese legend.
IWC Schaffhausen «Portofino Automatic Moon Phase» (37 mm), stainless steel, in-house automatic caliber, snake-shaped rotor, burgundy dial, interchangeable calfskin strap, 8,600 Swiss francs ($9500). (Image: Courtesy)
2. Lang Lang's Choice
Since 2016, Hublot has celebrated each Chinese New Year with an artfully designed special edition of the «Spirit of Big Bang»; this year in collaboration with star pianist Lang Lang. While the snake is only hinted at on the case and strap through the scale pattern structure, it winds as an artful mini-sculpture around the chronograph counters on the dial.
Hublot «Spirit of Big Bang Year of the Snake» (42 mm), microblasted and polished black ceramic, in-house automatic chronograph movement with silicon escapement wheel, rubber strap with snakeskin texture, 31,900 francs. (Image: Courtesy)
3. Hand Engraving on Enamel
Soon after the launch of the «Reverso» in 1931, it became clear that the back of its protective reversible case was ideal as a "canvas" for artistic expression. Countless motifs and engravings have since adorned the iconic watch model. The snake is only the third Chinese zodiac sign to be featured on it.
Jaeger-LeCoultre «Reverso Tribute Enamel Snake» (45.5 mm x 27.4 mm), rose gold, hand-wound mechanical movement, enamel dial with hand-engraved snake motif, available on order, price on request. (Image: Courtesy)
4. Watchmaking Art and Astronomy
Blancpain made history in 2012 with the introduction of the world’s first wristwatch featuring a traditional Chinese calendar. The timepiece combines an intricate Chinese calendar with the Gregorian date and moon phases. The twelve zodiac animals—including the snake for 2025—appear in a window at 12 o’clock. A natural ruby and an engraving of the Chinese characters for "Snake" and "Wood" accompany the zodiac sign.
Blancpain «Villeret Calendrier Chinois Traditionnel 2025» (45.2 mm), platinum, automatic mechanical movement, new edition of the first full-calendar moon phase wristwatch with an integrated traditional Chinese calendar, green Grand Feu enamel dial, 81,000 francs. (Image: Courtesy)
5. Wise Snake
Just as bamboo bends in the wind without breaking, and the snake effortlessly traverses any terrain, the design of this watch serves as a reminder that we can only grow if we remain flexible and adapt to every situation.
Swatch «Big Bold Biosourced Blue and Golden Lithe Dancer» (47 mm), bio-based material, quartz movement, date window, silicone strap, 120 francs. (Image: Courtesy)
