Breguet Celebrates the Year of the Wood Snake with the Limited Classique 7145 Lunar New Year

The Chinese New Year, or Spring Festival, begins with the new moon on January 29, 2025, marking the start of the Year of the Wood Snake. It follows the Year of the Wood Dragon and will end on February 16, 2026. The Chinese New Year is celebrated not only in China but across many countries in East and Southeast Asia. It is one of the most important holidays of the year, with hundreds of millions of people traveling to spend time with their families. Unlike the Gregorian calendar used in the Western world, the Chinese calendar is based on the lunisolar system, combining both solar and lunar cycles.

This calendar system follows a 60-year cycle, consisting of ten so-called Heavenly Stems (the five elements: Earth, Water, Fire, Wood, and Metal/Gold) and twelve Earthly Branches, each associated with an animal sign. The combination of the Wood element and the Snake sign promises a year of wisdom and sustainable growth. It invites individuals to carefully consider developments and tread new paths with mindfulness.

A select group of watch manufacturers marks the Year of the Snake with special editions that pay homage to the reptile through imaginative designs and expressive colors. These timepieces often incorporate rare artisanal techniques to honor the cultural richness and symbolism of the Chinese zodiac. Highly limited in number, these miniature works of art are highly coveted in the collectors' world, as they not only express the aesthetic aspect of timekeeping but also establish an emotional connection by telling a story.

So does Breguet's Classique 7145 Lunar New Year, a limited edition of only eight pieces, crafted in rose gold, combining two of the masterful skills the Maison is renowned for: guilloché and engraving. "Happy New Year" ("Xinnian Kuaile") is the festive greeting, and this timepiece is a beautiful tradition in fine watchmaking.

The Art of Hand Engraving and Guilloché

The intricate creation process of the Classique 7145 Lunar New Year begins with flat engraving, which transforms the dial into a miniature sculpture. Every element of the design is carefully conceived and then meticulously worked by the artisan with a chisel and engraving tools. This precise technique brings the smallest details to life. Afterward, the dial is cleaned and polished, allowing the depth and brilliance of each engraving to become apparent.

The second craftsmanship skill involved is guilloché, a technique introduced by Abraham-Louis Breguet around 1786 to enhance the functionality of his pocket watches. The textured surface allowed for improved light reflection and easier reading of the dial. Additionally, different patterns helped distinguish various functions, such as hour and minute display, small seconds, or power reserve. Today, these fine lines are applied with precision on specialized turning machines capable of creating details to the tenth of a millimeter. The more complex the pattern, the more it reveals the sensitivity and skill of the craftsman, as each line and curve is carefully shaped, transforming the dial into a true masterpiece.

Once every detail of the snake and its surroundings has been engraved with the utmost precision, Breguet enhances the depth of the artwork with a black coating, creating a striking contrast. Polishing and further guilloché work follow. To highlight the foliage, a translucent miniature painting is applied, showcasing various shades of green while preserving the essence of the engraving and harmonizing with the rest of the dial.

Technical Mastery

The Breguet Caliber 502 epitomizes elegance and sophistication: with a height of just 2.4mm, it is one of the thinnest movements from the historic manufactory. Its solid gold rotor, an aesthetic highlight in the impeccably crafted mechanical world of Swiss watchmaking, is also adorned with a guilloché pattern, a filigree barley corn motif. The movement features a magnetically resistant silicon balance spring and anchor and offers a power reserve of 45 hours.

Thanks to the low height of the movement, the Classique case is also exceptionally flat: with a diameter of 40mm, it has a height of only 6.5mm. The fluted side of the case and the signature Breguet hands with their open tips bear the hallmarks of the great master.

The Classique 7145 Lunar New Year is fitted with a green alligator leather strap and is priced at 69,000 Swiss Francs or approximately 76,800 when converted to USD.

To learn more, visit Breguet, here.