Canine companions take the spotlight this time around, starring in several classic, elaborate, and downright adorable Year of the Dog watches.
As preparations are made to usher in the Lunar New Year and adorable canine motifs pop up on well-loved brands, we’re seeing parallels between man’s best friend and our favourite horological pieces for the season. Both are loyal to death and can appear wacky, but are ultimately indispensable, constant companions that stay by our side – or on our wrists – throughout memories of a lifetime.
Dog lovers have an extra cause for celebration this time around, with all things zodiac themed. Here’s a look at eight irresistible Year of the Dog watches we wouldn’t mind on our wrists.
Sure to melt the hearts of art and canine fans is this exquisite 18-karat rose gold cased Chopard piece. Japanese artist Kiichiro Masamura put his trademark touch on the dial, using rare urushi lacquering, hand-painting, appliqué, and other traditional techniques on to showcase the lovable Chinese Akita. It runs on a mechanical self-winding L.U.C Calibre 96.17-L and is hand-made down to the alligator strap. 88 pieces retail at RM 94,156 each. W chopard.com Breguet brings a classic design featuring a regal hand-engraved guilloche Chow Chow atop a heap of gold coins, just a few tones darker than the silver-gold dial it lies on. This famously fluffy friend is sure to put a smile on your face while ticking away faithfully. Matching the 40mm white gold case is an ultra slim automatic Calibre 502.3 movement, which you can admire through the clear sapphire crystal back. Only eight of these gorgeous pieces have been made. W breguet.com Vacheron Constantin religiously updates its zodiac collection, and this year, we have 12 each of these in platinum or pink gold. And what a vision it is, sporting a unique hands-free time display with four apertures for hours, minutes, day, and date on its intricately-designed dial. Ancient jianzhi paper-cutting technique is revived to create the illusion that this dog is floating over the dial. Platinum pieces go for RM533,137 while the pink gold version is priced at RM435,176. W vacheron-constantin.com With its entire dial dedicated the to artistic brilliance of the furry kind, it's hard not to lean in for a closer look. A single engraved dog is surrounded by a garden of plum flowers, painstakingly worked in using the revered sparsello technique. Open this case to reveal the timepiece - a 44mm Luminor powered by P.9000 movement. The 1950 Sealand marks Panerai's 10th addition to its Chinese Zodiac line. Get one of the 88 pieces exclusively at Canton Road for RM100,644. W panerai.com A symbol of loyalty in the wild, a handsome hunting dog graces the dial of Piaget's Year of the Dog ode. This light gray cloisoné enamel dial is the result of artist Anita Porchet's skill and labour, and it is brilliantly framed by a 78-diamond bezel. We're loving the understated look, executed in Piaget's famous ultra-thin white gold case. Only 38 watches are up for sale at RM240,053 each. W piaget.com Master enameling underlines the brilliance of this Classico, with Ulysse Nardin applying a combination of champlevé and grand feu techniques. The star, though? That elegant brown Shiba Inu, with accents of gold highlighting its outline against the backdrop of vast Chinese pavilions. All this is captured in an 18-karat rose gold case across 88 pieces. Each will set you back a cool RM166,664. W ulysse-nardin.com We were introduced to Merry last Christmas, and now, Kelly is the latest addition to Graham's versatile pin-up line. Clad in a sexy red cheongsam, her elegant presence takes almost half the dial between 3 and 4 o'clock - with a furry friend to boot! She stands out against the watch's midnight blue dial and matching hand-sewn strap, given the iconic Graham touch with the Chronofigher trigger and its 11 o'clock reset pusher. This piece is fitted with the same G1747 movement as others in its range. Graham has released 100 pieces to mark this Lunar New Year.
W graham1695.com As its name indicates, this Blancpain is a modern horological take on the Chinese calendar of old. Its rich dial features double-hour indication, days, months (with indication of leap months), and zodiac signs. You can see the shadow of this year's dog symbol right below 12 o'clock. Additionally, the centremost subdial brings in Gregorian calendar elements to mark hours and minutes. Flip the piece around and peek through the caseback at the dog engraved to the watch's white gold oscillating weight. 20 pieces are released yearly, and this one retails for about RM354,130.W blancpain.com
Chopard L.U.C XP Urushi Year of the Dog
Breguet Classique 7145 Chow-Chow
Vacheron Constantin Métiers d’Art Legend of the Chinese Zodiac Year of the Dog
Panerai Luminor 1950 Sealand
Piaget Altiplano Chinese Zodiac
Ulysse Nardin Classico Dog
Graham Chronofighter Vintage Nose Art Kelly
Blancpain Traditional Chinese Calendar Watch
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Images courtesy of respective brands.
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