Celebrate the Year of the Ox in style

As we say goodbye to 2020 and a uniquely eventful Year of the Rat we prepare to welcome a new, more prosperous, slower and stable 2021 and the year of the Ox. What better way to ring in spring, and put your best foot forward for the new year than with a new watch. We’ve put together some suitable options that offer tradition and celebration in equal measure.

IWC Portugieser Chronograph

IWC’s Portugieser Chronograph has earned its reputation as a true classic of the genre. This recent addition to the line-up sees the 41mm steel chronograph decked out in all its glory with a scene-stealing dial in rich, deep burgundy. A thin steel bezel shows the dial off to maximum effect. The dial’s star-burst finish ensures the red radiates in the sun, while the applied numerals and leaf-shaped hands keep things legible underneath the ultra-hard curved sapphire crystal.

The IWC-manufactured 69355 calibre is visible through the sapphire caseback; an automatic chronograph made from a complex array of 194 components, which measures elapsed minutes and seconds. The open-worked rotor ensures a power reserve of up to 46 hours.

Piaget Possession

Set the tone for the new year with a wrist full of diamonds – 420 of them to be precise. Looking lustrous on a red leather strap, this Piaget Possession is set to sparkle. The 34mm watch is cased in white gold, with 181 brilliant-cut diamonds on the case, and a further 239 stones on the dial, with a combined weight of approximately 3.22 carats.

The Possession’s party trick is its freely rotating bezel, which adds some great tactility and a sense of playfulness to this visually stunning watch. You’ll find yourself idly twisting it throughout the hours of the day.

Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Moon

With its traditional moonphase display, the Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Master Ultra Thin Moon is the perfect watch to wear to celebrate the Lunar New Year. This 34mm pink gold watch is a seductively classical piece of watchmaking, with a fine eggshell beige dial and elegant pink gold hands and hour markers. The watch is powered by one of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s own calibres, the 925/1, which is just 4.9mm thick. Equally beautiful, this finely finished automatic movement is visible through the open caseback, with a gold rotor proudly on display. The deep red strap enhances the rich gold tones of this traditional and elegant timepiece.

The enamel mastery of Ulysse Nardin

Ulysse Nardin has long championed and celebrated traditional skills, in particular the art of hand-crafted enamel work. This work is done in Ulysse Nardin’s Donzé Cadrans facilities and involves mixing soft glass powders and treating them under incredible heats to create rich, lustrous and beautiful dials. Red, for example, is made by adding iodine to the material. From this process, Ulysse Nardin creates staggeringly beautiful works of miniature art, using ancient techniques like Cloisoné and Champlevé to realise delicate patterns and scenes. For a truly unique experience, discover the enamel masterpieces of Ulysse Nardin.

New year, new watch. To find the perfect watch to ring in the new year, head to your nearest Kennedy Boutique, or shop the collection online.

Article written by Felix Scholz