Cat’s Whiskers: 4 Watches for the Year of the Tiger

We take a closer look at some feline-themed horological mores — four watches perfect for this year’s Chinese zodiac animal.

4 Watches for the Year of the Tiger

Breguet Classique 7145 CNY 2022

Of the crop of luxury watches marking the onset of the Year of the Tiger, Breguet’s eight-piece numbered-limited-edition Classique 7145 CNY 2022 is notable for its solid-gold dial, which features both intricate hand-engraving and guilloché techniques, as well as a black galvanic coating, a minuscule engraved logo at 8 o’clock, and hour and minute hands in blued steel. Its self-winding 502.3 calibre, which measures a mere 2.4mm thick, is housed in a 40mm rose-gold case; the movement, which comprises 162 parts that include an offset gold oscillating weight and silicon balance spring, provides a reserve of 45 hours.

Chopard L.U.C Urushi Year of the Tiger

Chopard’s contribution to the Lunar New Year menagerie takes the form of the L.U.C Urushi Year of the Tiger, which, as its name suggests, employs the ancient Japanese lacquering technique for its beautifully realised representation of the biggest of all cats. In a slim 39.5 x 6.8mm rose-gold case, this 88-piece limited edition gets its power from a double-barrel self-winding L.U.C 96.17-L calibre with 22k-gold oscillating weight, which provides a reserve of 65 hours.

Piaget x Anita Porchet Altiplano

Noted Swiss master enameller Anita Porchet collaborated with Piaget on its horological contribution to the Lunar New Year festivities, a 38-piece limited-edition Altiplano, each with a hand-decorated cloissoné grand feu dial featuring an exquisitely detailed image of a tiger. In a 38mm white-gold case set with 78 brilliant-cut diamonds weighing 0.71 carats, the watch features the Maison’s celebrated ultra-thin, hand-wound 430P calibre and is presented on a black alligator strap.

Harry Winston Premier Chinese New Year Automatic 36mm

This light-hearted though nonetheless lavish offering for the Year of the Tiger from Harry Winston features a pair of cartoon cubs on a rose-gold dial filled with coloured mother-of-pearl. A limited-edition of eight pieces, the Premier Chinese New Year Automatic 36mm comes in a rose-gold case and is set with 139 brilliant-cut diamonds on the dial and bezel, and a single emerald-cut diamond at 12 o’clock.