With its signature striping and powerful, dignified countenance, the tiger is one of the most distinctive and well-known animals in nature. How well does its unique appearance translate to watch dials of 40mm diameter or less? The following examples, from some of the world’s most-established horological maisons, will answer that question. Here are the top timepieces perfect for the Year of the Tiger.
Vacheron Constantin Metiers d’Art The Legend of the Chinese Zodiac – Year of the Tiger
Vacheron Constantin presents two variations of a tiger-themed Metiers d’Art piece, limited to 12 examples each: one in platinum, and one in rose gold, both 40mm in diameter. It is powered by Calibre 2460 G4, which tells time, day, and date via four small windows. This leaves the dial almost entirely free for artistic expression: in this case, a hand-engraved tiger in either platinum or rose gold to match the case sits on a grand feu enamel dial with etched and raised flora motifs.
Piaget Altiplano
This edition marks ten years of Chinese zodiac-themed releases from Piaget, and it does so via a tiger depicted in grand feu enamel by none other than Anita Porchet herself. The cloisonne technique, which involves the usage of gold ribbon to demarcate the areas of pigment, gives an extra shine to the tiger’s outline and striping. The white gold case, 38mm in diameter, is set with 78 brilliant-cut diamonds and houses the ultra-thin manually wound 430P movement. The watch is a boutique exclusive and is limited to 38 pieces. Retails for RM297,000.
Chopard L.U.C XP Urushi Year of the Tiger
This year sees yet another Chinese zodiac-themed watch from Chopard boasting of an urushi lacquer dial decorated with the gold maki-e highlights. These are ancient Japanese arts, and each of the 88 examples of the L.U.C XP Urushi Year of the Tiger have been through the workshops of the century-old company Yamada Heiando. The scene is of a tiger in its characteristic powerful stance, with an intricate background of a bay and surrounding cliffs. Chopard’s elegant XP case is offered here in ethically sourced rose gold, 39.5mm in diameter and just 6.8mm thick. It houses a self-winding movement with a 65-hour power reserve. Retails for RM105,860.
Ulysse Nardin Classico “Tiger”
Ulysse Nardin’s rendition of the tiger cuts a dynamic figure in a powerful crouch, rendered in gold with a dramatically contrasting dark blue background of a night-time landscape. The champleve technique, which involves carving directly on the dial before being coloured, is responsible for the fine details; the paillonne technique, which involves gold or silver leaf hand-placed between layers of enamel, was used for the moon and the stars. Both are rare and demanding techniques, but Ulysse Nardin benefits from the specialist artisans of the Donze Cadrans workshops, which were integrated into the maison in 2011. Offered in a 40mm rose gold case, the Ulysse Nardin Classico “Tiger” is limited to 88 pieces. Retails for RM183,000.
Dior Grand Soir Tiger
Dior has opted for a more symbolic representation, with a refined 36mm ladies’ dress watch featuring a tiger head motif. The case is stainless steel with a rose gold diamond-set bezel. The dial is decorated with white- and gold-coloured feathers, while the tiger’s nose and eyes are diamonds. The watch is powered by an automatic movement, visible through the display caseback, and comes with both a beige silk strap and one in black satin. The Dior Grand Soir Tiger (RM175,000) is limited to 88 pieces.
Harry Winston Premier Chinese New Year Automatic 36mm
Harry Winston’s entry is much more playful, with the dial featuring two cartoon tiger cubs rendered in rose gold, with stripes filled in with red beaded mother-of-pearl and diamonds for eyes. It is also the first time the rosette motif – three of them, to be exact, crafted out of rose gold and with a diamond at the centre – is found on a Harry Winston timepiece, taken from the wrought iron gates of the maison’s flagship store on Fifth Avenue. The 36mm rose gold case is set with 57 diamonds, while the red alligator strap features a further 17 on the buckle. It is limited to just eight pieces.
Franck Muller Vanguard Gravity Tiger
The Vanguard Gravity is one of Franck Muller’s signature complications: an ultra-light, oversized tourbillon with an elliptical carriage and artfully curved bridges. For this Tiger edition (RM753,300), the tourbillon has some competition in terms of attention-grabbing features: it is joined by a hand-sculpted, hand-lacquered tiger in a fierce leaping pose. Made entirely in-house, the design requires 36 layers of tinted, translucent lacquer to complete. It is available in three executions, all in a 49.5mm by 41mm diamond-set case: rose gold, white gold, or black PVD-coated gold. Each version is limited to three pieces.
Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Enamel “Tiger”
As it has so many times before, Jaeger-LeCoultre has capitalised on the dual-faced nature of the Reverso to create a work of art. The time side of the Reverso Tribute Enamel “Tiger” is the classic two-hand art deco styling that the collection is known for, albeit in a particularly striking combination of lustrous black enamel and rose gold. The reverse side is a magnificently worked tiger, engraved directly into the case, with rhodium-brushed stripes on a black enamel background – a particularly striking combination. It takes the engraver 55 hours to complete, and a further 20 hours for the layered grand feu enamel. The watch is also made-to-order only.
