Introducing Blancpain Unveils The Villeret Calendrier Exclusive Year of the Horse

With the arrival of the Fire Horse in 2026, Blancpain once again turns to one of watchmaking’s most demanding disciplines. This new creation marks the Manufacture’s fifteenth interpretation of the Chinese calendar, reaffirming its position at the very summit of calendar horology.

Created to celebrate the arrival of the Fire Horse on February 17, 2026, this limited edition of 50 pieces introduces a new visual expression to the collection: a salmon-rose Grand Feu enamel dial, a first for Blancpain.

When Blancpain unveiled the Calendrier Chinois Traditionnel in 2012, it achieved a world first, becoming the only wristwatch capable of displaying this ancient and still-living calendrical system while simultaneously integrating the Gregorian date and moon phase. With no historical mechanism to draw upon, every technical solution had to be conceived from first principles, resulting in a movement of remarkable ingenuity.

The Villeret Calendrier Chinois Traditionnel fully respects the classic design codes that define the Villeret collection’s understated elegance. These include the round, double-stepped case, the Grand Feu enamel dial with painted enamel indications applied before firing; and the signature leaf-shaped hands with their gently hollowed profile. The blued-steel Gregorian date hand, executed in a traditional serpentine form, further recalls the rich heritage of 18th-century watchmaking.

As with previous Chinese New Year editions, the latest Blancpain Villeret Calendrier Chinois Traditionnel retains its imposing 45 mm diameter, paired with a thickness of 15.1 mm. This edition, however, distinguishes itself through its polished platinum case. To preserve the purity of the case design and avoid external corrector pushers, Blancpain employs its patented under-lug correctors, allowing all calendar adjustments to be made easily with the fingertip. A sapphire caseback reveals the movement within, while water resistance is maintained at 30 meters despite the watch’s considerable mechanical complexity.

Despite this extraordinary complexity, the display remains remarkably legible. Chinese double hours and the corresponding zodiac sign are shown at 12 o’clock, while the five elements—Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water—paired with Yin and Yang appear at 3 o’clock. At 6 o’clock sits the moon-phase indicator, a signature Blancpain complication since 1983, and at 9 o’clock the Chinese lunar days and months are displayed, including the leap-month indication. Encircling the dial, the Gregorian date is indicated by a traditional blue serpentine hand.

Powering the watch is the calibre 3638, as found in previous iterations of the model. As customary for Blancpain’s Chinese Calendar watches, the 22-carat gold rotor of the 2026 edition is specially decorated to reflect the year’s animal. The horse appears in full gallop, accompanied by a natural ruby and the Chinese characters for “horse” and “fire,” transforming this functional component into a symbolic work of art visible through the sapphire caseback. The movement required five full years of development and comprises 464 individual components arranged across six layers. It is assembled in Blancpain’s Le Brassus grand complication workshop and driven by a triple-barrel architecture that delivers an impressive seven-day power reserve.

The Blancpain Villeret Calendrier Chinois Traditionnel Horse is paired with a brown leather strap secured by a platinum pin buckle. Limited to just 50 pieces, it is priced at CHF 81,000, equivalent to approximately AED 372,400.

For more information, visit the official website of Blancpain.