EDITOR Angel Huang｜TRANSLATOR Aurora Lin
將動物放上錶盤似乎是眾多腕錶都有的共識。豹警覺、蛇蜿蜒、熊貓憨態、駿馬騰躍的力量，各有不同的呈現。製錶師須在有限的錶盤與錶殼上，抓住最能顯現牠們的英姿，再交由雕刻、琺瑯、漆藝與寶石鑲嵌呈現。尺寸雖小，對比例、線條與細節的要求反而更高。動物題材在高級製錶中歷久不衰，也與牠們承載的文化意義有關。美洲豹代表獨立與膽識，靈蛇連結重生與永恆，十二生肖記錄東方文化對時間的理解，星座裡的動物則來自人類對夜空的想像。這些形象進入腕錶，時間便更能顯多樣化，也讓每件作品都有自己的故事。
The Animal World on the Wrist
Animals appear on the dials of almost every major watchmaking house. The alert panther, the sinuous serpent, the gentle panda and the horse caught in full stride each call for a different treatment. Within the narrow limits of a dial and case, artisans must identify the lines and gestures that best capture each creature, then render them through engraving, enamelling, lacquer work and gem-setting. At this scale, every proportion and detail matters. Their lasting presence in haute horlogerie also comes from the meanings attached to them. The panther speaks of independence and courage; the serpent of rebirth and eternity. The Chinese zodiac reflects an Eastern understanding of time, while the animals of the constellations were born from the human imagination of the night sky. Placed on a watch, these familiar creatures offer many ways of telling time—and give every piece a character of its own.
CARTIER
談到卡地亞的動物作品，美洲豹是足以代表的名字。1914年，豹紋首度出現在卡地亞腕錶上。到了1930年代，時任創意總監貞．杜桑（Jeanne Toussaint）開始賦予美洲豹立體造型；1948年，她為溫莎公爵夫人打造了一枚美洲豹胸針，自此確立這隻貓科動物在卡地亞歷史中的地位。早期的鳥類、昆蟲與爬行動物，各有細膩生動的表現；美洲豹帶來的卻是另一種氣勢。牠敏銳、優雅，帶著一點危險感，與卡地亞擅長描寫的女性形象十分接近。
La Panthère de Cartier腕錶將黃K金豹身處理成稜角鮮明的立體造型，兩隻前掌交疊於錶盤上方，像是伏在黑色漆藝錶面上，安靜地注視前方。沙弗萊石豹眼色澤銳利，與黃K金的溫暖光澤形成對比。錶圈及四角錶耳鋪鑲鑽石，明亮火光沿著錶殼輪廓展開，卻沒有搶走美洲豹的目光。這件作品精采之處，不在於追求寫實，而是抓住美洲豹蓄勢待發的神情。黑色漆面壓低了背景，豹首、前掌與雙眼便自然成為視線焦點。佩戴在腕上，牠既像珠寶，也保留猛獸應有的距離感。
卡地亞花了一個多世紀描寫美洲豹，牠的形象不斷改變，性格始終清楚：獨立、果斷，無意討好任何人。
No animal represents Cartier more completely than the panther. Its spotted pattern first appeared on a Cartier watch in 1914. During the 1930s, then Creative Director Jeanne Toussaint began developing the animal in sculptural form. In 1948, she created a panther brooch for the Duchess of Windsor, securing the feline’s place in the Maison’s history.
Cartier had already portrayed birds, insects and reptiles with remarkable delicacy and vitality. The panther brought a different presence. Alert and elegant, with an unmistakable suggestion of danger, it closely echoed the kind of woman Cartier had long portrayed.
On the La Panthère de Cartier watch, the yellow gold animal is shaped into a sharply defined, three-dimensional form. Its front paws cross above the dial as it crouches over the black lacquered surface, quietly watching what lies ahead. Tsavorite garnets sharpen its gaze and contrast with the warmth of the yellow gold. Diamonds cover the bezel and four lugs, following the outline of the case in flashes of light without distracting from the panther’s eyes.
Rather than reproducing the animal in exact detail, the design captures the instant before it moves. Against the dark lacquer, the head, paws and eyes come immediately into focus. On the wrist, the watch reads as jewellery, yet the panther still keeps the viewer at a slight distance. Cartier has portrayed it for more than a century, changing its form without softening its character: independent, decisive and with no need to please.
BVLGARI
寶格麗的靈蛇更是集品牌目光的寵愛。蛇在古希臘羅馬與埃及文化中，象徵智慧、誘惑、力量與重生。1948年，寶格麗推出首批Serpenti蛇形腕錶，以Tubogas金屬鍊帶纏繞手腕。蛇身隨著動作貼合肌膚，兼具珠寶的裝飾性與腕錶的實用功能，也奠定Serpenti往後數十年的設計基礎。
神秘腕錶的有趣之處，與昔日歐洲上流社會的宴會禮儀有關。在席間頻繁看錶，容易被主人解讀為無聊或急著離開。製錶師於是將錶盤藏入珠寶造型，佩戴者只需趁適當時刻揭開錶蓋，便能低調確認時間。2026年全新Serpenti Misteriosi頂級珠寶神秘腕錶延續這項設計。錶盤藏在蛇首內，輕觸靈蛇舌部，蛇首才會開啟；闔上之後，外觀看來就是一件完整的高級珠寶。這個小機關既有戲劇效果，也保留神秘腕錶最初的趣味。三件作品各有鮮明個性。第一款以祖母綠與鑽石交錯鑲嵌，蛇眼點綴兩顆梨形祖母綠，色彩濃烈，氣勢也最接近古老神話中的靈蛇。第二款鑲嵌逾32克拉鑽石，蛇身幾乎完全被白色光芒覆蓋，風格冷冽俐落。第三款以玫瑰金構成蛇身，綠松石與鑽石排列出節奏分明的紋路，再以紅碧璽點亮蛇眼，呈現寶格麗擅長的強烈配色。
Serpenti能成為經典，關鍵正在於牠始終能換上一張新面孔。蛇形輪廓保持不變，材質、色彩與機械結構卻持續更新。從1948年的Tubogas腕錶走到今日，這條蛇依然緊貼手腕，也依然帶著令人想靠近、又不敢輕忽的吸引力。
No animal represents Cartier more completely than the panther. Its spotted pattern first appeared on a Cartier watch in 1914. During the 1930s, then Creative Director Jeanne Toussaint began developing the animal in sculptural form. In 1948, she created a panther brooch for the Duchess of Windsor, securing the feline’s place in the Maison’s history.
Cartier had already portrayed birds, insects and reptiles with remarkable delicacy and vitality. The panther brought a different presence. Alert and elegant, with an unmistakable suggestion of danger, it closely echoed the kind of woman Cartier had long portrayed.
On the La Panthère de Cartier watch, the yellow gold animal is shaped into a sharply defined, three-dimensional form. Its front paws cross above the dial as it crouches over the black lacquered surface, quietly watching what lies ahead. Tsavorite garnets sharpen its gaze and contrast with the warmth of the yellow gold. Diamonds cover the bezel and four lugs, following the outline of the case in flashes of light without distracting from the panther’s eyes.
Rather than reproducing the animal in exact detail, the design captures the instant before it moves. Against the dark lacquer, the head, paws and eyes come immediately into focus. On the wrist, the watch reads as jewellery, yet the panther still keeps the viewer at a slight distance. Cartier has portrayed it for more than a century, changing its form without softening its character: independent, decisive and with no need to please.
CHOPARD
蕭邦對於錶盤上的動物題材常帶著幾分童心。2010年適逢品牌創立150週年，藝術總監卡羅琳．舍費爾（Caroline Scheufele）構思Animal World動物世界高級珠寶系列，並藉此表達對野生動物保育的關注。
此系列由150件獨一無二的作品組成，從昆蟲、爬蟲與魚類，到鳥類、野生動物及人們熟悉的寵物，全都成了珠寶主角。這些作品的細節極為講究，神情卻不嚴肅。巨嘴鳥鮮豔而神氣，燕子輕巧靈動，母獅保留警戒神態，熊貓則以圓潤憨厚的模樣出現。蕭邦沒有刻意把動物塑造成莊嚴圖騰，反而保留了牠們親切、有時略顯頑皮的一面。Happy Sport Métiers d’Art熊貓腕錶全球限量八枚。藍粉漸層珍珠母貝錶盤鋪出柔和背景，翠綠竹葉在錶盤上層層展開，粉色花朵穿插其間。錶面鑲嵌逾五克拉鑽石與粉紅色藍寶石，寶石種類繁多，構圖仍保有清楚的前後層次。最討喜的細節藏在鏡面之間。蕭邦注入特製液體，使熊貓造型與Happy Sport標誌性的滑動鑽石能夠隨手腕擺動。熊貓時而滑向竹林，時而與鑽石一同移動，每次抬腕看到的畫面都略有不同。這項設計沿用了Happy Sport系列的核心概念，卻沒有停留在單純的滑動鑽石。熊貓加入後，鑽石的移動有了情節，整只錶也像一座會隨動作改變場景的小型劇場。
從2010年的Animal World系列至今，蕭邦持續以珠寶記錄動物姿態。華麗寶石吸引了第一眼，細看之後，人們記住的往往是熊貓藏進竹影的動作，以及那張帶點好奇的臉。
Chopard often brings a playful eye to animals on the dial. To mark the Maison’s 150th anniversary in 2010, Artistic Director Caroline Scheufele conceived the Animal World High Jewellery collection, expressing her concern for wildlife conservation through 150 unique creations. Insects, reptiles, fish, birds and wild animals appeared alongside familiar household pets.
The craftsmanship was intricate, but the animals were never made overly solemn. Toucans looked bright and spirited, swallows light and agile, lionesses watchful, and pandas rounded and gentle. Chopard chose not to turn them into imposing emblems, preserving instead their approachable and occasionally mischievous character.
Limited to eight pieces worldwide, the panda-themed Happy Sport Métier d’art watch is set against a blue-to-pink gradient mother-of-pearl dial. Green bamboo leaves spread across the scene, with pink flowers appearing between them. More than five carats of diamonds and pink sapphires add colour and brilliance, while the layered composition remains clear and carefully balanced.
The most engaging detail appears between the two crystals. Chopard developed a perfectly viscous liquid that allows the signature moving diamonds to glide and whirl with the motion of the wrist. Around the panda, they drift towards the bamboo grove and scatter again, slightly changing the scene each time the watch is raised.
The design draws on the central idea of Happy Sport but gives the moving diamonds a more narrative role. Set beside the panda and bamboo, their movement turns the dial into a miniature theatre that changes with every gesture. Chopard’s gemstones catch the eye first; what stays in the memory is the panda among the bamboo, looking out with quiet curiosity.
JAEGER-LECOULTRE
Reverso早期原本是一只為馬球運動而生的腕錶。1931年，積家推出具有翻轉錶殼的Reverso。比賽開始前，佩戴者可以將錶殼翻至背面，以金屬底蓋朝外，避免錶盤與鏡面受到球桿撞擊。這套出於實際需求的結構，後來成為積家發揮珍稀工藝的重要舞台。Reverso於2021年迎來九十週年。2022年，積家推出Reverso Tribute Enamel「Tiger」翻轉系列琺瑯虎年腕錶，將中國生肖帶上錶背；其後陸續發表龍年、蛇年與馬年作品。
2026年適逢馬年，Reverso Tribute Enamel「Horse」翻轉系列琺瑯腕錶以駿馬為主角。將錶殼翻向背面，駿馬昂首躍出金色雲團，四蹄騰空，肩頸與腿部肌肉拉出明確張力。畫面選在奔跑動作尚未結束的一刻，因而顯得格外有速度。鐫刻大師運用十種不同尺寸的刻刀，以「模雕」（modelled engraving）技法逐步塑造金屬表面。馬身經過拋光，馬鬃以黑色鍍銠描繪，周圍雲朵則採用噴砂處理。光線落下時，三種表面呈現不同反射效果，馬身的起伏和雲層的深度隨之浮現。整幅手工雕刻耗時超過八十小時。正面錶盤與背面背景均使用不透明黑色大明火琺瑯，經過多次施釉及約攝氏800度高溫燒製。要使前後兩面的黑色在深度與光澤上完全一致，琺瑯工序還需投入二十四小時。黑色在這只錶上並非陪襯。它收斂了畫面的華麗感，也使玫瑰金駿馬的肌理更加清楚。翻開錶背時，注意力自然落在馬鬃、肌肉和馬蹄的細微轉折，工藝經得起近距離觀看。Reverso最迷人的地方，是它把展示工藝的時機交給佩戴者。錶殼維持正常位置時，外觀低調簡潔；翻轉之後，藏在背面的駿馬才露出全貌。這種私密感，正是生肖Reverso比一般裝飾腕錶更耐人尋味之處。
The Reverso was originally designed for polo. Introduced by Jaeger-LeCoultre in 1931, its reversible case allowed players to turn the dial inwards before a match, leaving the metal case-back exposed to protect the crystal from the impact of a polo mallet. Created to answer a practical need, the construction later became an important canvas for the Manufacture’s decorative crafts. Following the Reverso’s 90th anniversary in 2021, Jaeger-LeCoultre introduced the Reverso Tribute Enamel “Tiger” in 2022, bringing the Chinese zodiac to the reverse of the case.
The Dragon and Snake followed, and the Horse takes its place in 2026. Turn over the Reverso Tribute Enamel “Horse” and a stallion emerges from golden clouds. Its head is raised, all four hooves lifted from the ground, with clearly defined tension through the neck, shoulders and legs. The movement has been captured before the stride is complete, giving the scene a convincing sense of speed. To build volume and depth, the master engraver used modelled engraving, working with ten differently sized chisels to sculpt the metal step by step. The horse’s body is polished, its mane hand-drawn in black rhodium and the surrounding clouds sandblasted. Each surface responds differently to the light, revealing the contours of the animal and the depth of the cloud formation. The engraving required more than 80 hours of work. The front dial and case-back are both finished in opaque black Grand Feu enamel, built up through repeated applications and firings at approximately 800 degrees Celsius. Achieving the same depth, purity and lustre on both sides required a further 24 hours of work. Here, black does more than provide a background. It tempers the richness of the design and brings the texture of the pink gold horse into clearer view. When the case is turned, the eye moves naturally across the mane, muscles and hooves, where the smallest shifts in the engraving remain visible at close range. The Reverso lets its wearer choose when to reveal this work. In its usual position, the watch is quiet and restrained. Only when the case is reversed does the horse appear in full. That private moment of discovery gives the zodiac Reverso a quality rarely found in a conventionally decorated watch.
VAN CLEEF & ARPELS
梵克雅寶蘊含天地萬物，時落花園，時轉夜空。自1950年代推出首枚星座主題吊飾後，黃道十二宮便持續出現在世家的珠寶與腕錶創作中。Lady Arpels Zodiaque Lumineux星座腕錶共有十二款，其中七款以動物為主角，分別是牡羊、金牛、巨蟹、獅子、天蠍、魔羯與雙魚。七種動物各自占據一片星空。
黃K金牡羊躍入星海，姿態帶著明確衝勁；金牛安靜伏在綠色景致中，身形厚實沉穩。巨蟹以白K金勾勒足肢與甲殼，獅子則以黃K金搭配橙黃色琺瑯，突出鬃毛的層次。天蠍在紫色琺瑯映襯下更顯銳利；魔羯藏身星塵；雙魚游過藍綠色琺瑯，畫面顯得輕盈柔和。錶盤以雕塑、寶石鑲嵌與彩色琺瑯構成，深藍色背景上散布細小星點。各星座的姿態與周圍色彩均有不同安排，並非只替同一幅構圖更換動物。
按需發光裝置是整個系列的重點。啟動機械結構後，錶盤上的星點隨即亮起，光線沿著動物輪廓閃爍。動畫維持片刻便會結束，錶面重新回到原有的深藍色調。過程短暫，反而使每次啟動都值得等待。梵克雅寶擅長把複雜機械藏在浪漫題材之下。佩戴者看到的是星光、琺瑯與黃道動物，背後則需要精密結構控制發光效果。機械沒有刻意站到畫面中央卻決定了這片星空最關鍵的幾秒鐘。
The creative world of Van Cleef & Arpels moves between gardens and the night sky. Since the Maison introduced its first zodiac-themed pendant in the 1950s, the twelve signs have continued to appear in its jewellery and watchmaking creations.
The Lady Arpels Zodiaque Lumineux collection comprises twelve watches. Seven feature animals: Aries, Taurus, Cancer, Leo, Scorpio, Capricorn and Pisces. Each occupies a celestial setting composed specifically for its character.
The yellow gold ram leaps into a field of stars with unmistakable momentum. The bull rests quietly in a green landscape, its solid form calm and grounded. White gold defines the legs and shell of the crab, while yellow gold and orange-yellow enamel give depth to the lion’s mane. Violet enamel sharpens the silhouette of the scorpion; Capricorn appears among clouds of stardust; and Pisces swims through blue-green enamel in a lighter, more fluid composition.
Sculpture, gem-setting and coloured enamel come together across the dials, with fine stars scattered over deep blue backgrounds. The posture of each creature and the colours around it have been individually arranged. These are seven separate compositions, not a single design with the central animal changed.
The collection’s exclusive on-demand light-up module provides its most unexpected feature. Once the mechanism is activated, points of light appear across the dial and flicker around the animal’s outline. The animation lasts only a few seconds before the watch returns to its original deep blue tones. Its brevity makes the moment feel all the more special.
腕錶的工藝各自詮釋呈現不同的面相。卡地亞美洲豹貴氣；寶格麗靈蛇華麗、神秘；蕭邦熊貓帶著童趣；積家駿馬雕刻線條；梵克雅寶花園星空。看似相似，卻又呈現獨一無二的的品牌歷史與精神。著重動物的性格，從神話、生肖或星象著眼，更有談及保育的共業。腕錶尺寸區間，工匠要在微毫的空間裡將盤間生靈活化。指針依舊前進，在大千世界中的萬物各自在錶盤上展現自己，同時也將品牌淬鍊的工藝縮影投射在每個錶盤之間。
Van Cleef & Arpels places the technical complexity out of sight. What appears on the dial is a scene of enamel, starlight and zodiac animals; underneath, a precise mechanical system controls those few seconds of illumination. It never overtakes the image, but gives the night sky its moment of movement.
Each watchmaking house sees the animal world differently. Cartier gives the panther its proud, commanding presence. BVLGARI’s serpent is rich in colour and mystery. Chopard approaches the panda with humour and affection. Jaeger-LeCoultre defines the horse through the depth and precision of hand engraving, while Van Cleef & Arpels places the creatures of the zodiac beneath a luminous sky.
The subjects may be familiar, but each carries the history and character of the Maison that created it. Some designs begin with the temperament of the animal; others look to mythology, the Chinese zodiac or the constellations, while Chopard also draws attention to wildlife conservation. Within the narrow dimensions of a watch, artisans work at an almost microscopic scale to give these creatures form and expression. The hands continue to move, while each animal holds its place on the dial—a small but telling portrait of the craft behind the watch.