To welcome Chinese New Year 2026, Longines has unveiled the Longines Master Collection Moonphase Year of the Horse, a limited edition created specifically to celebrate the Year of the Horse in the Chinese lunisolar calendar. Following the previously released Year of the Dragon and Year of the Snake editions, Longines continues a consistent approach, maintaining the classic character of the Master Collection while introducing cultural details that are relevant and thoughtfully curated.

The Year of the Fire Horse will run from 17 February 2026 to 5 February 2027. In Chinese tradition, the horse is often associated with energy, courage, and forward momentum—values that Longines translates in a restrained manner, without placing an explicit zodiac symbol on the dial.

Red Dial with a Subtle Gradient

This watch features a red dial with a sunray finish and a gradient effect that darkens towards the edges. Red was chosen for its strong cultural significance in Chinese tradition and its close association with Chinese New Year celebrations. Longines handles this colour in a controlled way, ensuring it remains aligned with the elegant character of the Master Collection.

The dial is paired with gold-toned applied indexes, a winged Longines logo in a matching finish, and gold-plated leaf-shaped hour and minute hands. The minute track is positioned on a slightly sloping flange, a familiar detail within the collection that enhances legibility without disrupting the overall proportions of the dial.

Moonphase and Pointer Date

The moonphase complication is positioned at 6 o’clock and combined with a pointer date display. This layout not only preserves visual balance on the dial, but also reflects the importance of lunar phases within the lunisolar calendar, where the moon plays a key role in determining zodiac cycles.

The moonphase display features a gold-toned moon set against a starry night sky, while the date pointer hand is finished in gold to remain consistent with the other dial elements.

Galloping Horse Engraving on the Rotor

The most distinctive detail of this edition is found on the reverse side. Through the transparent sapphire caseback, a gold-toned rotor engraved with the Galloping Horse motif can be seen, inspired by the work of renowned modern Chinese artist Peon Xu.

Longines collaborated with the Peon Art Museum in China to bring this engraving to life, under the direct supervision of Qingping Xu, Peon Xu’s son. The Galloping Horse is widely recognised as a representation of movement and strength, and on this watch, the motif is placed on the rotor so that it remains in motion with every movement of the wearer’s wrist.

This approach allows Longines to incorporate zodiac symbolism and artistic elements without altering the clean and classic appearance of the dial.

Case and Movement

The watch is housed in a fully polished 42 mm stainless steel case with a thickness of approximately 11.2 mm, and is fitted with sapphire crystal on both the front and back. Water resistance is rated at 30 metres, in line with the dress-watch character of the Master Collection.

Inside is the Longines L899.5 automatic calibre, an exclusive development based on the ETA A31.L91. The movement operates at a frequency of 25,200 vph and offers a power reserve of up to 72 hours. The use of a silicon balance spring provides added stability against magnetism and temperature variations.

The Longines Master Collection Year of the Horse is limited to 2,026 pieces worldwide, reflecting the year it celebrates. It is paired with a black alligator leather strap and a stainless steel folding clasp, maintaining a formal yet versatile appearance.

As a commemorative Year of the Horse edition, this watch is not designed to be overtly eye-catching. Instead, its focus lies on detail, technical execution, and the integration of cultural elements that feel considered—without altering the established design DNA of the Longines Master Collection.

Are you interested in adding this timepiece to your collection?