As the final months of 2021 draws closer and the year of the Ox comes to an end, Vacheron Constantin thinks ahead not to January, but to February first. This is when Chinese New Year celebrations will take place and the year of the tiger will begin. The Swiss brand marks the transition into the new year with two limited edition watches that pay tribute to the auspicious animal. A symbol of good luck that drives away evil spirits, the Tiger also represents power, authority, and strength. Brought to life by Vacheron's highly skilled craftspeople these watches are true horological masterpieces with added symbolic value. These pieces will surely take a place of pride in just a lucky few collector's collections.The Geneva-based brand recently impressed the world with a pair of sporty titanium offerings, the highlight of which was the Overseas Dual-Time Everest Edition that Dave covered here. Now, with summer long gone, and the colder season well underway, VC offers us something a bit more dressy and symbolic of change. We leave behind the Ox and make way for the Tiger.Impressive craftsmanshipFor this latest release, Vacheron Constantin has found inspiration where both Swiss and Chinese artistic crafts meet. The paper-cutting technique, known in China as Jianzhi is mirrored by the Swiss Scherenschnitt. Both inspire the unmistakable styling of the M|tiers d'Art Legend Of The Chinese Zodiac timepieces. However, paper and scissors are left untouched, and it is the masterful enamelers and engravers in VC's atelier that create the wonderfully detailed dials on these watches. The Tiger itself, hand-engraved in rose gold or platinum, is applied to the center of the dial. It sits, surrounded by the plant motifs, which are hand-etched into the metal of the dial. Expertly crafted, the depth of these elements makes them appear almost three-dimensional.The ancient technique of Grand Feu enameling is then applied to the dial, carefully coating the intricate engravings. This detail further adds to the depth of the symbols of classic Chinese iconography. Expert craftspeople apply blue enamel in the platinum model and a warm brown for the pink gold watch. This gives the centerpiece of these dials a worthy background upon which to stand. The highly detailed tiger takes center stage, unobstructed by traditional watch hands. The dial becomes a canvas for artistic expression for VCs skilled artisans, allowing the incredible craftsmanship techniques to truly shine. The lack of hands would normally leave us with a watch that would serve no time-telling purpose. Or at least this would be the case, were it not for the ace up Vacheron Constantins sleeve.