This year marks the Year of the Horse in the Chinese Zodiac, and as a result, we have seen a slew of watch and jewelry brands release special edition pieces celebrating the animal. However, the roots of the horse motif run much deeper, tracing back to ancient jewelry makers in Egypt, Greece, and Rome. Equine themes would not arise in watchmaking until much later—around the 19th century. Still, throughout both jewelry and watch designs, the horse has represented power, status, divine protection, and good fortune.
Here, we take a closer look at the history of the horse motif in modern watchmaking and jewelry design, along with some of the key brands that have made this symbol a core part of their collections, from Jaeger LeCoultre and Gucci to the Maison most synonymous with the animal: Hermès. If you’re looking for a gift during this Year of the Horse but one that’s not too on the nose, look to one of these jewelry and watch brands for a subtle interpretation of the theme that would mark a beautiful and memorable addition to anyone’s collection.
Origins of the Horse Motif in Jewelry and Watches
Throughout ancient and medieval times, horses were fundamental to civilization. Horses helped power the rise of empires, allowing for rapid cavalry movements, chariot warfare, and the transport of goods, all while symbolizing social status, wealth, and power. As a result, they have long been revered and honored through objects like jewelry.
Early examples come from the Celts and Mongols, marking some of the first empires where relics of equine-inspired jewelry were found. The tradition continued with the Romans and Greeks, who forged metal amulets with horse motifs, frequently used as protective objects to ward off evil. These metal plaques were later recovered and repurposed as brooches and other forms of jewelry, becoming particularly popular in England and other European countries during the 19th century.
The 18th and 19th centuries mark an important shift in the role of horses in society from strictly practical to more playful. In this era, we see the rise of equestrian sports, like racing, show jumping, and polo. The widespread popularization of these leisure activities increased the demand for horse-themed jewelry, particularly among the elite who were both patrons and players at these prestigious events. Around this same time, we see the horse motif extend from the world of jewelry to other mediums—like watches.
Similar to their jewelry counterparts, 19th-century pocket watches began prominently featuring horse symbols through a combination of engravings, hand-painted designs, and other techniques, like caseback enameling. In the 20th century, this trend extended to early iterations of the wristwatch as well, with horse designs crafted onto the dial itself.
The Most Iconic Horse Motif: the Hermès Horse and Carriage
In years like 2026, the Year of the Horse in the Chinese zodiac, nearly every brand releases a commemorative equestrian piece. A select group of maisons, however, has solidified the horse as a lasting signature within their catalogs, making objects from these brands highly collectible for those looking to gift or grow their assortments with pieces of historical significance.
Hermès has become inextricably linked to the horse. The Maison was founded in 1837 in Paris, France, as a high-quality harness and bridle workshop for European nobility. Naturally, the horse and carriage became the official logo of the brand. As time went on, Hermès expanded to a wider variety of leather goods, including handbags, belts, and other accessories. Eventually, the Maison broadened its scope of work to include a vast array of materials beyond its signature leather. This ultimately gave way to the brand’s first jewelry collection, the Filet de selle in 1927. Initially introduced as a bracelet, the motif was a direct, miniature representation of a horse’s bridle bit. Today, horses continue to inform several of the brand’s modern jewelry families. For example, take the Brides de Gala, which incorporates elements of horse headgear, such as bits, nosebands, and snaffles, into high-end gold and diamond jewelry.
A year later, in 1928, Hermès began producing its first watches. However, it would not be until about 50 years later that the horse motif would infiltrate the Maison’s watch designs. In 1978, the brand introduced the Arceau collection named for its most notable feature: its asymmetrical, stirrup-shaped lugs. The equestrian-inspired line showcases other nods to the sport as well, like the sloping numerals meant to evoke a galloping horse. Over the years, the collection has gone on to embody the emblematic horse more literally, thanks to incredible artistry through an astounding combination of techniques, including champlevé enameling, lacquering, metal inlays, and silk threads to create horse imagery on the dial. Coming full circle, Hermès has even used leather on its watch dials, employing crafts like marquetry and details like miniature metal studs.
Other Notable Jewelry and Watch Brands with a History of Equine Symbols
Gucci is another producer that has long woven equine imagery into its jewelry and watches, most notably through the Horsebit motif. The Horsebit has become one of the fashion house’s most enduring symbols, directly inspired by the equestrian lifestyle of the English and Italian elite. The style is a miniaturization of the double ring and bar—the bit in a horse’s bridle—first appearing in the 1950s on the Maison’s handbags and loafers and eventually in its jewelry and watches in the 1970s. Later, in 2004, the Horsebit was solidified as a staple of the brand’s catalog with the debut of Gucci’s first dedicated fine jewelry collection inspired by the double-ring-and-bar design, featuring rings and necklaces as well as earrings.
While David Yurman is also a maker of both jewelry and watches, its history of the horse motif remains more limited to its core collection of jewelry. The founder himself has personal ties to horses, with a passion for riding from the young age of nine. This love of the animal and sport is represented throughout the brand’s designs, in both subtle and literal ways. The Maison’s iconic cable motif is seen in numerous interpretations throughout David Yurman’s history and catalog, which serves as a more discrete representation of the horse’s reins. However, the jewelry maker has also introduced two dedicated lines celebrating the horse motif. The first came in the 1980s with the Thoroughbred collection, which was later adapted to the brand’s watches in the new millennium. More recently, David Yurman debuted the Petrvs collection, featuring meticulously carved, ancient-style, 18K gold horse amulets that echo those from the Greek and Roman period.
When it comes to more straightforward watchmakers, there are two brands that really stand out in terms of horse iconography. The first is Longines, which is perhaps the earliest Maison to ever utilize the motif in its timepieces. As equestrian sport became increasingly widespread, the brand began serving as the official timekeeper at several races and show jumping competitions. Then, in 1878, the watchmaker designed a unique pocket watch engraved with a horse and jockey, which became widely popular at the racetracks. Nearly 150 years later, Longines continues to be deeply involved in the equestrian community. In 2013, the Maison entered a 10-year partnership with the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI), the world governing body for equestrian sports, which has since been extended to 2030. Just two years ago, the brand even went on to establish its own competition, the Longines League of Nations, a team-based international jumping series. This dedication also continues to be reflected in the Maison’s watches with designs like the Conquest 1/100th Horse Racing model, which comes equipped with an ultra-precise chronograph function that can record time with the accuracy of 1/100th of a second.
Last but certainly not least among some of the most prominent watchmakers devoted to the horse motif is Jaeger-LeCoultre, whose most iconic model, the Reverso, was developed thanks to polo players. The design is symbolic of that progression in the 19th century, in which the role of horses shifted largely from utility to sporting. In the 1930s, Jaeger-LeCoultre answered the call of British Army officers playing polo in India who were struggling to protect their watch crystals from damage during play. In response, the Maison engineered a case that would flip or “reverse,” exposing the metal back and turning the more delicate crystal inward toward the wrist to be protected. While the Reverso was originally a purpose-built design, the metal case would go on to become a canvas for artistic expression, with later models incorporating equestrian-inspired depictions as a nod to the watch’s origins.
The Enduring Legacy of the Horse Motif
There is something undeniably classic about the symbol of the horse, and yet, over hundreds of years, many artisans have found ways to keep the motif modern, fresh, and resonate with generation after generation. In doing so, designs have evolved from more literal representations of the animal to more artistic and abstract interpretations thanks to experimentation with different materials and techniques. Whether your collection incorporates pieces from some of the brands we have discussed here that have made the horse a central theme within their designs, or whether you have a one-off piece from another maker that integrates the horse motif, jewelry and watches with horse iconography make for a timeless investment that can be passed down and enjoyed for years to come.
