CIGA design, a Chinese brand that gained prominence after its GPHG win in 2021, has largely centered its collection on the acclaimed Blue Planet concept. While this design has proven its longevity through various colorways, the brand has now unveiled a dramatic new interpretation. The CIGA design Legend of Serpent transforms the familiar layout into a tribute to the Chinese Year of the Snake. This latest model features a striking, sculpted snake motif crafted from 18k gold and introduces a refined version of the brand’s signature asynchronous time display, enhancing both legibility and visual appeal without losing its theatrical essence.
The watch’s case maintains the 46mm width and 16mm thickness of its predecessors but introduces significant material updates. Instead of a coated metal, the Legend of Serpent is housed in a lugless, pebble-shaped case carved from black onyx stone. This choice imparts a deep, glossy black finish and a surprisingly warm feel on the skin, accentuating its organic curves. While the design is compelling, the highly domed sapphire crystal suffers from considerable reflection. The familiar rounded-tooth crown also shifts from ceramic to a more conventional DLC-coated stainless steel. Despite its large diameter, the truly lugless construction ensures a comfortable fit on a variety of wrist sizes, making a bold statement without being cumbersome.
The dial is where the Legend of Serpent truly shines, offering more than just an aesthetic overhaul. The centerpiece is the abstract, flowing 18k gold snake, which immediately captures attention. This element cleverly serves a dual function in a redesigned time-telling system. The snake’s head points to the hour on a fixed outer scale, while its tail indicates the minutes on a rotating inner ring. This split display is more intuitive than the previous in-line method, making the watch easier to read. Furthermore, the intricate world map of the Blue Planet is replaced by a modern, rotating honeycomb pattern. This dynamic texture, which rotates 390 degrees each hour, provides a constantly shifting backdrop for the golden serpent.
Internally, the watch is powered by the CD-04-S automatic movement, which the brand states is Swiss Made. This appears to be a notable upgrade from the Chinese-developed calibers in earlier models, likely a Sellita SW200-based design. It operates at a higher frequency of 28,800 bph and offers a 41-hour power reserve, addressing potential concerns about movement performance. The Legend of Serpent proves that CIGA design’s most successful formula is not only visually stunning but also highly adaptable. Limited to just 365 pieces with the gold snake, a non-limited version with a sterling silver motif is also offered, solidifying this watch as an accessible piece of horological art.
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