Year of the snake sees a jewellery trend upscaling

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Those born in the year of the snake, the sixth in the 12-yearly Chinese zodiac cycle, which falls in 2025, are said to be intelligent, charming and elegant – albeit extremely private and vengeful. In Greek and Roman mythology, serpents signify fertility, power and renewal, while the ancient Egyptians associated the snake with royalty and protection and its likeness often adorned the heads of Pharaohs. 

Abundant in symbolism, the serpent is ubiquitous in jewellery design. Paris-based jeweller Elie Top’s creations have “distressed” silver scales and opals or rubies set at the heads. Los Angeles-based Azlee creates earrings that appear to slither around the lobes. And one of Elsa Peretti’s most enduring designs for Tiffany & Co, in 1974, was inspired by the end of a rattlesnake that she was given for good luck. 

The coiling figure takes on fresh meaning with the lunar new year, which commences on the new moon between 21 January and 20 February (this year it’s 29 January) and brings with it 15 days of festivities in China and around the world. Each new zodiac, and its associated animal, has also provided opportunities for brands to appeal to Chinese consumers, whose spending on personal luxury goods is projected to reach $65bn by the end of 2025, according to Euromonitor International. “By embracing events like Chinese New Year and incorporating these themes into marketing strategies, luxury brands can deepen their appeal with Chinese consumers both at home and abroad, including among the vast Chinese diaspora,” says Fflur Roberts, head of luxury goods at Euromonitor International. “The snake, already a prominent design element in high-end jewellery, is set to gain even greater popularity, making 2025 a significant year for related product lines.” 

It has this vintage flair, but at the same time feels very contemporary

The jeweller best known for snakes is Bvlgari. The Roman house first introduced the motif in 1948 with a watch that utilised the Tubogas technique – whereby a strip of metal is tightly wound to create an articulated bracelet – to wrap around the wrist, with a square case for the head. The brand continued to develop the serpent motif and went global with it in 1962, when Elizabeth Taylor was photographed wearing a Serpenti watch with diamonds along the head and tail, and the face nestled in the snake’s mouth, on the set of Cleopatra. The actress’s fame, as well as public speculation about whether the watch was a gift from her husband Eddie Fisher or her future husband and co-star Richard Burton, helped to boost Bvlgari’s international renown. “It has always been an incredible symbol and signature of Bvlgari,” says deputy CEO Laura Burdese. “It has this vintage flair, but at the same time feels very contemporary, plus it’s super-wearable because it’s versatile and flexible.” 

To cement its hold on all things serpentine, this month Bvlgari is hosting an exhibition titled Serpenti Infinito at Zhang Yuan, the 1880s-era cultural block in Shanghai, which will then travel around the world. The first instalment includes artworks by Chinese and international artists, as well as Serpenti high jewellery such as a chain sautoir necklace with a 140.53ct rubellite. Bvlgari has also released a new fine-jewellery collection with Tubogas Serpenti pieces including a necklace, bracelet and ring in gold, diamond and onyx. “I know clients that have created collections of Serpenti over the years, and that is really amazing,” says Bvlgari’s jewellery executive creative director Lucia Silvestri. The exhibition will allow them to “see how we have developed the snake creatively”.

For Taiwanese-American jeweller Anna Hu, the serpent takes on additional significance. “The snake is my sign, and I feel naturally drawn to exploring the interpretations that this mystical creature embodies.” Hu only releases one-off designs, and has previously made a hand ornament with two snakes coiling around the wrist and finger, connected by a yin and yang disc symbolising the contrasting forces in the natural world. “This piece was a commission for Cindy Sherman, who wanted something unexpected, and is now on permanent display at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris,” says Hu. 

Contemporary brands have also reinterpreted the snake motif in new ways. Milan-based Bea Bongiasca’s bestselling Vine Tendril rings loop around the finger, made out of glossy enamel-plated silver and with drop-cut stones for a head. At New York-based Dyne, jeweller Sarah Ysabel Narici makes one-of-a-kind signet rings with custom hieroglyphic motifs that often feature serpents. “I find myself endlessly captivated by snakes when designing,” says London-based Cece Fein Hughes, the founder of Cece Jewellery, who also engraves the reptiles on rings. “They are a powerful reminder of renewal, as they shed their skin to mark new beginnings.”

London-based New Zealand jeweller Jessica McCormack created her first snake in 2019, an enamel ouroboros that’s designed to be worn on the little finger. It’s still a hit with customers. “People are quite Marmite about snakes, they either love them or hate them,” says McCormack. “For some, they represent jealousy and evil, as in the story of Adam and Eve, while for others they are about eternal love or life.” McCormack recently had a private commission for a pink-enamel snake with a pink-diamond head. “I’m not usually a pink person, but I loved this because the pink diamond – which is quite preppy – became a little more edgy because of the snake.” 

Much of the appeal of slithering, coiling jewellery also lies in its ability to look sinister, no matter what form it takes. “Our customers love Serpenti, firstly because they love the movement, but also the fact that it’s feminine and self-confident,” says Bvlgari’s Silvestri. “They also love that it’s well defined and sophisticated in terms of craftsmanship – we can say that we are selling works of art.”