8 January 2016

Swatch watch 'Lucky Monkey' references Chinese New Year 2016, the year of the Fire Monkey

On 8 February, the Chinese New Year of the Monkey starts. In the 12-year animal cycle of the Chinese calendar, one of the zodiac signs is the monkey which appears as five characters after the elements as Wood, Water, Earth, Metal and in 2016 as Fire Monkey. Swatch named the colorful watch with red monkey 'Lucky Monkey'. The monkey holds a peach in his hand. The depiction of the 'Lucky Monkey' is inspired by the Monkey King figure of the 16th century comic adventure novel 'Journey to the West' which is mainly about a Buddhist monk of the 7th century who brings sacred texts from China to India. The fantasy novel about the monk on his spiritual journey has one big hero (the monkey - video about the character) and various episodes such as one where the Monkey King eats one of the heavenly peaches at a garden and becomes immortal. The year of the Fire Monkey stands for wit and creativity - some predict even unconventional solutions to old problems.

The watch is available at Swatch stores and on shop.swatch.com.

Photo: (C) By Swatch.


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