BY HARLAN CHAPMAN-GREEN
Hermès, a pinnacle of exclusivity and desirability in the fashion world, stands shoulder to shoulder with renowned brands like Chanel, Gucci, and Louis Vuitton. Just like its counterparts, Hermès is venturing into the watchmaking industry, backed by a powerhouse design team. Today, we delve into two of their highly anticipated 2024 releases, a privilege for our esteemed readers.
Cut
The pieces that will garner the brand the most attention have come in the form of their new Cut line. The delivery of this new line of watches was, well, odd. It seems clear that this is a set of watches designed mostly for women, but at Watches & Wonders, it seemed as if they wanted to do everything except say that, perhaps it’s because these 36mm pieces are quite feminine in their designs but are sized to be quite neutral.
There are four versions of the Cut being released, and they all come with this not-quite-square not-quite-round case with an offset crown. I would they’re all quite versatile looking, but the steel model with the steel bezel and steel bracelet is probably the most versatile. There’s also a steel model with a diamond set bezel, a two-tone steel and gold model and a two-tone model with a diamond-set bezel. Colourful rubber straps are also available, and every watch has a selfwinding calibre H1912 which is visible through the caseback. This movement is a time-only calibre with a 50-hour power reserve and intriguing H motifs on it. These watches start at $6725 for a steel model on a rubber strap, prices vary more depending on the strap and material choices.
Arceau Duc Attelé
It would be easy to call Hermès a fashion brand and leave it at that, it would also be terribly incorrect. The new Arceau Duc Attelé is a tribute to that, as within its 43mm case (made of either titanium or rose gold) is a minute repeater and also a triple-axis tourbillon. There are all kinds of easter eggs for Hermès aficionados to look for, but the highlights are the horsehead-shaped hammers for the unique tuning fork gongs and the tourbillon cage. Made from polished titanium, the tourbillon cage features intertwined H logos, which can also be found in the ironwork of Hermès’ flagship Paris boutique.
Around the back is the view of the hand-wound calibre H1926. Developed by Hermès and movement expert Le Cercle des Horlogers, this movement features a lot of sapphire crystal so you can observe what’s happening inside. There are also more unique touches, such as the minute repeater’s mechanism which is shaped like a horse’s head. Also, the wheels are designed to look like those of the Duc Attelé, the horse-drawn racing carriage used in the Hermès logo.
Both watches are exceptional and also likely to be exceptionally expensive, but pricing is only available upon request.
