Watches and Wonders 2024 can only mean one thing - more watches, as you might expect. On the event’s first big day, Hermes has unveiled three sublime new novelties that are in-keeping with the brand’s signature style and keen eye for detail, including some sublime pieces of high-class watchmaking.
Hermes Cut
The Cut. Credit: Hermes.
The first watch from Hermes’ collection is the Cut, an elegant women’s sports watch with the option of an integrated bracelet, in keeping with recent trends. With the Cut, Hermes is aiming to take charge of a highly competitive space dominated by Omega and Rolex and is doing so by offering a sleek sports watch complete with a polished and brushed case that catches the light well.
Its dial, while simple, looks excellent with applied Arabic numerals and in-set minute track which complement the overall look and feel of the case, while the baton hands and large seconds hand with luminous dot add an element of utility to a classy and elegant piece. The crown is placed at the 1:30 position, which is unique to the Cut, and either comes decorated with an engraved or lacquered ‘H’, depending on variant.
The Cut. Credit: Hermes.
The Cut is available either with an integrated bracelet, or with a rubber strap in eight colours, including Hermes’ signature Orange. It is also available either in steel, a two-tone mix of steel and rose gold, or with an option for 56 bezel-set diamonds for an extra helping of luxury if needed.
It features an in-house Hermes H1912 movement, a mechanical self-winding calibre, as well as an exhibition caseback, complete with sapphire crystal and custom rotor. With Hermes, I’d expect no less - this is a sublime 36mm piece that’s sure to catch the eye.
Hermes Arceau Duc Attele
Arceau Duc Attele. Credit: Hermes.
I promised some high-class watchmaking, and the Arceau Duc Attele delivers on that promise. Limited to just 24 pieces, this piece offers a 43mm polished titanium or rose gold case and comes complete with a guilloche motif dial, complete with anthracite coating and domed sapphire crystal and comes with a pair of incredible complications.
This piece features a triple-axis tourbillion, which improves accuracy by countering gravity’s effects on a watch’s movement. With the Arceau Duc Attele, the tourbillion features 99 components, as well as mirror-polished carriages where each one takes a different time to complete a single revolution, enhancing the Arceau Duc Attele’s overall accuracy. Being a triple-axis tourbillion, it also features three separate axes, which complete their respective rotations either in 25, 60 or 300 seconds. As well as being a tourbillon, this is also a minute repeater, which chimes every minute, 15 minutes, and hour. Hermes also says that the curved hours and minutes display is designed such that it looks like a galloping horse, harking back to the brand’s equestrian roots.
Arceau Duc Attele. Credit: Hermes.
The Arceau Duc Attele is powered by an in-house hand-wound H1925 movement with 54 jewels and a 48 hour power reserve. The movement can be viewed through the watch’s exhibition caseback with sapphire crystal and anti-glare coating and looks sublime.
Hermes Arceau Chorus Stellarum
If a limited edition piece with a triple axis tourbillion and minute repeater wasn’t enough, Hermes has also announced the Arceau Chorus Stellarum, which is a limited edition of just six pieces. This piece offers a case in 750-grade white gold, which is 41mm in diameter, and an alligator blue leather strap with matching 750-grade white gold pin buckle.
Chorus Stellarum. Credit: Hermes.
The standout feature here is the Chorus Stellarum’s dial, which combines Hermes’ equestrian roots, as well as a mythological motif that integrates well with Hermes’ Emilie collection. The dial is an exhibition in getting a dial right, with a blend of champleve work with raised features, as well as applied and painted stars and a yellow-gold horse which rears up at the touch of a button. If that wasn’t enough, the Chorus Stellarum’s bezel is also set with up to 70 diamonds, depending on the model, adding another welcome touch of luxury to an already incredible piece.
A self-winding, in-house Hermes H1837 movement powers this piece of art, offering a 50-hour power reserve, while the yellow-gold horse and rider are summoned on-demand by a pusher at the 9 o’clock position.
Conclusion
Hermes’ announcement for Watches and Wonders 2024 is certainly eye-catching and fills a useful void in their main lineup of models with the Cut to hopefully continue some excellent growth in recent years. Their two new Arceau novelties are an exhibition in haute horlogerie and look absolutely brilliant.
