Hermès - A young, well-crafted history of watchmaking.
While Hermès is renowned for its leather craftsmanship, dating back to nearly 1837 and its founding by Thierry Hermès, its foray into watchmaking is more discreet. Compared to other major brands, Hermès and its artisans have been crafting watches for about forty years. However, a closer look at its history reveals that a few Hermès-branded watches predate this. The first appeared in 1912 when Émile Hermès indulged his daughter Jacqueline's whim and created a leather strap for a pocket watch.
This French luxury brand, however, maintained a presence in the industry by opening a boutique in 1928, offering brands such as Rolex, Universal Genève, and Jaeger-LeCoultre. The saddler with the orange box even achieved a remarkable feat by negotiating the inclusion of its name on the watches sold in its boutique at 24 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré. This collaboration with the leading names in Swiss watchmaking lasted for 50 years, until 1978 when Hermès decided to enter the watchmaking world.
As the tanner wanted to do things properly, he set up a branch called “La Montre Hermès SA” in Biel, the hidden capital of Swiss watchmaking where you can find Omega, Rolex, Movado… And it was once surrounded by the best that Hermès gave free rein to its creativity and offered its first models.
The first and undoubtedly most famous model is the Hermès “Arceau” watch, launched in 1978. It draws inspiration from a saddle stirrup, a nod to Hermès' strong equestrian heritage. This was followed in 1980 by the Clipper model, a sporty timepiece shaped like a porthole. Then came the Rallye in 1985, whose articulated bracelet attachments echo the shape of a horse's bit, and the Sellier in 1987, featuring a saddle nail at its center. In terms of iconic releases, the Belt appeared in 1999, its design echoing the "H" found on the French saddler's belts.
From a technical standpoint, Hermès demonstrated its expertise in the 2000s by offering the Tandem with its beveled crystal and the Nomade with an automatic quartz movement. This coincided with a double anniversary: Hermès' 75 years in watchmaking and the 25th anniversary of its establishment in Biel/Bienne. The release of the Dressage model symbolized the beginning of a relationship between the Vaucher manufacture and Hermès. This partnership would lead to a calendar version of the Dressage model, as well as a host of other watches featuring Vaucher calibers.
Dressage Watch with Hidden Hour
In addition to its desire to establish itself near the cradle of haute horlogerie, the French saddler is venturing into the field, and exceptional models from the orange-clad house are appearing at the most prestigious watchmaking events. The most striking model remains a reinterpretation of the Arceau model with the “Hermès Arceau L'Heure De La Lune,” presented at SIHH 2019. This watch is a more poetic version of the iconic model released in 1978, placing the moon phase at its heart, whereas it is normally just one complication among many. Moreover, it features not one, but two moons on the dial, creating a veritable dancing ballet on the aventurine or meteorite dial. This demonstration of expertise is further enhanced by the presence of an Hermès H1837 movement with a module patented by the saddler, showcasing the wealth of knowledge acquired over some forty years.
Today, Hermès enjoys a strong watchmaking reputation and develops its ranges in the same way as all other major groups, while also maintaining excellence in leather goods and all their forms. Recently, the HO8 model, the sportier version of the range, has appeared and is gradually establishing itself within the collection.
Whether you love it or hate it, it is important to note all the work done by Hermès in such a short time, and we hope that they will maintain this desire to be involved as much in watchmaking innovation as in the development of models with particular shapes that stand out a little in a watchmaking field with well-established codes.
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