Fly Me To The Moon

TENERIFE - THE LARGEST of Spain's Canary Islands - is a magnet for European tourists flocking to its beaches and volcanic sights. It's also home to the Teide Observatory, again the biggest in the world, from where astronomers can study the moon and the stars from giant telescopes pointed at the heavens.

Perched on top of Mount Teide, a dormant volcano and Spain's tallest peak, it stands at 7840 feet above sea level - a stunning spot which French fashion house Hermès chose to unveil the star of its latest watch collection in October 2018. As the setting sun descended on Mount Teide, Hermès revealed its L'heure de la lune watch - in a preview before it appeared at the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH) watch fair this month.

As befitting the watch, "For sure, we wanted to do something in an observatory," says Laurent Dordet, CEO of La Montre Hermes, Hermes' watchmaking arm. "We thought it would be more appropriate to come to the Canary Islands. We can't hold it in France. That would be a little too domestic," joked the 49-year-old.