French finesse
Hermes continues to elevate horology to an art form, as seen in this year’s standout timepieces that pay tribute to technical excellence and creative flair
FROM the extremely complex Arceau Duc Attele to the playful Arceau Chorus Stellarum and the sleek Hermes Cut for women, the French maison proves yet again that its mastery of horology is anything but conventional.
Arceau Duc Attele
Hermes’ most complex creation yet, the Arceau Duc Attele is a horological masterpiece that combines technical sophistication with the maison’s equestrian legacy. Designed by Henri d’Origny in 1978, the Arceau’s iconic round case with asymmetric stirrup lugs now features a double act of watchmaking marvels: a tri-axial tourbillon and a “tuning fork” minute repeater.
The 43 mm creation houses an incredible display of mechanical artistry. Its centrepiece, a sapphire-domed tourbillon with three cages and rotating axes, is enhanced by polished, double H-shaped titanium carriages that reflect Hermes’ heritage. Representing the initials of the founding couple, Emile Hermes and Julie Hollande, they also mirror the ironwork adorning the lift at the maison’s original Parisian boutique.
The minute repeater chimes the hours, quarters and minutes with a rich, deep tone reminiscent of cathedral bells. Crafted in the shape of a horse’s head, the hammer strikes the hardened steel gong with precision and clarity. Every aspect of the dial reflects the meticulousness of the house, from the dynamic incline of the Arabic numerals that recalls a galloping horse, to the striking blue claw-shaped hands elegantly sweeping across the chapter ring.
Powered by the Manufacture H1926 Calibre, a high-frequency movement revealed through a sapphire case-back, the watch’s intricate decor is inspired by the wheels of the duc attele – a canopy-top carriage drawn by two horses. The anthracite PVD-coated mainplate and bridges highlight contrasting tones, while horse head-and-mane racks evoke the maison’s hallmark carriage.
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Limited to 24 pieces each, the watch is offered in titanium with a lower dial featuring a lozenge-type striped guilloche motif with anthracite coating, or in rose gold with an aventurine lower dial. The first model is paired with a matte anthracite alligator strap, while the other comes with a matte abyss-blue alligator strap.
Arceau Chorus Stellarum
Hermes ventures into the realm of on-demand impulse watches for the first time with the intriguing Arceau Chorus Stellarum. This whimsical creation brings to life a mischievous equestrian universe through an enchanting combination of mobile appliques, engraving and miniature painting.
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Inspired by the 2022 Hermes Chorus Stellarum silk scarf designed by Japanese illustrator Daiske Nomura, the timepiece features a gothic skeleton rider on its noble steed, meticulously engraved and hand-painted in yellow gold. Activating a pusher at 9 o’clock breathes life into the appliques as they prance around a gilded constellation created using the intricate champleve technique.
The dial transforms into a celestial canvas that captures the enigmatic allure of the zodiac, brought to life by vibrant lacquer-coated motifs and rhodium-plated stars. Hermes emblems are reimagined through Nomura’s quirky lens, which draws from contemporary cartoons, manga and gaming culture to blend fantasy and futurism.
This limited edition is available in two slender, 41 mm white gold versions. One features a skeleton horseman, while the other flaunts a diamond-set bezel encircling a skeleton horsewoman. Driven by the Hermes Manufacture H1837 movement, the Arceau Chorus Stellarum fuses precision engineering with creative storytelling. Paired with a matte abyss-blue or pearl-grey alligator strap, each watch is a numbered series of six.
Hermes Cut
The maison ventures into new territory with the Hermes Cut – its first mechanical sports watch for women. Celebrating the maison’s playful approach to geometry, the new reference takes the classic round shape and reimagines it with bold edges and crisp lines, creating a universally appealing iteration with a distinctive and sophisticated identity.
The beautifully balanced proportions of the satin-brushed and polished 36 mm case, paired with sharp, clean-cut edges, accentuate the watch’s refined character. The bevel-cut bezel teases the eye with playful reflections, framing a spacious dial that’s all about clarity and simplicity. Then there’s the offbeat charm of the crown set between 1 and 2 o’clock, a subtle nod to Hermes’ penchant for breaking the rules with nothing less than style.
Luminescent Arabic numerals punctuate the smooth curves, while an embossed font adds just the right amount of texture, letting the watch’s minimalist aesthetic shine through. Polished and partly openworked baton-shaped hands, along with a large second hand tipped with a luminous dot, glide over the silver-toned dial enhanced by a grey and orange-accented minute track.
The 100 m water-resistant timepiece is equipped with the Manufacture Hermes H1912 Calibre, a self-winding mechanical movement with a 50-hour power reserve that’s visible via a see-through caseback. Available in all-steel or a refined two-tone combination of steel and rose gold – with or without 56 bezel-set diamonds – the watch effortlessly balances versatility with a touch of luxury.
The seamlessly integrated bracelet flows with the curves on the case, and if you’re looking to switch things up, the ingenious interchangeable system lets you swop between rubber straps in a range of eight chic colours from the Hermes palette. Whether you’re at the gym or a gala, the Hermes Cut is all about effortless elegance – proving that less really is more when every detail is executed to perfection.
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