From pace to pause
Hermes answers two sides of modern time with three new timepieces
HERMES has long eschewed trends or the industry’s race to launch the “next best” timepiece. Instead, it looks at time from different perspectives, building watches with purpose as well as beauty.
This year, its newest timepieces tune that philosophy to life’s twin demands: momentum and mindfulness. The H08 – Hermes’ modern sports watch – answers the former with two fresh titanium references that sharpen its urban-elegant edge. Meanwhile, the poetic Le Temps Suspendu (French for “time suspended”) complication delivers the latter in a redesigned Arceau and, for the first time, the ladies’ Hermes Cut.
Here, we look at how these three iterations showcase the French maison’s mastery of watchmaking and emotive design.
Hermes H08
First launched in 2021, the H08 stands out in the crowded sports-watch category with its unique aesthetic: a distinctive geometric cushion case, deftly finished chamfered edges and chic, easy-to-read typography.
Two new 42 mm titanium additions expand the line with a masculine edge, while retaining the discreet chic that takes you from a morning gym session to work and evening cocktails with ease.
The first flaunts a sophisticated monochrome look that is punctuated by a pop of orange on the tip of the seconds hand. It’s offered on a matching titanium bracelet, whose matte finish underscores the watch’s resolutely robust character, or two strap options – rubber in orange, bleu abysse or black, and technical webbing in blue or black – each secured by a titanium folding clasp.
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The rhodium-plated, crystal sandblasted dial retains the H08’s hallmark minimalist dial: a grained centre encircled by a nickel-treated, satin-brushed minutes disc, bold applied Arabic numerals coated with Super-LumiNova for low-light legibility and a discreet date aperture between four and five o’clock.
The second reference boasts a more exuberant character, with bleu Saint-Cyr numerals animating the grained grey dial.
This is all framed by a black ceramic bezel that alternates between satin-brushed and mirror-polished finishes, highlighting Hermes’ knack for elevating technical materials with artisanal craftsmanship. Rubber straps in dark grey or matching bleu Saint-Cyr complete the package.
The models are powered by the Hermes H1837 automatic calibre, a 4 Hertz movement with 50 hours’ power reserve that is finished with the maison’s signature “sprinkling of Hs” decoration on its oscillating weight.
Both versions feature 100 m water resistance, screw-locked crowns and anti-glare sapphire crystals on the front and back – practical details for Singapore’s midday glare and sudden downpours.
Hermes Arceau Le Temps Suspendu
Where the H08 roots Hermes in the here and now, Le Temps Suspendu lets the maison play with the notion of pausing time itself.
First launched in 2011 and reimagined for 2025, the whimsical complication allows you to stop the time display on demand.
Press the pusher at nine o’clock and the hour and minute hands sweep to a neutral alignment framing 12, holding there while the movement continues to keep time. Press the pusher again and the hands fly back to the current time. This mechanical poetry embodies Hermes’ philosophical take on time: that it is to be lived in the moment, rather than measured.
The Arceau Le Temps Suspendu features a slender 42 mm case in white or rose gold framing an openworked dial. A translucent lacquered sapphire crystal in sun-burst blue, brun desert or rouge sellier adds subtle drama, revealing the exclusive 145-component Time Suspended module beneath.
The complication displays a 360-degree retrograde time indication with matching retrograde date. Powered by the Manufacture Hermes H1837 movement with a 45-hour power reserve that can be admired via a transparent case-back, the watches are fitted with colour-matched alligator leather or Barenia/Swift calfskin straps, which are crafted in Hermes’ own workshops.
Hermes Cut Le Temps Suspendu
Launched in 2024, the 36 mm Hermes Cut for women – defined by its circle-within-a-round geometry – debuts with the Le Temps Suspendu complication in a playful meeting of modern design and contemplative view of time.
Housed in a slightly larger 39 mm rose gold case, this new variant retains the collection’s distinctive lines, with the crown set between one and two o’clock.
The new reference offers three rose gold expressions. There’s a striking, one-off sun-burst red-tinted version and two opaline silver-toned models: one with a polished bezel, the other adorned with 60 brilliant-cut diamonds for added sparkle.
The Time Suspended module here comprises 133 components that drive a 360-degree retrograde time display and the watch’s most distinctive feature, a 24-second indicator that runs anti-clockwise, transforming Hermes’ quirkiness into kinetic art.
Despite the complication’s complexity, the dial layout maintains clear readability.
An opaline or sun-burst outer ring frames a finely sandblasted centre, while gold applied Arabic numerals and baton hands receive Super-LumiNova coating. Meanwhile, the Time Suspended arc at 12 o’clock anchors the display.
This watch is equipped with the Manufacture Hermes H1912 self-winding movement.
Specifically developed for the Cut’s proportions, it has 45 hours of power reserve and flaunts a circular-grained and snailed mainplate, satin-brushed bridges and an engraved rotor with a “sprinkling of Hs” motif.
An interchangeable strap system offers either a polished rose gold bracelet with butterfly clasp for formal occasions or a chalk-bright Craie rubber strap for casual wear, backed by robust 100 m water resistance.
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