Baselworld 2012: For 2012, house of Hermès presents
its first manufacture movement (the Caliber H1837) and sets it within
the understated Dressage Petite Seconde watch, a mainstay of the brand
since 2003. Whilst many associate Hermès with saddlery, scarves and
ties, the brand has slowly but surely been establishing its horological
credentials – starting in 2006 with a 25% stake in Vaucher Manufacture,
then in 2008 the H1 was showcased (a proprietary movement developed
with Vaucher), and now this year the manufacture caliber H1837. On the
design front, I have long been a fan of the brand’s pieces — be it the Clipper Chrongraph in titanium, the Hermes Arceau Temps Suspendu (Best Men’s Watch at the Geneva Watchmaking Grand Prix 2011), or the Hermès Arceau Marqueterie de Paille.
This year’s Dressage with manufacture movement will be available in
either 18K pink gold case (limited to 175 pieces) or a stainless steel
edition. Available both in opaline silver and black, the dial of the
timepiece features the traditional stamped vertical striping in its
center and is equipped with dauphine-shaped open-worked hands, with
applied numerals and markers and a recessed small seconds at 6 o’clock.
Hermès Dressage Petite Seconde with Manufacture Movement
limited edition 175 pieces in pink gold; steel case (non limited)
38.4mm x 40.5mm case (steel or pink gold), automatic mechanical Hermes Caliber H1837, alligator strap
close up (pink gold case)
“After 100 years of Hermès being involved in watchmaking, we are
taking a big step this year with the first Hermès Manufacture in-house
caliber,” says Luc Perramond, CEO of Hermès. The movement, which was
five years in the development process, was created in conjunction with
Vaucher Manufacture in Fleurier, a movement maker of which Hermès is a
25 percent owner (with Sandoz Foundation owning the rest). The Hermes
Caliber H1837 is named in honor of the year that the brand was founded.
The Hermès “H” is prominently incorporated onto the movement aesthetic.
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