The Arceau Grande Lune The Arceau Grande Lune

From Hermès -

Courtesy of Hermès

Here are the pertinents -

CASE

Henri d’Origny (1978)
Very Large Model (TGM), 43 mm, round Anti-glare sapphire crystal and caseback

DIAL

Blue dial.
Transferred Arabic numerals. Rhodium-plated hands

MOVEMENT

Mechanical self-winding movement, crafted in Switzerland

MODULE

Large Moon module

FUNCTIONS

Hours, minutes, seconds, date at 6 o’clock,
moon phase at 6 o’clock, day and month at 12 o’clock

BUCKLE

316L steel folding clasp, 22 mm

STRAP

Matt Abyss blue alligator strap

The ARCEAU Grands Fonds

From Hermès Horloger 

Courtesy of Hermes

The basic watch design of the watch dates back to 1978 when Henri d’Origny brought forth the Arceau.

The movement is the Manufacture Hermès H1837 movement, which is mechanical, self-winding (that's automatic to you).

Courtesy of Hermes

What really sets the ARCEAU Grande Fonds apart is the dial.  The dial is described by  Hermès as glass mosaic.  

Courtesy of Hermes

Per Hermès, each dial takes a minimum of one month to create.  Per the release, there will be a grand total of 6 of these created, so if it's in your wheelhouse, don't dawdle ; )

The case is of white gold and measures 41 mm in diameter.

Here are the pertinents, straight from the source -

Limited and numbered edition of six

MOVEMENT
Manufacture Hermès H1837 movement Mechanical self-winding, crafted in Switzerland Diameter: 26 mm
Thickness: 3.7 mm
Power reserve: 50 hours
Frequency: 28,800 vibrations per hour / 4Hz Functions: Hours, minutes

CASE
Shape / size: Round, 41 mm diameter Material: White gold
Glass: Anti-glare sapphire crystal and case-back Water resistance: 3 bar

DIAL
Glass mosaic

STRAP
Sapphire blue alligator

PRE-SIHH From Hermès

A new take on the Cape Cod -

Courtesy of Hermès

Available in a few new versions, the two that caught my eye were these.  A blue lacquered dial (above).

And a what Hermès refers to as a black gold-treated and polished dial (below) -

Courtesy of Hermès

Here are the pertinents -

DIAL

Blue lacquered or black gold-treated and polished dial, coated with a translucent lacquer.
Applied “Anchor Chain” hour-markers. Rhodium-plated hands

CASE
A square embedded in a rectangle
Large model (GM), 29 x 29 mm, lug width of 19 mm Imagined by Henri d’Origny in 1991
316L steel
Sapphire crystal with anti-glare treatment Water-resistant to 3 bar

STRAP
Malta blue grained or étoupe smooth calfskin, single or double tour, equipped with a 316L steel 17 mm pin buckle

MOVEMENT
Quartz, Swiss made

FUNCTIONS
Hours and minutes

The ARCEAU Chrono Titane

From Hermes -

Courtesy of Hermes

The case measures 41 mm in diameter and is of bead-blasted Titanium (grade 2).  The dial is described as "Galvanic" black, with white Arabic numbers.  The movement is self-winding (mechanical) and is Swiss made. 

Courtesy of Hermes

Hours, minutes, seconds and date.  The chronograph functions include the running seconds at 3 o'clock, a 30 minute counter at 9 o'clock and a 12 hour counter at 6 o'clock.  

The strap can be had in either Natural Barenia calfskin, or black embossed Barenia calfskin.

Based on the original design (1978) of Henri d’Origny, Hermes has an exciting SIHH preview with this one.

Here are the pertinents -

TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS

CASE

Designer: Henri d’Origny (1978)
Size: Very Large Model (TGM)
Round, 41 mm diameter, 21 mm lug width Beadblasted grade 2 titanium case (Ti 99%) Sapphire crystal with anti-glare treatment Water-resistant to 3 bar

DIAL
Galvanic black, White transferred Arabic numerals and minute circle, rhodium-plated and red hands

MOVEMENT
Mechanical self-winding, Swiss made 28 mm diameter (12 1⁄2’’’)
6.1 mm thick
42-hour power reserve
37 jewels
28,800 vibrations per hour (4 Hz)

FUNCTIONS
Hours, minutes, chronograph, small seconds at 3 o’clock,
date between 4 and 5 o’clock, 30-minute counter at 9 o’clock, 12-hour counter at 6 o’clock, central 60-second chronograph hand

STRAP
Natural Barenia calfskin
Black embossed Barenia calfskin

 

25 Years of the Cape Cod

Time flies, and for Hermès and their Cape Cod, the passage of time has been marked by a watch that has not only caught but secured the attention of the watch buying public.

Courtesy of Hermès 

What started as a whimsical notion has become a mainstay in the Hermès collection. 

Here in their own words, some background on the Cape Cod -

This creation was born from a wild desire and a singular vision: that of a man who invented it by designing a square inside a rectangle. Easier said than done, yet Henri d’Origny achieved it by drawing inspiration from the Chaîne d’ancre link. Doubtless because he is a free spirit and because the watch he imagined (despite being more used to designing Hermès silk scarves) featured such a self-evident aesthetic that it achieved global renown.

Its success was further amplified by Martin Margiela’s novel idea for his very first Hermès runway show in 1998: adding a double-wrap strap that would later be known simply as the “Double Tour”. Sales rocketed and the Cape Cod watch became an icon, almost a style in its own right.  

Courtesy of Hermès

 Happy Birthday Cape Cod!