Cosmic and dreamlike. Setting foot on the moon and losing one’s sense of time and space. The new Hermes Arceau L’heure de la lune watch offers a unique vision of Earth’s satellite with the simultaneous display of moon phases in both northern and southern hemispheres. Two mobile counters gravitate on a meteorite or aventurine dial, revealing mother-of-pearl moons in step with an exclusive module, coupled with a Manufacture Hermès movement.

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An offbeat expression of a classic horological complication, the Arceau L’heure de la lune watch offers an original interpretation of Hermès watchmaking expertise. Framed by a white gold case, the mechanics adopt a light, barely-there role. Meteorite or aventurine inlaid with mother-of-pearl form a cosmos in which satellite dials float above hemispherical moons.

These mischievous displays have swapped cardinal points, with the south above and the north below. A topsy-turvy direction inviting observers to lose their bearings, with their head in the stars...

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The horse, representing the origins of Hermès, gallops elegantly into the world of dreams. At 12 o’clock, the moon is adorned by a Pegasus created by the “dreamer- designer” Dimitri Rybaltchenko. Entitled Pleine Lune (Full Moon), this portrayal of the winged horse hints at a passage between two worlds, where magic and reality merge. On the other side, at 6 o’clock, the view of the moon from the northern hemisphere provides a realistic depiction of its surface.

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The mobile counters displaying the time and date turn weightlessly to reveal the moon discs, while maintaining their horizontal orientation. This contemporary dance is choreographed by a module exclusively developed for Hermès and for which a patent has been filed. With a total thickness of just 4.2mm, its 117 polished and bead-blasted components are incorporated within the Manufacture Hermès H1837 movement: a technical challenge designed to preserve the slenderness of the overall mobile chassis, which sweeps around the dial in 59 days.

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The mother-of-pearl moons set into the stone display the lunar cycles in the northern and southern hemispheres. This mysterious game of hide-and-seek reveals nothing of its technical complexity, so as to give pride of place to dreams.

Within this space-time, metal, stars and rock seamlessly merge the watch exterior with the movement to form an unprecedented technical and aesthetic display of simple and graphic readability. The double moon here eclipses a traditional aperture-type display, instead covering the entire surface of the dial.

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The result is a free-spirited and impertinent vision of mechanical watchmaking according to Hermès.

The Arceau case with its asymmetrical lugs, designed by Henri d’Origny in 1978, becomes a lunar crater made of meteorite stone or aventurine, while the lacquered dials, gravitating like satellites, display Arabic numerals with a distinctive sloping font. This Haute Horlogerie timepiece is issued in two 100-piece limited editions, and fitted with a matt alligator strap in graphite grey or abyss blue.

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Hermes Arceau L’heure De La Lune

Technical specifications:

Dial:

·      Aventurine Dial: White-lacquered mobile counters, black transfers

·      Meteorite Dial: Gradated grey-lacquered mobile counters, white transfers

·      Moons in white natural mother-of-pearl

·      Southern moon: Pegasus transfer inspired by the Pleine Lune motif designed by Dimitri Rybaltchenko

·      Northern moon: lunar surface transfer Blued hands

Case:

·      Designed by Henri d’Origny in 1978

·      White gold case (≈ 68.2g)

·      43mm in diameter, 22mm interhorn width

·      Antiglare sapphire crystal and case-back

·      Water-resistant to 3 bar

Movement:

·      Hermès Manufacture H1837 movement Mechanical self-winding, Swiss made

·      Diameter: 26mm (111⁄2’’’); Thickness: 3.7mm

·      193 components, 28 jewels

·      Frequency: 28,800 vph (4Hz)

·      Circular-grained and snailed baseplate, satin-brushed bridges and oscillating weight, signature “H” pattern

Module:

·      Exclusive “L’heure de la lune” module

·      Diameter: 38mm (163⁄4’’’)

·      Thickness: 4.2mm

·      117 components, 14 jewels

·      Polished and bead-blasted bridges

Functions: Hours, minutes, date, double moon phase (display of moon phases seen from the northern and southern hemispheres)

Strap:

·      Aventurine Dial: Matt abyss blue alligator

·      Meteorite Dial: Matt graphite grey alligator

·      17mm white gold folding clasp (≈ 26.39g)

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The price for the Hermes Arceau L’heure De La Lune is $25,500 and is limited edition to 100 pieces for each version.

For more information visit Hermes Online.