Delightful details define the limited edition Hermès Arceau Mon Premier Galop, revealing the Maison’s mastery in cherished artisanal techniques.
The first strides of a horse – tentative yet bold and graceful – are brought to life on the new Arceau Mon Premier Galop timepiece. The use of different textures to create depth and detail through an elaborate 30-piece jigsaw-like process was made possible by uniting the exceptional skills of the artisans at Hermès. This joyful interpretation of the Mon Premier Galop shawl by artist Tong Ren, combines simple lines, colour blocks and refined decorative-trimming motifs to depict a horse moving across the sand with a fluttering butterfly, under the bright sun peeking out from the clouds.
Like the passing of time, a horse’s gallop is a forward motion that cannot be reversed, making this iteration on a timepiece all the more brilliant. Not to mention, the choice of the Arceau as a canvas; designed by Henri d’Origny in 1978, the timeless Arceau watch harks back to Hermès’ equestrian roots with its stirrup-shaped lugs.
At 38mm, the details of the scene depicted on the dial are impressive. The anti-glare sapphire crystal allows a clear view of the enchanting scene captured here: silk threads interweave with colourful leather fragments against a clear sky and radiant sun crafted in enamel, a meticulous technique that involves applying layer upon layer of enamel with a brush and drying them in a kiln to derive the unique colours and contrasts required. Against the blue enamel background, the horse stands out with its play on texture: composed of silk threads along with fine tesserae in various shades of leather trimmed to just 0.5mm in thickness, each section is individually assembled on the dial. The leather and silk threads are then enlivened by a tiny hand-painted gold mobile applique.
Limited to 24 pieces, the limited edition Arceau Mon Premier Galop watch comes in white gold set with 82 diamonds on its bezel, a sight to behold on its own, yet doesn’t steal the show away from the intricacies of the dial. At the heart of the timepiece is the mechanical self-winding Manufacture Hermès H1912 movement with a power reserve of 50 hours. Admire the finishes and the ‘sprinkling of Hs’ motif adorning the bridges and oscillating weight through the sapphire case-back. To complete the look, the watch comes with a Zephyr blue Swift calfskin strap to bring out the details of the dial.
Images courtesy of Hermès, artwork by Curatedition. All rights reserved.
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