Feel the passing of time with the all-new Hermès H08.
Time is felt but not seen. We are all bound by it, denoting significant moments in life with time markers. With the launch of the new H08 series of watches designed for the modern man, Hermès draws us into this connection we have with time in the setting of a modern art installation. Personified in modern dance moves flowing through “hour markers”, the press presentation we attended in Singapore dives deeper into our consciousness of time and leads us to discover its infinite, simultaneous forms.
Coming across as a casual everyday watch, the Swiss-made Hermès H08 line of watches goes a level beyond, triggering a dialogue in design, between opposites and contrasts. This is apparent even at first glance; the H08’s sporty silhouette is defined by a 39x39mm cushion shaped frame with a screw-down crown, embracing a circular satin-brushed dial. The curved edges of the watch soften its handsome, taut lines, balancing the lines and curves harmoniously as its heart beats to rhythm of the mechanical self-winding Manufacture Hermès H1837 movement.
The design narrative of the watch carries on to the Super-LumiNova®-enhanced Arabic numerals lining the dial. The numeric font possesses a distinct character with the numbers 0 and 8 conjuring the form of the case. This design emphasis on these two numerals goes deeper in significance – 0 echoes emptiness, and 8 placed horizontally is the symbol of infinity. The journey of time is thus one between nothing and everything.
Presented in 3 versions, two of which come with a choice of strap change, the all-new H08 series shines through with its flair for detail. The first is a fascinating monochromatic model featuring a graphene-filled composite case, topped by a satin-brushed and polished ceramic bezel. Its black gold-coated dial showcases a grey transferred minutes track, and black nickel-coated hands displaying the hours, minutes, central seconds, and date at half past four. The monochrome theme extends to its black-tinted sapphire case-back, and is completed by a black rubber strap secured by a titanium butterfly clasp.
Next comes the two-tone, matt black DLC-coated titanium iteration featuring a black nickel-coated dial, paired with either a blue or black webbing band, or a rubber strap in black or signature orange. What’s worth noting is that the woven strap was specially developed for the H08, with comfort and durability in mind. As for the tonal depth, it runs through the design with the black gold-coated satin-brushed minutes disc contrasting with the white minutes track, along with the sunburst satin-brushed titanium bezel with mirror-polished chamfers.
The final variation comes with a satin-brushed titanium case with rhodium-plated applied numerals and watch hands. The titanium models are paired with either a Titanium Black or orange rubber strap, or a matching titanium bracelet with a unique link pattern showcasing the shape of the iconic Hermès “H.”.
The H08 is a charming snapshot of the multi-facetted Hermès man of the times envisioned by Véronique Nichanian who has led the house’s menswear universe for three decades. In this world, comfort meets functionality, the robust is balanced against the delicate, and in the movement of time, we experience a stillness in between.
Images courtesy of Hermès. Additional event images by Yang, artwork by Curatedition. All rights reserved.
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