Zhong Tianyang
"Hermès watches are not only classic and timeless, but more importantly, they have a free charm that breaks away from the shackles of time. It gives people a sense of lightness and pleasure, while injecting interesting fantasies, which means relaxing and enjoying good times, rather than dominating time. At the recent Geneva "Watches and Wonders" exhibition, Hermès as an exhibitor released a new work for 2022, and Philippe Delhotal, Creative Director of Hermès Watches, explained the stylistic characteristics of Hermès watches in an interview. He believes that the charm of Hermès watches is to provide the wearer with a "fun way to get along with time", "to be friends with time, to indulge in pleasure, and no longer try to control and constrain." ”
Hermès Arceau Le temps voyageur
In Philippe Delhotal's eyes, the new watch that impressed him the most and best represented this "fun" was the newly launched Arceau Le temps voyageur. The watch features a Travelling Time device developed specifically for the brand. The active time division disk can move freely around the circle of cities represented by 24 time zones around the world, and the time of the city is marked at this time by the red pointer at the junction. At the same time, the window at 12 o'clock also shows the hometown time and displays it 24 hours, so that the difference between day and night is clear at a glance.
"The satellites in the watch move freely through cities, giving the dial a new form and inviting the wearer on a journey of discovery around the world. The satellite hovers over a fictional map inspired by graphic designer Jérôme Colliard's depiction of an equestrian planet for Hermès. You can clearly perceive Hermès's attempt to convey a rich sensory experience through extraordinary qualities, immersing one in an atmosphere of meditation, reflection or joy, giving meaning to the passage of time. Philippe Delhotal said.
This free time romance is also vividly presented on another watch. Hermès Arceau Les folies du ciel combines miniature painting, engraving and light design, and Hermès recreates a fantastic journey in the watch. Through the wisps of green smoke emanating from the chimney, you can see the pearl ornamentation of the mother-of-pearl dial, which is decorated with two green and pink full hot air balloons. The bottom of the two hot air balloons is a hand-painted hanging basket made of platinum, which resembles a small bird.
Hermès Arceau Les folies du ciel soaring skyline dream watch
At 12 o'clock, a hand-painted balloon rises above two hot air balloons. It is actually a balance wheel that rotates in place in the air with the movement of the wrist. This design embodies the unique expression and light creativity that Hermès cherishes. Philippe Delhotal said, "In these works, you can see that Hermès watches always interpret the beauty of time in a different way: a time that transcends the style paradigm and is full of dreams; it is also a timeless time of intimate companionship, lasting, interesting and pleasant; at the same time, it is also a wonderful time with stories and exciting heartstrings." ”
Conversation with Philippe Delhotal, Creative Director of Hermès Watches
Philippe Delhotal, Creative Director of Hermès Watches
How to understand Hermès' watchmaking style, in what details of this year's new products, we can see the embodiment of these qualities?
The three main works released by Hermès at the Geneva Watch & Miracle Exhibition 2022 belong to 3 different categories. The first is the Arceau Le temps voyageur I just mentioned, which belongs to the unique Hermès complication watch category. In addition, Hermès has reinterpreted the Kelly series of watches, introducing 5 different styles that are more gorgeous and feminine. Finally, arceau Les folies du ciel soars into the sky, a haute virtuoso watch that combines a variety of exquisite techniques and is full of fun.
These new pieces are unique in their gentle style while maintaining a high level of craftsmanship. Hermès watches are sophisticated and intricate, not only designed with ingenuity, but also carefully developed and carefully polished. Take the Arceau Le temps voyageur, for example, whose dial consists of 4 parts, presents the profound effects we conceived in the early stages of creative design with exquisite craftsmanship. In the Kelly watch series, Hermès carefully sculpted the metal strap to make the model more expensive and luxurious.
This year Hermès still surprises us with the way time is presented. We know that behind such surprises, it takes many years of research and development from scratch to achieve. What does such innovation mean for Hermès?
That's right, the Development of the Arceau Le temps voyageur watch took 3 years. Hermès' various crafts are centered on the work, and we are keen to freely release our imagination in the creative design process. We are not afraid of long research and development time, and we are focused on creating extraordinary works.
Each Hermès work is skillfully crafted by craftsmen, accompanied by the wearer day and night, embodied in exquisite techniques, illusions of self-magic, and integrates practical and ingenious functions, presenting the lightness and agility of the human expression. These objects make ordinary everyday life a wonderful stage; let each moment that flows quietly become a precious and incomparable time. Hermès is eager to inspire and feel the emotions of its customers and present them with something special and exclusive.
This year we saw lithography being used for the first time by Hermès in the dial decoration. One is cutting-edge technology, the other is a century-old watchmaking technique, how does Hermès find a balance between the two? In your opinion, will this combination form become the trend of the times in the future?
In the creative design process, we must always keep innovation in mind and pay attention to the various new technologies emerging in the market. When designing and manufacturing new products, we must maintain an open mind that is eclectic. Hermès reached out to the Swiss Center for Electronics and Microtechnology ("CSEM") in Neuchâtel to explore innovative technologies for creative design. The two companies collaborated on a silicon wafer dial project to bring to life the fascinating "Crépuscule" (twilight) motif created by graphic designer Thanh-Phong Lê.
Hermès' iconic Cape Cod watch features a new Crépuscule twilight dial, which is expertly crafted and decorated in gold to accentuate the delicate blue twilight pattern.
The fusion of innovation or high technology is essential for Hermès watches, and this concept is deeply rooted in our brand spirit. This time, we use microelectronics technology to recreate hermes' cherished designs in an artistic way. This is a nanotechnology commonly used in the industry, but it integrates process finishes and contains a deep artistic atmosphere. It combines the craftsmanship that Hermès has been tirelessly exploring in the design and production of watches, and we will continue to strive in this direction.
Editor-in-Charge: Jie Yang