Hermès Unveils “Mysterious Mechanisms” at Watches and Wonders 2026

At the 2026 edition of Watches and Wonders Geneva, Hermès introduced a remarkable new chapter in haute horlogerie with its presentation titled “Mysterious Mechanisms.” The concept invites collectors and enthusiasts to experience time in a different way, where the hidden mechanics of a watch become part of the visual narrative. Rather than concealing the complexity of movement beneath a traditional dial, Hermès reveals it, transforming gears, bridges, and mechanical architecture into a stage where precision engineering and artistic expression coexist.

The presentation highlights the Maison’s growing mastery of skeletonized watchmaking, a technique that removes portions of the dial and movement plates to reveal the internal mechanics. Through carefully designed openings and architectural structures, Hermès turns the movement itself into a constantly evolving landscape of light, shadow, depth, and transparency. Every gear becomes visible, every mechanical interaction becomes part of the design language, and the watch transforms from a simple instrument of timekeeping into a miniature theatrical performance.

Three key timepieces anchor this unveiling: the Hermès H08 Squelette, the Arceau Samarcande, and the Slim d’Hermès Squelette Lune. Each watch explores the idea of revealing time’s hidden mechanics in its own distinctive way while remaining true to the aesthetic codes that define the brand’s watchmaking identity.

The Hermès H08 Squelette continues the modern evolution of the H08 collection with a design that balances geometric clarity and mechanical transparency. Encased in a 39-millimeter satin-brushed titanium case, the watch retains the unique shape that blends circular and square forms, creating a silhouette that feels both contemporary and architectural.

At its center lies the skeletonized H1978 S calibre, a movement produced specifically for Hermès and crafted in titanium to enhance both performance and visual lightness. The openworked dial reveals an intricate network of bridges and gears that appear almost suspended within the case, allowing light to pass through the structure and highlight the complexity of the mechanism.

A woven-pattern rubber strap complements the technical aesthetic, while Super-LumiNova hour markers add strong contrast against the exposed movement. The Hermès H08 Squelette is priced at approximately $21,600, positioning it as a sophisticated yet modern entry into high-end mechanical watchmaking.

While the H08 Squelette emphasizes contemporary design, the Arceau Samarcande watch draws inspiration from Hermès’ deep equestrian heritage. The Arceau collection itself was originally designed in 1978 by Henri d’Origny and has since become one of the brand’s most recognizable watch families. Its distinctive round case and asymmetrical stirrup-inspired lugs reflect the Maison’s origins in saddle making and equestrian craftsmanship.

In the Arceau Samarcande, this heritage takes on a dramatic new form through a dial crafted from Saint-Louis crystal that has been openworked to form the silhouette of a horse’s head. Beneath this sculptural opening lies the new H1927 skeletonized self-winding movement, designed and produced exclusively for Hermès.

The watch also features a minute repeater complication, one of the most prestigious and technically challenging mechanisms in haute horlogerie, which chimes the time through a series of precisely tuned gongs and hammers.

The piece is available in white gold or rose gold cases measuring 38 millimeters and can be admired through a sapphire crystal caseback that reveals finely decorated movement details and a micro-rotor engraved with the Duc attelé motif, a symbol closely associated with the brand. Prices begin at approximately $301,300, with a gem-set white gold version reaching around $306,800.

Another highlight of the collection is the Slim d’Hermès Squelette Lune, which explores the poetic side of watchmaking by combining skeletonization with a moonphase complication. Powered by the H1953 automatic movement, the watch tracks the lunar cycle as it appears in both the Northern and Southern hemispheres.

This celestial complication introduces an element of astronomical storytelling, reminding the wearer that time is not only measured in minutes and hours but also in the rhythms of the natural world. The dial architecture remains elegant and refined, reflecting the minimalist design language that defines the Slim d’Hermès line.

Openworked bridges reveal the movement’s inner mechanics while preserving the delicate proportions that collectors appreciate. Two color expressions define this model: a sea-green interpretation that evokes coastal horizons and a deep blue version reminiscent of the night sky. The watch is offered in both platinum and titanium, with prices starting at approximately $25,125 and reaching around $42,450 depending on the material.

Hermès also introduced an extraordinary artistic creation alongside these wristwatches with the Slim d’Hermès Pocket Roaaaaar. Inspired by the Roaaaaar! scarf designed by British artist Alice Shirley, the pocket watch celebrates the Maison’s tradition of métiers d’art. The openworked cover displays a lion motif crafted using wood marquetry, a decorative technique that requires the careful assembly of tiny fragments of different wood species to create a detailed image.

For this piece, artisans selected ten types of wood including amaranth, burl, bubinga, tulipwood, and maple, each chosen for its natural color and grain to recreate the texture of the lion’s mane and coat. Beneath the marquetry cover lies a dial engraved with a chevron pattern and finished with translucent enamel in either green or blue tones. Produced in an extremely limited edition of just three pieces per colorway, the Slim d’Hermès Pocket Roaaaaar is priced at approximately $204,800, underscoring its status as both a timepiece and a collectible work of art.

Together, these creations demonstrate how Hermès continues to blur the boundaries between traditional horology, design, and artistic craftsmanship. The “Mysterious Mechanisms” concept reflects a philosophy that values transparency and storytelling as much as technical performance. By opening the dial and revealing the intricate choreography of gears and bridges, Hermès transforms the act of reading time into a visual experience.

In an industry where complexity often remains hidden behind polished surfaces, Hermès chooses to reveal the magic behind the mechanism. Each watch becomes a window into the architecture of time itself, inviting collectors to appreciate not only what a watch tells them but how it tells it.