The Arceau is one of Hermès' emblematic designs created by the brand's legendary artistic director Henri d'Origny in 1978. Its stirrup-based design always has a certain elegance to it, which is doesn't lose when the watch's diameter is increasing. This was, in particular, proven by the Arceau L'heure de la lune, a watch that Hermès launched at the SIHH in 2019. As it measures 43mm in diameter, is this quite a large watch by Hermès standards, yet its attraction is just the same.
The Arceau is one of Hermès‘ emblematic designs created by the brand’s legendary artistic director Henri d’Origny in 1978. Its stirrup-based design always has a certain elegance to it, which is doesn’t lose when the watch’s diameter is increasing. This was, in particular, proven by the Arceau L’heure de la lune, a watch that Hermès launched at the SIHH in 2019. As it measures 43mm in diameter, is this quite a large watch by Hermès standards, yet its attraction is just the same.
What makes this watch particularly appealing is the unique way it shows the moon phase in both the northern and southern hemispheres. The moon is displayed on the dial, while two rotating ‘sub-dials’ for the time and date placed inside the case move over them, indicating what part is visible. This complication was developed by Jean-François Mojon, and consists out of no-less than 117 components and is patent-protected. It is powered by an automatic Hermès manufacture movement, running at 4Hz/28,800 vph.
While the Arceau L’heure de la lune is a desirable watch in any version, is this particular one even more special. It features a dial made from the ‘New York’ meteorite. This stone had to be cut very thin and then treated with an acid to reveal the meteorite’s unique texture. In this case, is it rather bold, providing a dramatic backdrop for the white-lacquered dials to move over. The dial is captured in a case made out of platinum, which gives it a precious, yet understated look. An alligator strap in a matt Havana color is the finishing touch on a watch, of which Hermès is making only 16 pieces exclusively for the US market.
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