The Arceau watch, designed by Henri d'Origny in 1978, highlights two crafts in a new creation imbued with the Art Deco spirit. Crafted from mother-of-pearl marquetry and set with diamonds, a dial with a moving heart reinterprets the H déco pattern of the porcelain tableware: a black and white motif inspired by the ironwork adorning the boutique on Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré in Paris.
In the center, slender hands sweep over two intertwined Hs, stamped on a mother-of-pearl disc that twirls to the rhythm of the wrist movements. In a contrasting duo, the black version is lit up by gemset hoops; while the white version, paved with 432 diamonds, is marked with arched gold decorative fillets. This meticulous work accomplished by the Hermès artisans requires two days of work for a single dial. The white gold base is first sculpted in preparation for the mother-of-pearl inlay, and then polished. The mother-of-pearl artisan carefully puts in place each fragment of the motif cut to just 0.2 mm thick and the gemsetter finally adorns it with several hundred diamonds.
Technical Specifications:
The case, in 18kt white gold, measures 34mm. It has an AR-coated sapphire crystal, a sapphire display back, and it is water resistant to 30 meters. It is set with 198 diamonds. Crown set with a rose-cut diamond. Asymmetrical lugs.
Movement is the Swiss automatic Hermes in-house caliber H1912 with 28 jewels, 28,800 vph and a power reserve of 50 hours.
The white gold dial is set with 372 diamonds, H déco motif, and black mother-of-pearl marquetry, or set with 432 diamonds, H déco motif, and with white mother-of-pearl marquetry.
It comes on a black or ember alligator leather strap with an 18kt white gold buckle.
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