10 Hermès Watches That Recreate the Brand’s Iconic Silk Scarves

The great benchmark of creativity in watchmaking today lies in the modern interpretation of traditional crafts. Pure watchmaking is one thing, but it is in the realm of metiers d’art that watch companies can express themselves without restraint. Unlike straight watchmaking, which imposes technical restrictions, anything goes with metiers d’art.

No inspiration, idea or offbeat collaboration is too crazy. Hermès is one of a handful of brands that consistently goes off-book from the classic application of traditional crafts like enameling, miniature painting, marketry and engraving, using the watch dial as a canvas for all manner of designs. The most popular among them are its limited editions that reproduce in miniature the brand’s most popular silk scarf patterns, many of which began life as collaborations with independent artists. There is a special challenge to bringing these patterns to life on a watch dial, which is a preposterously small canvas for such intricate designs. They are not printed, as the scarves are; they are crafted by hand, by extraordinary artisans, using techniques that can easily try the patience of ordinary mortals.

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Here is a glimpse of the 10 scarf-reproduction watches Hermès has produced so far, starting with the newest, the Arceau Robe Légère, launched earlier this month. As in all Hermès product categories, the equestrian theme runs throughout, reflecting the brand’s roots as a saddler to Parisian aristocracy. Five of the 10 watches here depict horses. And you might ask: how many different ways can you represent a horse? The answer is: a lot. All have automatic-winding in-house movements, either the caliber H1912, H1837, or H1950. As very limited editions, these watches constitute true collector’s pieces.

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Arceau Robe Légére

What looks like delicate embroidery is actually delicate strands and spangles of silver set between layers of enamel in the paillonné style. Not to take anything away from the designer of the silk scarf of the same name—French artist Théo de Gueltzl—but using this minute to create that image on a watch dial is a world away from printing it on a scarf. While the scarves are multi-colored affairs, on the dial the silver stands out in relief against a navy background. Rose gold gemset: $90,000. White gold gemset: $95,500. 24 pieces each.

Arceau Chorus Stellarum

Robb Report‘s Digital Watch Editor, Allen Farmelo, chose this watch as his best of Watches and Wonders this year. The theme here is more memento mori than classic equestrian. The horse and rider—a woman—are skeletons. It works like a jaquemart, with hinged leg joints prancing on demand against a champlevé enamel sky. It was inspired by the Chorus Stellarum silk scarf designed by Daiske Nomura, a Japanese designer and illustrator who draws motifs from Japanese popular culture, including graphic novels and video games. Blue on white gold: $153,400. Gray on white gold, gemset: $158,900. Six pieces each. 

Slim d’ Hermès Pocket Mysterious Rider

The rider in this design is not an equestrian but a helmet-clad motorcyclist, surely a first for an enameled pocket watch cover. The champlevé cover is based on a scarf design created by Dutch illustrator and designer Viktor Hachmang, whose futuristic graphics are influenced by Japanese art and comic-book pop culture. The background is the historic Hermès shop front at 24 Faubourg Saint-Honoré in Paris. $158,900. Three pieces.

Arceau Mon Premier Galop

In what could be a mural in a child’s bedroom is created here using leather marquetry, silk threads and minature painting—not child’s play. The pony is ostensibly taking his first steps toward a run, accompanied by a butterfly. It’s based on an Hermès shawl by Chinese artist Tong Ren, and was inspired by traditional basketry work. Zellige blue, rose gold, gemset: $74,400. Zephir blue, white gold, gemset: $84,500. Pink, white gold, gemset: $84,500. 24 pieces each.

Arceau Costume de Fête

At Hermès, horses get dressed up for parties. The corresponding scarf design was created by Polish Illustrator, typographer and graphic designer Jan Bajtlik, who was inspired by traditional Polish folk culture, including Krakow costumes and ornaments. His characters, often animals, draw on his native country’s popular art of paper cut-outs. Here, the horse is decked out using mother-of-pearl, sequins and colored leather marquetry. Rose gold, blue dial: $68,900. White gold, pink dial: $74,400. 24 pieces each.

Slim d’ Hermès Flagship

In a literal translation of the concept of the flagship, this schooner under full sail represents the brand’s historic boutique at 24 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré in Paris—the good ship Hermès. Crafts include engraved yellow gold and miniature painting against an aventurine background. For fun, a star at 4 o’clock spins with the wrist movements. It is based on a scarf design by Dimitri Rybaltchenko and represents “the poetic universe navigating between the imaginary and the real.” Rose gold, gemset $99,200. White gold gemset: $144,200. 12 pieces each.

Slim d’ Hermès Sacre des Saisons, Spring

This is one in a series of four pieces (shown below), each representing a season and created using paillonné enamel, engraving and/or miniature painting. All are drawn from an Hermès silk scarf designed by artist Pierre Marie that depicts animals. Spring is a micro-painted horse surrounded by flowers rendered in lovely pale green. Prices range from $84,500 to $126,800. 12 pieces each.

Slim d’ Hermès Sacre des Saisons, Winter

This wintery dial depicts an ice wolf in paillonné enamel against a gorgeous deep blue background.

Slim d’ Hermès Sacre des Saisons, Summer

For summer, a lion is engraved in sapphire crystal and painted from the back of the dial for a stunning, vivid effect inside the diamond-set bezel.

Slim d’ Hermès Sacre des Saisons, Fall

Micro-sculpted and hand-painted dial with gold, Fall depicts the atumnal vibe to perfetion and is housed in a white gold case.