Category: Hermès Watches

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Hermes Heure H Replica Watch

The end of the year is fast approaching, and brands are furiously announcing their champions for the upcoming holiday season. Stainless steel sports watches continue to feature brightly and, in this round-up, we take a look at Chopard’s new Alpine Eagle and A. Lange & Söhne’s Odysseus. Still on the subject of stainless steel sports watches, we also discuss how watch-lovers and collectors should approach the ridiculously high prices that some of these watches are commanding in the secondary market.

From around the web, we have a remarkable story of a woman discovering a $250,000 Rolex “Paul Newman” Daytona buried underneath the cushions of her sofa. Next, we take a look at how marquetry dials are made. And finally, we have a close look at Akrivia’s Chronomètre Contemporain “Hermes Heure H Replica Watch” that is going to be auctioned off at the upcoming Only Watch auction.

Renowned luxury brand Hermès and watch movement specialist Jean-François Mojon of Chronode have united their powers once again to produce the latest in a series of whimsical, expensive, and rare watches donning that special “H,” called the Hermès Arceau Le Temps Voyageur. We took a hands-on look at Watches & Wonders 2022.

Hermes Heure H Replica Watch likes to say its Arceau Le Temps Voyageur brings with it two invitations to travel — for one, here, in the real world, and for two, on an imaginary journey within Hermès’ world, specifically into an “equestrian planisphere.” First, and likely more fascinating for us watch nerds, is the way Mojon’s creation blends a GMT and a worldtimer. At the top of the dial in the flange ring is a three-wide aperture labeled “Home Time,” and on the left-hand side is a small, neatly shaped pusher linked to the subdial that displays “Local Time.”

Press on the pusher and something surprising happens: What probably appeared to have been a heavy and therefore fixed dial used to tell time suddenly makes a jump — it is extremely rare, after all, that we see a subdial move on a watch’s face, and so there is no reason to expect one to do just that. The dial moves, and along with it its small red triangle, which might require a second, closer look to spot, advances with it and points to the next city or, should we say, the next time zone named on the periphery of the dial. A new timezone must mean a new time, too, and that’s exactly what happens: As the subdial moves, its hour hand also advances by an hour.

As this happens, the “Home Time” aperture remains unchanged, of course. Just because the owner of the Hermes Heure H Replica Watch is traveling, time back at home must have remained the same. To change the home-time indication, the crown can be used, and that is when all indications — the hours and minutes on the subdial and the hours in the home time aperture — can be adjusted. This is typically the tactile and fun experience higher-end Hermès watches have been consistently delivering for years. What helps achieve this level of consistency is Hermès’ desire to allow its designers and watchmakers (internal and external to the company) to practice their creativity, as well as Hermès’ involvement with a selection of Swiss movement, dial, and case manufacturers, including those primarily owned and operated by Parmigiani Fleurier. Since 2006, these facilities have developed and harnessed their truly outstanding know-how to create movements, cases, and dials of rather more novel designs. Without this flexibility and the company’s stake in these facilities, consistently producing watches with such unique features would likely be impossible. The same goes for the case: The 41mm-wide gray version of the Hermès Arceau Le Temps Voyageur sports a platinum and black DLC-coated titanium exterior, a combination that is exceedingly rare, if not unique. The 38mm blue variant offers an all-steel case. Likewise, in true Hermès fashion, the so-called Arceau case features a horizontally asymmetrical design in that the top lugs are of a completely different execution than the lower ones. At the top, they resemble welded wire lugs, a bit like those on a Panerai Radiomir, while on the lower side of the case they are short and stubby.

A fun aspect of the Hermes Heure H Replica Watch is to see how long it takes for one to notice that the map behind the satellite time display is an imaginary one and has nothing to do with any of our maps of Earth’s continents and oceans. Hermès added this playful detail “to make the link between one’s personal travels and the brand’s equestrian world.” Fans of Hermès will know that the company started out in 1837 as a saddle workshop in the Grands Boulevards quarter of Paris, dedicated to serving European noblemen, and the world of equestrianism remains very close to all things Hermès. The imaginary world map, or “planisphère d’un monde équestre,” was created by artist Jérôme Colliard for a silk scarf of the same name, inspired by a giant globe created by the French graphic designer for the 2016 Saut Hermès showjumping competition in Paris. Hermès explains: “This map of an imaginary world, inspired by antiquity, features whimsical drawings and names evoking riders’ love for their mounts, seemingly drawn from the archives of a geographer of invisible lands.” Both dials are galvanized, laser-engraved, and lacquered for a refined and elaborate result. Certain parts, like the flange ring with the city names, are either sandblasted or satin-brushed, adding a tasteful, matt split frame to the shiny dial and sub-dial. Legibility remains excellent thanks to the high contrast between the sub-dial and its delicately shaped and in fact lumed hands, while home time is also easy to find and read where normally one would find the 12 o’clock marker. All this is powered by the Hermès H1837 caliber produced by Vaucher and fitted with a module that is coming from Chronode to operate the moving sub-dial and the world time display. Power reserve is short at just 40 hours, but at least it’s matched to a more stable 4 Hertz frequency and a full-size self-winding rotor. Water resistance is rated at 30 meters, which is virtually splashproof, at best, but then again, no true Hermès fan would take an Hermès leather strap swimming, anyway.

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Hermes Heure H diamond-set watch

In mid-April 2021, much of the luxury Hermes Heure H diamond-set watch industry participated in a novel event known as Watches & Wonders 2021 — an entirely digital trade show dedicated to brand presentations and new model debuts. A physical version of the event is due to take place later in 2021 in Shanghai, China, which, as of now, is the only planned in-person event for the Watches & Wonders show (which replaces the legacy SIHH exhibition name that much of the industry is already familiar with). Today, the aBlogtoWatch team recaps the overall themes and trends we saw from Watches & Wonders 2021, as well as the new models that we feel are the top 10 timepieces of the show.

Watches & Wonders 2021 was challenging for its exhibitors because, in addition to having to prepare new watches and news, they also had to adapt presentations for a digital format. This includes a range of Zoom-style presentations, discussions, and meetings. While such tools are effective at giving the watch industry a chance to present new watches during the pandemic when people cannot physically meet, the overwhelming sentiment from the luxury watch industry is that in-person meetings and events are crucial to the long-term success of their businesses. Why is this, exactly?
It goes to the heart of why many people wear and enjoy watches, in the first place. Wearing Hermes Heure H diamond-set watch is a social experience. We wear watches to express something about ourselves, and the ability to truly appreciate a timepiece is limited if you cannot see the physical products in person. This is doubly correct, not only in giving consumers an opportunity to evaluate new products but also in regard to why many consumers buy luxury watches: as an accessory when socializing in public. Thus, the limitations of the pandemic have illuminated some of the core elements of what allows a luxury watch industry to thrive.

That said, Hermes Heure H diamond-set watch sales to hobbyists during the pandemic have thrived. These are consumers who purchase watches, in large part, for personal pleasure and enjoyment. Most of this behavior was online already, and so the pandemic amplified the experience of being a modern watch hobbyist in that members of this larger group a) learn about new watches online; b) research potential new acquisitions online; c) actually purchase watches online; d) socialize with other timepiece enthusiasts online; e) and, in many instances, resell no-longer-wanted watches online. Watch hobbyists have been extremely active during the pandemic, especially considering the fact that mainstream luxury buyers have not been very active, for the above-mentioned reasons. How has this “new reality” manifested itself in regard to the new products and directions we saw from luxury brands at Watches & Wonders 2021, and otherwise?

Luxury watch brands today, for the most part, attempt to carefully listen to the market when it comes to deciding on watch products to release. The current mentality is that novel designs and original thinking are too risky. It takes several years of marketing effort to promote new designs and saturate the market with information and validation sufficient to allow mostly conservative buyers to feel comfortable buying and wearing something new. The desire to receive quick market results (faster sales) and to limit the production of inventory that doesn’t sell as immediately has translated itself into a strange situation in which fresh faces and new ideas are particularly hard to come by. While Watches & Wonders 2021 certainly had its share of attractive, desirable, and interesting products, almost everything released had the look and feel of a product that came before it (either recently or in the distant past). This was to be expected given current market trends, but the new releases from Watches & Wonders 2021 felt so “safe” that a large quotient of the watch hobbyist community collectively lamented what they saw as a “lack of innovation” from brands this year.

The Hermes Heure H diamond-set watch is a bit more forgiving, given that we understand much of the business context around which new watch releases are based. The vast majority of brands are nowhere near pre-pandemic sales figures and are also trying to work with substantially smaller budgets across all areas ranging from marketing to research and development. At the same time, watch brands (like movie studios) are holding back “big hits” for when they feel the public is most likely to act. If consumers are seen as still being cautious, a brand will not want to release an ambitious new product or idea to a public that simply isn’t ready for it yet. Playing it safe is what much of the luxury watch industry does well, but for the last couple of decades, watch media professionals and collectors have been delighted with the swathe of fresh ideas from smaller, mostly independent brands that helped balance out the staunch conservatism displayed by most of the older brands — or those owned by risk-averse corporate entities. These are companies less interested in promoting new ideas and novel concepts, and much more interested in the bottom line and business stability. Accordingly, the pandemic has seen some of the independent brands with futuristic ideas falter, unable to compete in today’s less open-minded consumer environment. Thus, old-style conservative watches are here to stay for the time being, and areas of “innovation” mostly take the form of new colors, materials, and messages tangential to the products themselves, such as being tied to political messages like sustainability and diversity. All of these decisions are related to fragile businesses that are doing their best to wait out the pandemic and experience a return to normalcy (which, in large part, simply means socializing and global travel).

Many of the new Hermes Heure H diamond-set watch released at Watches & Wonders are either upgrades of previously successful watches or line extensions designed to look at though they were part of the collection all along. At many brands, it can actually take expert eyes to notice which watches are new and which have already been part of the collection for a while. This is what brands have decided is a good working model during the pandemic, and it does have a logic behind it for brands who are mostly interested in surviving versus thriving.

The luxury watch industry is never very far from the collective social sentiment in the world, and so these trends and practices are being experienced in many industries right now. Those who lament the lack of innovation are mostly retailers and media professionals who need novelty to create new conversations. Market data does seem to suggest that consumers are still happy lapping up retro-redo models or incremental upgrades over previous years’ models. As long as that remains the fact, expect iteration versus innovation, and extension versus evolution to lead the decision-making process at many of the brands that make our favorite timepieces.

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Hermès Arceau Le Temps Voyageur 41mm

Renowned luxury brand Hermès and watch movement specialist Jean-François Mojon of Chronode have united their powers once again to produce the latest in a series of whimsical, expensive, and rare watches donning that special “H,” called the Hermès Arceau Le Temps Voyageur. We took a hands-on look at Watches & Wonders 2022.

Hermès likes to say its Arceau Le Temps Voyageur brings with it two invitations to travel — for one, here, in the real world, and for two, on an imaginary journey within Hermès’ world, specifically into an “equestrian planisphere.” First, and likely more fascinating for us watch nerds, is the way Mojon’s creation blends a GMT and a worldtimer. At the top of the dial in the flange ring is a three-wide aperture labeled “Home Time,” and on the left-hand side is a small, neatly shaped pusher linked to the subdial that displays “Local Time.” Press on the pusher and something surprising happens: What probably appeared to have been a heavy and therefore fixed dial used to tell time suddenly makes a jump — it is extremely rare, after all, that we see a subdial move on a watch’s face, and so there is no reason to expect one to do just that. The dial moves, and along with it its small red triangle, which might require a second, closer look to spot, advances with it and points to the next city or, should we say, the next time zone named on the periphery of the dial. A new timezone must mean a new time, too, and that’s exactly what happens: As the subdial moves, its hour hand also advances by an hour. As this happens, the “Home Time” aperture remains unchanged, of course. Just because the owner of the watch is traveling, time back at home must have remained the same. To change the home-time indication, the crown can be used, and that is when all indications — the hours and minutes on the subdial and the hours in the home time aperture — can be adjusted. This is typically the tactile and fun experience higher-end Hermès watches have been consistently delivering for years. What helps achieve this level of consistency is Hermès’ desire to allow its designers and watchmakers (internal and external to the company) to practice their creativity, as well as Hermès’ involvement with a selection of Swiss movement, dial, and case manufacturers, including those primarily owned and operated by Parmigiani Fleurier. Since 2006, these facilities have developed and harnessed their truly outstanding know-how to create movements, cases, and dials of rather more novel designs. Without this flexibility and the company’s stake in these facilities, consistently producing watches with such unique features would likely be impossible. The same goes for the case: The 41mm-wide gray version of the Hermès Arceau Le Temps Voyageur sports a platinum and black DLC-coated titanium exterior, a combination that is exceedingly rare, if not unique. The 38mm blue variant offers an all-steel case. Likewise, in true Hermès fashion, the so-called Arceau case features a horizontally asymmetrical design in that the top lugs are of a completely different execution than the lower ones. At the top, they resemble welded wire lugs, a bit like those on a Panerai Radiomir, while on the lower side of the case they are short and stubby. A fun aspect of theHermès Arceau Le Temps Voyageur is to see how long it takes for one to notice that the map behind the satellite time display is an imaginary one and has nothing to do with any of our maps of Earth’s continents and oceans. Hermès added this playful detail “to make the link between one’s personal travels and the brand’s equestrian world.” Fans of Hermès will know that the company started out in 1837 as a saddle workshop in the Grands Boulevards quarter of Paris, dedicated to serving European noblemen, and the world of equestrianism remains very close to all things Hermès. The imaginary world map, or “planisphère d’un monde équestre,” was created by artist Jérôme Colliard for a silk scarf of the same name, inspired by a giant globe created by the French graphic designer for the 2016 Saut Hermès watch showjumping competition in Paris. Hermès explains: “This map of an imaginary world, inspired by antiquity, features whimsical drawings and names evoking riders’ love for their mounts, seemingly drawn from the archives of a geographer of invisible lands.” Both dials are galvanized, laser-engraved, and lacquered for a refined and elaborate result. Certain parts, like the flange ring with the city names, are either sandblasted or satin-brushed, adding a tasteful, matt split frame to the shiny dial and sub-dial. Legibility remains excellent thanks to the high contrast between the sub-dial and its delicately shaped and in fact lumed hands, while home time is also easy to find and read where normally one would find the 12 o’clock marker.

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Replica Hermes Heure H

Since the introduction of its first in-house mechanical movements in 2012, French luxury goods manufacturer Hermès has progressively moved to improve upon some of their most established designs while serving up interesting new products. For Baselworld 2017, which is much closer than you think, the brand is introducing a new line of four Hermès Cape Cod watches for men featuring an assortment of dial and strap combinations that deliver a variety of visual updates to choose from. While the Cape Cod design has endured for over 25 years, these new models offer a chance to explore some of these visual updates, while briefly considering where high fashion brands like Hermès fall within the watchmaking spectrum. While the debate over fashion house legitimacy in the world of horology rages on, pieces like the Hermès Slim D’Hermès Quantième Perpétuel Platine demonstrate the brand can easily hold its own. When taking a look at the most recent in-house Hermès Cape Cod TGM models, I also can’t help but compare it to another fashion-centric favorite of mine – the Cartier Tank. Still, the new Hermès Cape Cod watches for men bring something a little more youthful and creative to the mix with their “square inside a rectangle” designs and the kind of versatility that centers around some of the best straps and leatherwork in the business.

The flagship model of the collection is the Hermès Cape Cod TGM Manufacture. It features a mechanical self-winding movement, and it’s also the most visually conservative out of the bunch. The Hermès H1912 is an in-house 28-jewel automatic caliber that operates at 28,800 vibrations per hour (4Hz), offers 50 hours of power reserve, and delivers a simple time-only display with a date. There’s a range of finishing that Hermès carries out and this includes circular graining and snail patterns on the mainplate along with the brand’s signature “H” engravings on the bridges and the rotor.

It’s a thin movement coming in at just 3.7mm thick and 23.9mm in diameter, and it’s fitting for a watch of this size. Like some of the other movements used in Hermès watches, it was developed by movement supplier Vaucher, which is 25% owned by Hermes and 75% owned by the Sandoz family (who own Parmigiani). On the other hand, the Hermès Cape Cod TGM Bicolore, Hermès Cape Cod TGM Cadran laque, and Hermès Cape Cod TGM Bracelet de force models all feature basic Swiss-made quartz movements in place of the in-house mechanical caliber. All of the Hermès Cape Cod models feature rectangular stainless steel cases that measure 33mm in diameter. Dial options are plentiful and the Hermès Cape Cod TGM Manufacture is available in blue, black, anthracite, or opaline silvered configurations. Carrying on with its minimal theme, the layout delivers a clean look with rhodium-coated hands, a textured center seconds display, and playful rhodium-coated Arabic numerals that are raised and portray a design that isn’t typical with most watches in this genre. While it’s true that the Hermès Cape Cod TGM Manufacture is the most mechanically interesting in the group, the quartz models bring their own unique flavor to the mix. The Hermes Cape Cod TGM Cadran laque, for example, offers a beautifully lacquered dial option (cadran laqué = “lacquered dial” in French) in two graded shades of brown and deep red. The sportiest of the quartz versions is definitely the Hermès Cape Cod TGM Bracelet de force. Like the TGM Manufacture, it features an opaline silvered dial but it comes on a more aggressive and burly bund strap that’s chock full of the meticulous saddle stitching Hermès is known for. This detailed approach to leatherwork is also present in the Hermès Cape Cod TGM Bicolore, which features a two-tone smooth calfskin strap combining “Malta blue” with “Hermès red” or “étoupe.”

While Replica Hermes Heure H can be difficult to move past the deeply rooted discrimination against fashion brands, the latest efforts from Hermès are indicative of a company that is truly pursuing advancements in their own watchmaking story. In 2012, the brand even purchased Natéber S.A., a Swiss dial maker and a large stake in case maker Joseph Erard.

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Hermes Heure H 25 mm

At Hermes, time is an accomplice. Rather than controlling it, Hermes Heure H 25 mm dares to create a different time, intended to arouse emotions and deviate to the path less traveled. Discover the Hermes women’s watch collections. Timeless and imaginative, occasionally miniature, their aesthetic plays with contrasts and paradoxes.

If there’s one thing we could all do with more of, it’s time. And while we can’t add more hours to the day, we can point you in the direction of the best women’s watches.

While in the past, women’s watches took a back seat to men’s watches, today luxury watches are no longer just for boys.

Below you’ll find our guide to the best timepieces for women. Hermes Heure H 25 mm Luxury watches of the highest quality and with the coolest designs, created with the needs of the modern woman in mind.

Hermes Heure H 25 mm Watches made for high times and low times—and everything in between.

From our all-time favorite ladies’ timepieces to the best affordable watches for women—as well as the most beautiful women’s watches and the most elegant women’s watches—here’s our rundown of the top offerings for women from the world of timekeeping.

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Hermes Heure H Replica Watch

Hermès has invested considerable resources in developing its watchmaking division in recent years, and they have just released an all-new men’s watch collection for Watches & Wonders 2021. The Hermès H08 fills in one of the most glaring gaps in the brand’s catalog by offering a casual everyday watch that’s versatile and tough but still has that uniquely Hermès quirkiness and style.

The totally new case of the Hermès H08 feels like a younger sibling of the Carré H that sheds some of the eccentricity in exchange for more mainstream design choices. Rather than having wire lugs (which I personally love) and a perfectly square case, the H08 goes with a more everyday and versatile design with more traditional lugs and rounded edges. Hermès isn’t billing the H08 as a sports watch (which it really isn’t) but rather as a balanced “all-terrain” piece that won’t feel out of place with a t-shirt and shorts or with a suit. The lightweight titanium case, comfortable and well-constructed strap, lumed hands, AR-coating, and yes, 100M of water resistance, back this up pretty well. The Hermès H08 comes in three varieties: classic titanium; a black DLC-coated titanium (which is the one I went hands-on with here); and a Graphene case. While I didn’t handle the Graphene model, I’m intrigued by its use, as it’s a material I’ve only seen used once or twice in the past by Richard Mille (and that was on a$1,000,000 watch). An allotrope of carbon, Graphene is a sixth the weight of steel and 200 (!) times stronger. I’d love to get my hands on this model soon.

While the Carré H was designed by Marc Berthier, the H08 is designed all in-house as a collaboration between Véronique Nichanian (Creative Director), Pierre-Alexis Dumas (Artistic Director at Hermès), and Philippe Delhotal (Artistic Director at Hermès Horloger). It’s interesting that Hermes Heure H Replica Watch is marketing the H08 specifically as a men’s piece rather than the increasingly adopted unisex category, but I do understand why a brand that’s so ubiquitously a fashion house before a watch brand feels the need to categorize. Also, the case is on the larger side measuring 39 x 39mm, which is typically pretty large for a square watch, but the cushion shape, rounded edges, and short lugs keep it from feeling too extra. I wore the watch for maybe an hour before really getting into the specs, and if you’d asked me to guess the size, I probably would have landed on 37.5 or 38mm. The bezel has nice satin brushing on the titanium and you’ll notice mirror-polished chamfering done along the edges. On this model there is DLC coating along the sides of the case though if you’re not a fan, there is the all-titanium option as well.

The Hermes Heure H Replica Watch dial is done in a black nickel coating with a nicely grained central disc and a black gold-coated satin-brushed minutes ring. The distinctly styled Arabic numerals are pure Hermès, and the date window at 4:30 matches the dial and is pretty unobtrusively sized. Very legible with lumed hands and indices, the H08 lets the relatively subtle touches like font and the orange-tipped seconds hand convey the Hermès design language without drawing too much attention to itself. Turning the case over shows the automatic manufacture H1837 movement, which was first introduced back in 2012 in the Dressage collection. The H1837 was the first in-house movement done for Hermès after they acquired a 25% stake in Vaucher back in 2006 (with the Sandoz Family Foundation/Parmigiani owning the majority stake). Not to be mistaken for their micro-rotor movements, the H1837 has a full rotor along with a double barrel. With a balance frequency of 28,800 vph and 50-hour power reserve, the H1837 is decorated with the repeating H-pattern that has become standard for the brand.

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Hermes Heure H Gold-plated Steel

The ionic Hermes Heure H watch was designed by Philippe Mouquet in 1996. Its case shape is a befitting tribute to the legendary H signature of the house of Hermès. Now, Hermès updates this watch collection by adding three new models fitted with a new metal bracelet featuring a flowing and stylised aesthetic.

The new Hermes Heure H is presented in three elegant steel variations: one with 114 “feather-set” diamonds and featuring a natural white mother-of-pearl dial bearing Arabic numerals; a second also graced with mother-of-pearl and punctuated with 11 diamond hour-markers; and a third enhanced with a sunburst central square surrounded by black numerals. Vividly expressing the creativity and expertise of the Maison, the case and dial are crafted in the Hermès Horloger workshops.

Adorned with a metal bracelet, Hermes Heure H asserts a radical and contemporary style. A natural extension of the case, the links formed by small squares correspond to the geometry of the dial and its graphic numerals. This supple band features an invisible integrated folding clasp embracing the wrist with fluid elegance.

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Hermes Heure H 30 mm

Interpreted in steel or gem-set rose gold, the Hermès Heure H appears adorned with coloured stones and diamonds. Capturing time inside a letter, mischievously framing it: more than just a watch, Hermès Heure H is a symbol, a singular idea imagined by designer Philippe Mouquet in 1996.

For the first time, Hermès Heure H is treated to coloured stone dials. Obsidian, malachite and aventurine: three expressions in turn precious and bold, rimmed by light gem-setting touches on the dial and around the case rim. Through fascinating plays on light and depth, the intense shades of the stones reveal their full vibrancy. Understated yet assertive, the new Hermès Heure H appears in a contrasting trio. The first creation, a medium-sized model in steel set with 120 diamonds, features a dial in silvered obsidian: a semi-precious hard stone derived from volcanic rock, set with 64 diamonds. The second version is a rose gold small model set with 124 diamonds framing a dial in malachite: a fine, intensely green stone set with 56 diamonds.

Finally, the third iteration – a small steel model set with 124 diamonds – is matched with aventurine, a hard stone made from a mixture of different quartz stones and set with 56 diamonds. Finely crafted in the Hermès Horloger workshops, the cases, dials and interchangeable alligator or calf leather straps all express the creativity and expertise cultivated by the House. As the years go by, Heure H is still a powerful signature that remains as edgy, fresh and dynamic as ever.

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Hermes Cape Cod Watch replica

Hermès ventured into the world of horology back in 1920 and has become unstoppable in its commitment to produce luxury timepieces for a wide range of market. There is always an accompanying difficulty for brands to expand expertise, especially in horology. Yet despite the discrimination against luxury fashion brands, Hermès is one of the few who stood their ground and charged head on into growing their manufacture and making their own name in haute horlogerie.

The Hermes Cape Cod collection is one of the brand’s breakthrough timepieces, attesting to the richness of background in the brand’s watches, as well as the impressive style that Hermès can bring into the table. With many impressive models under this collection, one of the major stand outs is the sleek and classy GM Matte Black Leather Wrap Watch.

The simple and straightforward first ever Hermes Cape Cod was released in 1991, bearing a single strap and evoking the coastline of Massachusetts, hence, its name. Since then, continued improvement was done to the model and various iterations have been launched, including the recent release of the Cape Cod GM Matte Black Leather Wrap Watch, also called Cape Cod Shadow.

The Hermes Cape Cod GM Matte Black Leather Wrap Watch benefits from the years-long of design tweaking and technology improvement that all the previous Cape Cod Watches have undergone. It is indeed a modern version of the iconic Cape Cod—successfully keeping intact the essence of the original timepiece, but unleashing a cool and sleek appearance that can be worn by a man or a woman. There’s no question of precision when it comes to this watch, as it proudly carries a quartz movement made in Switzerland. On the other hand, the casual elegance it exudes stems not from the minimalist dial and case, but the luxurious-looking single or wrap around bracelet made from matte black Barenia calfskin strap. Such design amps up the versatility of the timepiece, able to blend fashionably with varying dress codes, even casual wear.

Hard-core horology fans, enthusiasts and collectors tend to snub the Hermes Cape Cod watches, not because of their design and performance, but merely because of its brand name. The Cape Cod GM Matte Black Leather Wrap Watch is easily judged as just an aesthetic timepiece or sartorial detail, despite its highly impressive movement.

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Hermès Cape Cod Watch Small Model 31mm

Hermès is a fashion brand that has made the rare crossover to an actually respected watchmaking brand, though this is not entirely new. You see, the first watches to bear the Hermès name appeared as early as the 1920s and one of their most iconic models, the Hermès Cape Cod, was born over 26 years ago in 1991. To mark the 25th anniversary of the Cape Cod watch, Hermès introduced new models to the collection earlier this year and here’s a closer look at them.
There are essentially two new models to the Hermes Cape Cod collection. Though both are known as the Hermes Cape Cod TGM Manufacture, one is powered by a self-winding mechanical movement while the other has a quartz movement. Of course, it won’t be Hermès if the two new models weren’t available in different colors. By the way, TGM stands for très grand modèle, which translates directly to “very large model.”

The new mechanical and automatic Hermes Cape Cod TGM watches have similar case sizes, but it is actually quite easy to differentiate them. The mechanical models have a dial that has a stamped pattern in the center that reminds me of Audemars Piguet’s “tapisserie” guilloche, and a date window at 6 o’clock. The quartz models, on the other hand, have their date windows at 3 o’clock and a dial with a radial brushed finish.We begin with the mechanical Hermès Cape Cod TGM watches. There are four variants and all have stainless steel cases, with the main difference being their dial colors. There’s blue, black, anthracite, and opaline silver. But more on the dial later, let’s talk about the case first.

The case has all the characteristics that made the Hermes Cape Cod an icon for Hermès. It has a square middle section that measures 33 x 33mm with extended lugs inspired by the brand’s own Chaîne d’Ancre links. Thanks to the lugs, the watch wears larger than what the 33mm measurement might suggest. But even so, the Cape Cod TGM remains to be a modestly sized watch as it is quite thin too. For men accustomed to wearing larger watches, wearing a Cape Cod will take some getting used to.The case is neatly polished throughout and reflects light from all angles. And if you look from the sides, you can see that the case is actually curved, which helps make it more comfortable to wear. And even though the crown is petite, it is easy to pull out thanks to a tiny notch at its back. All in all, it is a very elegant case and one that I like very much because of its distinctive design.As I mentioned earlier, four dial options are available – blue, black, anthracite, and opaline silver. All four dials have a date window at 6 o’clock and feature a stamped checkerboard middle section that is lined with a minute track, which makes it easy to tell the exact minute. In addition, the raised patterns offer a surface for light to play on and create interesting effects when viewed under a strong light.Long time readers of aBlogtoWatch might probably know that I’m not that fond of date windows on watches, but the execution here isn’t too disruptive and is something that I can live with. It helps that Hermes Cape Cod has thoughtfully matched the background of the date window to the color of the dial. Even so, imagine how much cleaner the dial would look if they omitted the date window.All four are nice, black is easily the dressiest and classiest of the lot, and opaline is quite nice as well. I think the blue and anthracite options are great for watch lovers who want something formal but with a little splash of fun. That said, the opaline silver model certainly has the poorest legibility of the lot since the silver appliques for the hours and the silver hour and minute hands do not contrast greatly against the opaline silver dial.
The dials themselves are of a very high quality. The rhodium-plated Arabic numeral appliques are well finished, while the prints on the dial itself are sharp with no perceptible bleeding, even under our macro lenses. The baton-shaped rhodium-coated hands are filled with luminescent material to provide some legibility to dimly-lit environments, and once again, the shape of them reminds me of Audemars Piguet Royal Oak watches.It won’t be fair to talk about an Hermès watch without mentioning the strap. And as you would expect, the alligator straps that these watches come with are brilliant. They all come with matching color straps, so the black dial variant comes with a classy black alligator strap, the opaline silver dial model has a soft and supple Barenia leather strap, and the anthracite and blue models come with matching gray and dark blue alligator leather straps respectively. Also of note are the Bund-style straps which, while not my cup of tea, are very well done. The straps are finely crafted and feel really nice on the skin. I mean, honestly, what else were you expecting from one of the top names in the world when it comes to leather goods?Inside, the mechanical Cape Cod TGM watches are powered by the Hermès H1912. It is a self-winding movement that’s actually made by Vaucher, of which Hermès owns 25% of. The remaining 75% is owned by Parmigiani. It is a thin movement that measures about 4mm, which explains why these Cape Cod watches are so thin. It beats at 4Hz and has a power reserve of 50 hours, which is pretty standard fare. The movement is visible through a sapphire display case back and it is quite nicely decorated too with the distinctive Hermès “H” logo across the bridges and rotor.The quartz Cape Cod TGM watches share the same case as their mechanical counterparts. Stainless steel, 33 x 33mm, and the iconic Hermes Cape Cod design, it is all there. The difference lies in the dial. For the quartz models, in place of the stamped checkboard pattern in the middle, they have dials with a sunburst radial finish. Also, the date window has been moved from 6 to 3 o’clock. I very much prefer the former.There are three new quartz models. The first is the Cape Cod TGM Bicolore. These have an opaline silver dial and are distinguished by their bi-color calfskin leather straps. Unlike the mechanical Cape Cod watch with the opaline silver dial, the Arabic numerals here are rhodium transferred. As a result, they appear gray and thus have more contrast against the dial, making these quartz models more legible. There are two straps options: Malta Blue with Hermès Red or Malta Blue with Étoupe. Both are equally nice and it’s just a matter of which strap you prefer.Next, we have the Hermes Cape Cod TGM Cadran laque, which basically means lacquered dial. Two options are available here, one with a blood red dial and another in brown. Both have a metallic radial finish. But what is most unique about them is that they both come with Hermès’ iconic Double Tour strap.Finally, we have the Cape Cod TGM Bracelet de Force watches. These have opaline silver dials and are mounted on what are commonly known as bund straps – essentially straps that have an added band below. There are a couple of strap options here; black or green alligator, black, or natural Barenia leather. If you ask me, the natural Barenia leather strap looks the most harmonious.