The Hermes Carré H is an usual square watch that has been a part of Hermès’s collection since 2010, when furniture designer Marc Berthier first created it for the company. It has a slightly curved profile that both helps it sit close to the wrist and balances it out visually. These two new models of the Carré H maintain the basic shape, though it’s been upsized to 38mm x 38mm (from 36.5mm x 36.5mm) and the grey and black dials feature cross hatch guilloché in the center that plays with the light in a really interesting way. Little pops of color on the seconds hands add some additional levity and the overall effect is at once precise and playful. Hermes Carré H has a long history of working with outside designers to create really special products (including this incredible Atmos clock designed with Jaeger-LeCoultre and this pen by Marc Newson). Berthier is a truly world-class designer, having created products with the likes of Knoll, Ligne Roset, and Thonet, not to mention having his work in the permanent collection of the MoMA in New York City. One of the signatures for this watch is the numerals, all of which are two digits, in a typeface unique to this watch.
I’m a fan of Berthier and am familiar with his work outside this Hermes Carré H watch – if you are too, you’re probably going to be into this watch. It’s studied, but doesn’t take itself too seriously, which, for me, is when Hermes Carré H is at its very best. It’s a tough line to walk, and almost nobody does it better than the Parisian luxury house. My only real complaint here is the size of the watch. While 38mm is an excellent diameter for a round watch, 38mm square is rather large, and the Carré H isn’t overly slim either. I really like the design of the dial in both colors, but for me it would work better in the original 36.5mm x 36.5mm size better.
