The word slim in this watch’s name says it all about the intent of Philippe Delhotal, creative director of La Montre Hermès, and Parisian graphic designer Philippe Apeloig, who developed the Art Deco influenced dial typography of the entire Slim d’Hermès collection.
The rose gold watch’s thinness begins inside with a specially made Agenhor perpetual calendar module build atop the Hermes automatic Caliber H1950, an in-house movement developed with Vaucher, which Hermes co-owns. Even with the perpetual calendar module, the entire movement measure only 4mm thin, which makes it among the very thinnest of its type available. As with other notable thin and complicated timepieces, the use of a micro-rotor rather than a much larger full-sized, centrally set oscillating weight to power the caliber makes such a slim profile possible.
And as a thin watch, even a gold one, naturally weights less than its thicker peers, this 39.5mm diameter red gold watch certainly feels feather-light on the wrist.
More Than Numbers
That weight is a component of the dressiness this watch embodies, but there’s much more at play here than simple measurements.
The aforementioned Philippe Apeloig typography places space between each black transferred number and letter on the opaline-silvered dial. Even within the numerals themselves space is evident. The snowman-like number 8 and the almost hieroglyphic number 4 that together anchor the dial display are particularly enthralling. Rather than presenting themselves as two of any Arabic dial’s most stolid images, here Apeloig’s design for the two numerals almost empties out the lower left and lower right dial quadrants.
With an airy outer dial, the inner indicators can be much more easily seen and read. Delhotal’s broad dial layout, while classic for a perpetual calendar, here requires far less eyestrain to comprehend. The GMT subdial at 6 o’clock is larger than the others to allow a quick view of the chosen second timezone and is easily adjustable with a pusher just below the crown. In fact the GMT hand is the only blue hand on the dial, which makes ascertaining the second timezone (with a daytime/nighttime dot just adjacent) that much quicker. The months and years (including leap years), date and moonphase are each displayed in their own subdial, and each can be adjusted via a micro-pusher set into the case adjacent to each subdial.
The impressive use of ‘space’ on the Slim d’Hermès Perpetual Calendar can also be said to include moonphase subdial. I was fortunate to have worn this watch during the week when our moon was at its fullest. Thus, I could enjoy watching the beautiful Hermès mother-of-pearl moon traverse the seemingly three-dimensional aventurine sliver that represents stars in space. Though several times a day the long slender hands partly interrupted my view, the moonphase window drew my gaze nearly as much as the distinctive Slim d’Hermès typography.
The back of Caliber H1950, fully visible when turning the watch over, is nicely decorated with the traditional repeating H pattern Hermès uses on all its in-house movements, here accentuated with hand-chamfering on the edges of the broad bridges. The clean caseback design matches the openness of the dial, though I still I wonder how it might look with blued screws. The gold buckle and supple Hermes alligator leather strap contribute to the watch’s traditional high-end Swiss watch profile.
I’m hard-pressed to think of any other suggestions for this beautifully designed thin perpetual calendar. As the anchor piece within the wholly new Slim d’Hermès collection of men’s and ladies’ models, the Slim d’Hermès Perpetual Calendar is easily the classiest dressy timepiece to grace my wrist all year.
Specifications
Hermès
Slim d’Hermès Perpetual Calendar
Case: 39.5mm red gold, clear sapphire caseback
Movement: automatic Caliber H1950 with Agenhor calendar module measuring 4 mm total height, micro rotor; 21,600 bph; high-end finishing with hand-chamfered bridges, 42-hour power reserve
Functions: hours, minutes; perpetual calendar with date and month, GMT, day/night indication, moon phases, leap year indication
Dial: Opaline silvered, black transferred Arabic numerals. 4N-gilded or lacquered-blue sandblasted baton hands, mother-of-pearl moon over aventurine sky
Buckle: 17 mm pin buckle in 5N 750 rose gold
Straps: Hermès Matte Havana alligator or matte black alligator
Price: $38,900
The post On The Wrist: Wearing the Slim d’Hermès Perpetual Calendar appeared first on iW International Watch Magazine.