A pairing made in paradise
Hermes brings old-world elegance to the thoroughly modern Apple watch
APPLE’S PRODUCT INNOVATION has merged with the craftsmanship of French luxury brand Hermes to create a collection of Apple Watches in stainless steel with handcrafted leather bands in three distinctive styles.
“Apple and Hermes make very different products, but they reflect the deep appreciation of quality design,” says Jonathan Ive, Apple’s chief design officer. “Both companies are motivated by a sincere pursuit of excellence and the desire to create something that is not compromised. Apple Watch Hermes is a true testament to that belief.”
“Working with Apple is the first time to my knowledge that we have put two names on the orange box,” adds Pierre-Alexis Dumas, Hermes’ executive vice president in charge of artistic direction. “We are strongly united by the same deeply held ideas and principles. I see it as the establishment of an alliance in excellence; like horse and carriage, a perfect team.”
The buckle of the Single Tour model recalls those on the straps of a horse’s girth, a nod to the equestrian heritage of Hermes, They are available in 38mm and 42mm stainless steel cases with leather bands in fauve Barenia and noir Box leathers. The 38mm case is also available in capucine Swift leather.
The Double Tour has an extra-long band that wraps twice around the wrist. It pairs with the 38mm stainless steel case and is available in fauve Barenia leather and bleu jean, capucine and etain Swift leather.
Inspired by equestrian fixtures, the Cuff is designed to allow the heart rate sensor to stay in contact with the wrist. It pairs with the 42mm stainless steel case and is available in fauve Barenia leather only. Across the collection, each stainless steel case features an etching of the Hermes signature and includes a customisable face with three exclusive dial designs inspired by Clipper, Cape Cod and Espace Hermes watches.
“I wanted unequivocally to have our iconic ‘double tour’ bracelet among the range of straps reworked for this project by Pierre Hardy, our creative director of jewellery and shoes. Very quickly a question arose: how to stop the band from sliding under the watch face, hiding the sensors and preventing it from being in contact with the skin.
“So we worked with our craftsmen to find a solution, to create a little additional tension so that the band would never slip under the watch. We achieved that by adding thickness, which is a technique we use when we make handles for bags, or for luggage. It is I think a fine detail, I like the idea that the solution to a very contemporary problem was found by using a craft that would have been familiar at the time of the foundation of Hermes,” Dumas says.
The collection is not yet available in Thailand, but at select Apple and Hermes stores in China, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea and Japan. It’s also available in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, the UK and the US.
On the Web:
www.Apple.com/apple-watch-hermes
www.Hermes.com/applewatchhermes
