Two new versions of the Hermes Arceau L’Heure de la Lune were unveiled by Hermes this year. This version features a Blue Pearl back dial.
Last year at SIHH, Hermes unveiled its all-new complicated Arceau L’Heure De La Lune watch — a revolutionary new timepiece that was years in the making. Now, the brand expands the collection, adding five impressive new versions, including a few limited editions. The new 36-piece limited edition versions include one with a black Sahara meteorite dial with crystal-effect silver lacquered mobile counters, and one in Lunar meteorite with crystal-effect gradient brown-lacquered moving counters.There is also one with a Martian meteorite that will only be made in an edition of two pieces.
Adding to its regular collection are two blue dials, a Lapis Lazuli model and a Blue Pearl dial. Several things make this watch a stand-out piece. The specially made (and exclusive to Hermes) module for it was created by Jean-François Mojon, Founder, Co-Owner and Managing Director of Chronode SA. The module enables the watch to have rotating hour/minutes and date subdials, while the engraved mother-of-pearl moon disks remain in position on the dial. In other words, where most moon phase watches the moonphase disk rotates, in this watch, the moon disks remain stationary on the dial and the time/date subdials rotate on the larger main dial. As the smaller time/date dials rotate, they cut off portions of the stationary moon disks to indicate the phases.
Hermes Arceau L’Heure de la Lune with Black Sahara meteorite dial.
The southern hemisphere moon is depicted on top, while the northern hemisphere moon is shown on the bottom of the dial — just for a touch of Hermes humor. “Additionally, at 12 o’clock, the moon is adorned by a Pegasus designed by the “dreamer-designer” Dimitri Rybaltchenko. Entitled Pleine Lune (Full Moon),this portrayal of the winged horse hints at a passage between two worlds, where magic and reality merge. On the other side, at 6 o’clock, the view of the moon from the northern hemisphere provides a realistic depiction of its surface.”
Hermes Arceau L’Heure de la Lune with lapis lazuli dial.
The exclusive module is patented and has 117 components. It joins the Hermes H1837 movement for a total of 193 parts. The Arceau case was originally designed by Henri d’Origny in 1978, and features asymmetrical lugs. As to pricing: the blue models that are part of the collection and not limited will retail for $33,200. The Lunar meteorite is $43,000 and the Black Sahara is $54,100. Prices were not released for the Martian dial watch.
Hermes Arceau L’Heure de la Lune
Technical Specs of the Arceau L’Heure De La Lune watches
Case: 43mm 18-karat gold, sapphire crystal and case-back with anti-glare treatment, water resistant 3 bar
Dial: Lunar meteorite dial with crystal-effect gradient brown-lacquered mobile counters, or Black Sahara meteorite dial with crystal-effect silver-lacquered mobile counters, transferred Arabic numerals, Moons in white natural mother-of-pearl. Southern moon: Pegasus transfer inspired by the Pleine Lune motif designed by Dimitri Rybaltchenko, Northern moon: lunar surface transfer, Blued hands
Movement: Hermès Manufacture H1837 movement Mechanical self-winding, Swiss made Diameter: 26 mm (111⁄2’’’), thickness: 3.7 mm 193 components, 28 jewels, Frequency: 28,800 vph (4Hz), Circular-grained and snailed baseplate, satin-brushed bridges and oscillating weight, signature “H” pattern
Module: Exclusive “L’heure de la lune” module Diameter: 38 mm (163⁄4’’’), thickness: 4.2 mm 117 components, 14 jewels
Polished and bead-blasted bridges
Functions: Hours, minutes, date, double moon phase (display of moon phases seen from the northern and southern hemispheres)
Strap: Matt black alligator
Buckle: 17 mm white gold folding clasp (26.39 g)
