Hermes Arceau L’Heure De La Lune watch with Aventurine dial and mother-of-pearl moon phases, as shown at SIHH 2019.
At SIHH this year, Hermes unveils the all-new complicated Arceau L’Heure De La Lune watch — a revolutionary new timepiece that was years in the making. The watch features a specially made module created by Jean-François Mojon, Founder, Co-Owner and Managing Director of Chronode SA. The module is exclusive to Hermes and 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, wherein 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. The watch is offered with either a meteorite or aventurine back 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.”
The exclusive module has a patent pending. It measures 4.2mm in thickness and has 117 complements. It joins the Hermes H1837 movement for a total of 193 parts. Making the 18-karat gold watch so dramatic is the fact that these two moonphase displays are huge, they are not apertures, but rather, entire moon indications. The Arceau case was originally designed by Henri d’Origny in 1978, and features asymmetrical lugs. Each of the two versions of the watch is being issued in a limited edition of 100 pieces. The Aventurine dial features white lacquer counters, while the meteorite dial has gradiated gray lacquer subdials. Each watch retails for an incredible $25,200.
SIHH 2019? Hermes Arceau L’Heure De La Lune watch with meteorite dial.
Technical Specifications of the Hermes Arceau L’Heure De La Lune watch
CASE: Designed by Henri d’Origny in 1978, White gold case (68.2g), 43 mm in diameter, 17 mm interhorn width, Sapphire crystal and case-back with anti-glare treatment, Water-resistant to 3 bar
MOVEMENT: Hermès Manufacture H1837 movement, Mechanical self-winding, Swiss made; Diameter: 26 mm (11½”’), 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 (16¾”’), 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: Aventurine dial: matt abyss blue alligator; Meteorite dial: matt graphite alligator; 17 mm white gold folding clasp (26.39 g)
