WORDS
Eleanor Pryor
When Hermès debuted the Arceau L’heure de la Lune at the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie last year, it instantly captured attention with its intriguing, whimsical take on timekeeping; qualities that have become a signature of the luxury house’s accomplished forays into the world of haute horology.
Here the notion of a typical moon-phase indication is literally flipped on its head, showcasing simultaneous displays of the moon phases in both northern and southern hemispheres on counters in the 6 o’clock and 12 o’clock positions respectively. The first reflects a realistic view of the moon’s surface, while the latter depicts a horse, representing the origins of Hermès, elegantly galloping across a celestial background. Two mobile counters indicating the time and date dance their way effortlessly around the dial, achieved thanks to the in-house H1837 movement, which despite its complexity clocks in at a slender 4.2mm thick.
Adding to its otherworldly nature, for 2020, the Arceau L’heure de la Lune is presented with three special new dial options. A version with a Black Sahara meteorite dial is limited to 30 watches, while a lunar meteorite dial option is available in a 36-piece run. Even more exclusive is a model featuring a dial crafted from Martian meteorite, with just two numbered editions available.