Hermès’ renowned Arceau watch is a case in point in reinterpreting house codes in a sophisticated and creative way. Conceived in 1978 by the maison’s visionary artistic director Henri d’Origny, it features stirrup-shaped lugs and slanted Arabic numerals that ‘gallop’ around the dial, a playful nod to the brand’s equestrian roots.

This connection is taken a step further with the latest interpretation of the timepiece, a fantastical one-of-a-kind creation with a dial that epitomises Hermès’ penchant for whimsical and playful design. An elegant horse motif dominates the dial, cut out to reveal the manufacture H1924 calibre beating at the heart of the watch.

This complex movement includes a double-gong minute repeater and a flying tourbillon, the latter of which is coiled within the horse’s neck and visible through an aperture at 6 o’clock. The tourbillon forms a ‘double H’ motif, while the tourbillion carriage and barrel-bridge takes inspiration from the architecture of Hermès’ boutique on the chic Faubourg Saint-Honoré in Paris.

The Hermès Arceau Lift Tourbillon Répétition Minutes is presented in two versions, rose gold with white lacquered dial and white gold with deep-blue lacquered dial, each limited to just one piece each.

hermes.com