Designed by Henri d’Origny in 1978, the Arceau watch lends itself to a fresh illustration of spontaneity and expertise. Its round case with asymmetrical stirrup-shaped lugs is the setting for a thrilling and futuristic horse race, brought to life by vibrant colors, hand-painted on a glittering or iridescent dial. The Arceau watch reveals a new creation in miniature paintings on aventurine or pink opaline. We are thus propelled into the futuristic and colourful universe of the illustrator Ugo Bienvenu, who designed the Space Derby silk scarf, inspired by 20th-century American comic book superheroes, and imagined brightly coloured cosmic equestrian teams: a breathless derby in the stars; mysterious planets and constellations; as well as jockeys racing at full speed on a track winding through space.
Miniature-painted on an aventurine or pink opaline dial, this scene lends a new creative dimension to the Hermès Arceau watch. This art requires extreme care, sure touch and a keen sense of colour in order to compose and give life to a palette of nuances, contrasts and unique details. The glowing shades spring to life through a multitude of layers of micro-painting meticulously and successively applied using a brush and dried in a hot kiln.
Three different watches in two limited series reinterpret the original design of the Space Derby silk scarf. The first two watches in a limited edition of 12-pieces each are crafted in 18K white gold with an aventurine dial with a miniature painting that reveals a jockey and his aerodynamic chariot, pulled by a thoroughbred in armor, beneath a star-studded sky. These two different models feature a case measuring 41 mm in diameter and are powered by the automatic manufacture Hermès H1837 movement which provides a power reserve of 50 hours. They are delivered on an abyss blue alligator strap.
The second reference is a 24-piece limited edition that comes in a diamond-set 18K white gold case —measuring 38 mm in diameter—with 82 diamonds, and features a pink opaline dial with a miniature painting depicting a flame-haired driver holding the reins of a horse-drawn carriage hurtling at full speed with a small moon phase indication aperture at 10 o’clock. This watch is powered by the automatic manufacture Hermès H1837 movement with Petite Lune module. This watch is delivered on an old rose alligator strap matching the dial color.
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