STYLE Edit: Is Hermès’ Arceau watch an upgrade on its famous Astrologie Nouvelle silk scarf?
Hermès’ famous Astrologie Nouvelle silk scarf, designed by Françoise Faconnet in 1963, has been superbly reinterpreted on the dial of its latest Arceau watch. Recreated in wood marquetry, the motif reflects an artistic view of the flow and acceleration of time. Painstakingly created over three weeks, the dial of the Hermès Arceau Astrologie Nouvelle watch is made with tulipwood that’s cut into tiny pieces, which go through an elaborate sanding and varnishing process before being assembled like a jigsaw puzzle to form the famed motif.
Limited to just eight pieces, this exquisite watch comes in a 41mm-diameter white gold case with a matt black alligator strap. The hours and minutes hands are driven by H1837, a mechanical self-winding movement crafted by the manufacture. This 4Hz Swiss-made movement is mounted on 28 jewels and endowed with 50 hours of power reserve.
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Cyrille Diatkine reinterpreted Faconnet’s Astrologie Nouvelle silk scarf design in 2012, breaking down and alternating the original motifs to form a kind of “orderly chaos”.
To create the dial for this special timepiece, you need to miniaturise the motif. Hermès artisans strive for the perfect colour and texture by using tulipwood or yellow poplar from North America. The wood is chosen for its shades which resemble the scarf’s original design. Tulipwood’s fine, firm grain adapts to the art of wood marquetry remarkably well and changes colour over time, evolving from white to dark blue. It takes patience, dexterity and discipline to create a dial using wood marquetry techniques. Contour cutting, which is the process of cutting separate layers of wood, allows craftsmen to choose the grain of a wood in a design and align to their requirements.
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These watches signify the maison’s creativity as well as its technical supremacy in haute horology. While enamel and engraving are commonly used for watchmaking, leather, straw and wood marquetry are rarely seen on the face of a watch. Hermès uses these awe-inspiring art forms in a wide range of watches, and the Arceau Astrologie Nouvelle is another testament to its commitment to exceptional craftsmanship and high watchmaking.
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Cyrille Diatkine reinterpreted Françoise Faconnet’s 1963 design, breaking down and alternating the original motifs to form a kind of ‘orderly chaos’