Hermès Weaves Time With Arceau Cheval Natté
For the Hermès, a watch is rarely simply an instrument for measuring the passing hours. It is an object of imagination, where fine craftsmanship, colour and artistry come together to create something that feels entirely its own.
The new Arceau Cheval Natté continues this tradition with an extraordinary dial in which silk becomes the principal material. Conceived around an equestrian motif, the watch transforms almost 400 individual silk threads into a colourful, geometric portrait of a horse, creating a miniature work of textile art beneath the crystal.
The Arceau has been at the heart of Hermès watchmaking since 1978, when it was created by Henri d’Origny. Its distinctive silhouette and restrained elegance have provided the Maison with a canvas upon which it can explore some of its most imaginative artistic crafts. With Cheval Natté, that exploration moves into the world of silk marquetry.
Originally conceived by designer Tong Ren for Hermès home accessories, the Cheval Natté motif is given an entirely new expression on the watch dial. The horse’s head is constructed from geometric lines, creating a playful yet remarkably sophisticated composition. Its apparent simplicity disguises the painstaking work required to bring it to life.
Nearly 400 silk threads are individually positioned, each following a carefully controlled direction. Together they create the impression of movement within the horse while giving the dial a subtle relief. Light moves across the different surfaces of the silk, revealing changes in texture and colour and giving the composition an almost three dimensional quality.
It is an arresting example of Hermès’ ability to take an unexpected material and make it entirely appropriate to watchmaking. Silk ceases to be merely a textile and becomes part of the architecture of the dial.
Two interpretations are offered. The first embraces the vivid colours of the original design, creating a luminous and exuberant expression. The second takes a darker and more intense approach, combining black, red and brown tones. In both versions, diamonds punctuate the silk composition, their brilliance contrasting with the texture of the threads.
The dial is further enhanced by precise champlevé engraving and a setting of 123 diamonds. The work is framed by a 38 mm rose gold case, its bezel set with 70 diamonds, while a further diamond is set into the rose gold crown at three o’clock.
Beneath the artistic exterior lies the Manufacture Hermès H1912 self winding movement. Produced in Switzerland, the 23.9 mm calibre measures just 3.9 mm in thickness and provides 50 hours of power reserve. Its finishing is visible through the sapphire crystal case back, including the distinctive sprinkling of Hs that has become an understated signature of Hermès watchmaking.
The watch is completed by an alligator strap produced in the Hermès workshops, offered in dune or black matt alligator according to the interpretation, and secured by a rose gold pin buckle.
Yet it is the dial that remains the defining feature of the Arceau Cheval Natté. Rather than simply decorating a watch, Hermès has transformed the dial into a miniature textile landscape, where hundreds of individual threads become a celebration of colour, movement and craftsmanship.
Only 24 examples of each version will be produced, making the Cheval Natté an especially rare expression of the Arceau. It is a watch that demonstrates the distinctive philosophy of Hermès at its most compelling, where horology becomes a vehicle for artistic expression and the smallest details are given the attention normally reserved for works of art.
Time, in the hands of Hermès, is not merely something to be measured. It is something to be experienced.
Technical specifications
Case
38 mm rose gold case
Bezel set with 70 diamonds
Rose gold crown set with one diamond
Anti glare sapphire crystal and case back
Water resistance to 3 bar
Dial
Silk thread marquetry
123 diamond setting
Gold plated hours and minutes hands
Movement
Manufacture Hermès H1912
Mechanical self winding
23.9 mm diameter
3.9 mm thick
50 hour power reserve
28,800 vibrations per hour, 4 Hz
Hours and minutes
Strap
Dune or black matt alligator
Rose gold pin buckle
Edition
Limited to 24 pieces in each version
Price
Upon request
For more information please visit Hermès