MINI FORMAT, MAXI EFFECT
The forever-elegant, unusual curvaceous shape of the case of the latest timepiece created by the Parisian house is available in a new size. An aspiring must-have.
A change of look for the brand that is so fond of the equestrian world! Galop d’Hermès, the collection unveiled in 2019, is back with reduced sizes, though still as attractive as ever. The design spirit of the young Californian Ini Archibong, a graduate of ECAL (École cantonale d’art de Lausanne), is not distorted in any way. As such, Hermès proposes his Petit Modèle (20 x 20.7 mm) in three variations: in steel, in stone-set rose gold and in steel adorned with 134 diamonds. These intensely-feminine watches pursue the scenography of the original dial. The hour chapter with its highly-singular font and different sizes, the powdered Arabic numerals that are silvered or gilded, set off with an anthracite outline, feature on a large embossed space. With a tip of the hat to the equine environment, the 8 is imagined as a flipped-over stirrup. The hours and minutes are hovered over by a duo of rounded, rhodium-plated or 4N gilded baton-style hands.
“I wanted to create an object that would give its owner a feeling of power and confidence. I wanted the shape of the case to be streamlined, so that the watch doesn’t give the impression it’s slowing down the person wearing it. If I’d placed the crown on the side, it would have disrupted its tapered aspect” stated the American designer during an interview for the French press. Time is still set using the crown now positioned at 6 o’clock. All the variations are driven by a Swiss Made quartz movement.
The Galop D’Hermès Petit Modèle is worn on a calfskin or alligator strap made in Hermès’ workshops.
Price: EUR2,950 (steel) – EUR5,900 (diamond-set steel) – EUR10,500 (stone-set rose gold) hermes.com
By Dan Diaconu