
Baselworld 2016: Hermes novelties
Tigers and panthers
Hermes has unveiled its new novelties at Baselworld 2016, showcasing pieces that were inspired by the wild. The tiger and the panther both take centrestage with the Hermes' Arceau Tigre and Pocket Panthère, as Hermes masterfully combines the majestic beasts with horological artistry.
The Arceau Tigre is the result of two years of precise craftsmanship and it's the first watch to be created from the original email ombrant. While the tiger depicted on the dial was taken from a drawing by artist and former brand collaborator Robert Dallet. The beauty of the piece lies in its use of light to truly bring out the 3D effect of the tiger motif. Limited to only 12 pieces, the Arceau Tigre also features a white gold case, a transparent sapphire crystal back and an alligator leather strap.
The Pocket Panthère marries the finest works in engraving and enamelling, drawing from Dallet's illustrations. The long enamelling process at times required 25 firing cycles to achieve the perfect mix and melding of material and colour. In the end, the result is a brightly coloured panther walking amidst a snowy background, which were all engraved in fine detail. The white gold case features a lug at the 12 o'clock mark for the alligator leather strap and similar to the Arceau Tigre, this pocket watch has a transparent case back to showcase the movement within.
Other new unveilings by the maison include the Faubourg Manchette Joaillerie, Slim d'Hermès Mille Fleurs du Mexique and Poclet Plein Cuir.