Swiss Watches
The new Hermes Arceau Temps Suspendu automatic watch features a beautiful Time Suspended complication, is available in rose gold and steel and, what’s even more important, makes you want to rob the bank to get one. Isn’t it the acid test to detect a true work of art?
It looks like I am gradually falling in love with Hermes.
While the overwhelming majority of established fashion houses produce cheap, hideous (or plain dumb) models and sell them to the nouveau riche at sky-high prices in their boutiques, the French brand Hermes seems to be serious about its watchmaking business.
Judging by the products they deliver, they hire the best designers and the most qualified watchmakers in the business in order to create timepieces that look simple, yet refined and, well, very expensive.
I raved about the new Hermes Arceau Grande Lune. I am completely out of words with this new Hermes Arceau Temps Suspendu.
In two words, the watch sports a Swiss made automatic movement, which is equipped with a very complex 360° hour and minute retrograde system.
At a push of a button, which is located at 9 o’clock, you can “stop” the watch making its hour and minute hands jump from their current positions to a slightly recessed Time Suspended zone at 12 o’clock. The retrograde date hand will be hidden altogether.
The hands may stay suspended for hours, days or even weeks, but the balance wheel will keep beating (if you won’t forget to wind it,) counting seconds and ready to instantaneously bring the hands to the positions they belong to.
Although the complication seems to have little practical use, there is a great therapeutic potential in this watch. I guess, it may be of great value to neurotic people who just can’t stop checking the time while standing in line at a check-in or talking to a particularly annoying person.
I would definitely love to get one myself, however I guess that the watch will cost like a BMW X1 and that’s a lot of money. That’s a Hermes, after all*.
* UPDATE ON PRICE: It’s been reported that the version of Arceau Temps Suspendu in a rose gold case will indeed be quite expensive and will retail €27,300. The one in stainless steel, however, will retail for €13,000, which is, while clearly far from being ‘affordable’ is more or less bearable given the pedigree of the French fashion brand.
See also: De Bethune DB25T Tourbillon Regulator
Photos: Hermes, @KewpieLovesYou
Hermes Arceau Temps Suspendu automatic watch specification
Price: €27,300 (MSRP, version in 18-carat rose gold, limited to 174 individually numbered pieces) / €13,000 (MSRP, version in stainless steel, total production number not limited at all)
Movement: Automatic, 254 parts, created together with Agenhor, Geneva, Swiss Made
Movement decoration: No data
Functions: Retrograde hours, minutes and date; stop/start push-piece at 9 o’clock
Power reserve: 42 hours
Case material: Stainless steel / 18-carat Rose gold
Bezel material: Stainless steel / Rose gold
Case shape: Round
Bezel shape: Round
Case size: 43.00 mm
Lug width: No data
Case height: No data
Dial: Opaline silvered / Black
Numerals: Arabic
Hands: Open-worked
Water resistance: 30 meters
Strap: Matt havana brown or black alligator leather strap
Crystal: Sapphire
Case back: Sapphire