Putting The Fun Into Functional

French maison Hermès has always known how to balance work and play

- Sean Mossadeg

IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, had watch design never been outsourced to folks other than watchmakers back in the day, the luxury items we wear on our wrists now would look quite, quite different. The timepieces we wear these days have many more features and details than the classic templates that pre-’50s watch designs adhered to.

There is a time and place for all things vintage-inspired, and some brands wear that on their sleeves, but what of other brands that have pushed the very concept of design further into the future?

Hermès knows that when it comes to design, the status quo is not something you should stick to.

At SIHH this year (the brand’s very first foray into the halls in Geneva), it proudly celebrated the 40th anniversary of the creation of La Montre Hermès SA, the brand’s watchmaking arm, in 1978 in the city of Bienne.

An Outside Perspective

Hermès is no stranger to timepieces. The brand started retailing many Swiss timepieces in its boutiques in the early 20th century and even signed some of them, resulting in several highly coveted vintage timepieces today