A Cut Above The Rest

Philippe Delhotal, Creative Director of Hermès Horloger, discusses his work with AUGUSTMAN.

- SUFFIAN HAKIM

HERMÈS HORLOGER, the watches division of the French leather maison, has grown steadily since the pandemic. In 2021, it raked in €337 million (S$4.8 million) in revenue worldwide. The following year, the figure rose to €519 million. It was €611 million last year. This is impressive since global watch revenues did not exceed €200 million before Covid-19.

Many things can be attributed to this phenomenon, but one cannot deny the influence that Philippe Delhotal, Hermès Horloger’s visionary creative director, has had since joining in 2008.

As creative director of Hermès Horloger, you have perhaps one of the most enviable jobs in the world. What does a typical day look like for you?

Every day is different. My work is very varied, rich, and creative. No one day looks like another. As I always say, ideas don’t spring from an office or a desk. My ideal day would be hiking in the Swiss mountains, close to nature and beautiful landscapes. It is very revitalising and a great source of inspiration to me.

Please tell us about this year’s novelties. What factors did you consider when developing and evolving your designs?

Depending on the type of creation (new line or complication), Hermès’s watchmaking developments take three to five years. My creation calendar shows all projects and we launch novelties based on our strategy.

At Watches & Wonders Geneva 2024 Hermès Horloger introduced three main novelties. Each year, we focus on three stories: one new collection or novelties dedicated to our main pillars, one complication, and one métiers d’art timepiece.