A mischievous horse takes center stage on the dial of the Arceau watch , decorated with horsehair marquetry, engraving and miniature painting.
The Arceau watch , designed by Henri d’Origny in 1978, plays with metamorphosis and highlights the creativity and expertise of Hermès. Its round case with asymmetrical stirrup-shaped attachments lends itself to artisanal expressions as demanding as they are unexpected. Playful animation, engraving, miniature painting and horsehair marquetry, the dial of the Arceau watch reinterprets the mischievous horse imagined by Dimitri Rybaltchenko for the Rocabar de rire scarf .
The slightly mocking animal likes to play the fool. And rather than go for a walk, it prefers to stay warm under its striped wool blanket. Similar to a photograph, this whimsical and playful image comes to life on a hand-engraved and hand-painted mobile: animated by a spring mechanism connected to a push button at 9 o’clock. The mischievous horse sticks out its tongue and displays its most beautiful profile against a background of colorful stripes in horsehair marquetry. These combined crafts require patience, attention to detail, and dexterity to unite in the extreme finesse of the dial.
Between reliefs and depths, the engraver sculpts the horse using traditional burins and chisels. Once the applique is crafted, the miniature painter searches for the perfect tones, which he applies in several layers of micro-paint. Heat-dried in a kiln, they display a palette of nuances, volumes, and unique details. Finally, to compose the weave of the dial, the craftsman meticulously selects horsehair of different colors, cuts them, then glues them one by one onto the brass base.
The Arceau watch humorously revisits the Rocabar equestrian motif to designate the ” bar rug” – evoking the traditional striped rug of Hermès saddlery. And its funny and quirky horse is revealed in a precious 41 mm diameter white gold case.
Hours, minutes and the “Impulse on Demand” function are driven by the Hermès H1837 manufacture movement, which reveals the finishing and the scattering of Hs adorning its bridges and oscillating weight through the sapphire crystal caseback. As a final touch, an alligator strap highlights the anthracite, red and straw shades of the dial of this watch, limited to 12 pieces.
