Hermès is expanding their Slim d’Hermès Squelette Lune collection with the addition of two new references rendered in titanium and platinum. The watches represent a small step, but a welcome one nonetheless as they methodically expand their openworked vision of the Slim d’Hermès. This is a collection that launched in 2015, though the first openworked design made its debut in 2021 with the new H953 micro-rotor movement. The watch has seen a subtle evolution since then, and with these latest references, we find a fully mature design that splits the titanium and platinum elements of the original into their own fully formed case architecture. The result is exactly as beautiful as we’ve come to expect from the famed French brand.
Openworked dials are a tricky thing to properly execute. Oftentimes, they don’t take the full experience into account, with a dial that reveals less than flattering areas of the movement’s main plate. There are certain trade-offs to be made with an openworked dial, legibility being chief among them. Still, watches that manage to achieve success with an openworked dial do so with intent. It should never feel like an existing watch that’s had its dial opened, it should feel as though the movement were made with the view in mind. Audemars Piguet does an excellent job of this with their Double Balance Royal Oak, and that is exactly the kind of attention to detail we find in the Squelette Lune.
The dial is a harmonious web of thin bridge work supporting the movement within. The finishing is subtle, but well considered with chamfers appearing along the edges. Moving a layer upward, you’ll find the chapter ring containing the hour and minute markings represented in Hermès’ custom typeface by graphic designer Philippe Apeloig. Attached to this layer we also find the frame for the double moonphase indication.
There are two references here, one in full titanium with a grey dial, and one in platinum with a blue dial plate. In both cases, the steel movement provides contrast. In each, the depiction of the moon can get lost, as it blends in with the movement itself, but the effect is less exaggerated in person, though it never serves as a focal point, which isn’t a bad thing. A pair of thin hands track the time, and while they can get lost, they never feel like they’re competing for attention, which feels an odd thing to say about a watch.
The movement itself is now the H1953, and it remains an ultra-thin micro-rotor movement that measures 3.57mm in thickness, allowing for a total watch thickness of just 8.8mm. The case diameter is 39.5mm, and without much of a bezel to speak of, this means plenty of space for the dial itself. And in the case of the Squelette Lune, that’s the real star of the show here. Though make no mistake, this is a wonderfully svelte case that feels as organic as the dial.
Hermès continues to own a stake in Vaucher Manufacture Fleurier, and watches like this show their dedication to taking horology seriously. It may not be the first brand that comes to mind when discussing watchmaking, but that’s beginning to change, and for good reason. The brand has shown a remarkable level of creativity and a deft hand in their execution, not only with watches such as this, but also with their H08, and their very fun Cut Le Temps Suspendu. This is definitely a brand that should be on your radar. Hermès