HERMÈS
ARCEAU L'HEURE DE LA LUNE ONLY WATCH

Travelling in another dimension, cosmic and dreamlike. Setting foot on the moon and losing one’s sense of time and space. The Arceau L’heure de la lune ONLY WATCH offers a unique vision of Earth’s satellite with the simultaneous display of moon phases in both northern and southern hemispheres. Two mobile counters gravitate on a meteorite dial, revealing mother-of-pearl moons in step with an exclusive module, coupled with a Manufacture Hermès movement.
HERMÈS
ARCEAU L'HEURE DE LA LUNE ONLY WATCH

Travelling in another dimension, cosmic and dreamlike. Setting foot on the moon and losing one’s sense of time and space. The Arceau L’heure de la lune ONLY WATCH offers a unique vision of Earth’s satellite with the simultaneous display of moon phases in both northern and southern hemispheres. Two mobile counters gravitate on a meteorite dial, revealing mother-of-pearl moons in step with an exclusive module, coupled with a Manufacture Hermès movement.
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Prospective purchasers are advised that several co… Read more
HERMÈSARCEAU L'HEURE DE LA LUNE ONLY WATCHTravelling in another dimension, cosmic and dreamlike. Setting foot on the moon and losing one’s sense of time and space. The Arceau L’heure de la lune ONLY WATCH offers a unique vision of Earth’s satellite with the simultaneous display of moon phases in both northern and southern hemispheres. Two mobile counters gravitate on a meteorite dial, revealing mother-of-pearl moons in step with an exclusive module, coupled with a Manufacture Hermès movement.

Details
HERMÈS
ARCEAU L'HEURE DE LA LUNE ONLY WATCH

Travelling in another dimension, cosmic and dreamlike. Setting foot on the moon and losing one’s sense of time and space. The Arceau L’heure de la lune ONLY WATCH offers a unique vision of Earth’s satellite with the simultaneous display of moon phases in both northern and southern hemispheres. Two mobile counters gravitate on a meteorite dial, revealing mother-of-pearl moons in step with an exclusive module, coupled with a Manufacture Hermès movement.
Model name: Arceau L'heure de la lune Only Watch
Case: Designed by Henri d’Origny in 1978 - White gold case (68.2 g)
Dial: Meteorite, blue rhodium-plated - Moons in white natural mother-of-pearl Southern moon: Pegasus transfer inspired by the Pleine Lune motif designed by Dimitri Rybaltchenko Northern moon: lunar surface transfer - Rhodium-plated hands
Calibre: Hermès Manufacture H1837 movement Mechanical self-winding, Swiss made Diameter: 26 mm (11½'''), thickness: 3.7 mm 193 components, 28 jewels Frequency: 28,800 vph (4Hz) Circular-grained and snailed baseplate, satin-brushed bridges and oscillating weight, signature “H” pattern
Bracelet: Alligator matt graphite alligator and blue zephir calfskin
Dimensions: Diameter: 43 mm
Specificities: This unique Haute Horlogerie timepiece is fitted with a matt alligator strap in graphite grey with a blue zephyr calfskin. Gradated black-lacquered mobile counters, blue transfers.
Special Notice
Prospective purchasers are advised that several countries prohibit the importation of property containing materials from endangered species, including but not limited to coral, ivory and tortoiseshell. Accordingly, prospective purchasers should familiarize themselves with relevant customs regulations prior to bidding if they intend to import this lot into another country. Many of the watches offered for sale in this catalogue are pictured with straps made of endangered or protected animal materials such as alligator or crocodile. These endangered species straps are shown for display purposes only and are not for sale. Christie’s will remove and retain the strap prior to shipment from the sale site. At some sale sites, Christie’s may, at its discretion, make the displayed endangered species strap available to the buyer of the lot free of charge if collected in person from the sale site within 1 year of the date of the sale. Please check with the department for details on a particular lot.

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Sabine Kegel
Sabine Kegel

Lot Essay

An off beat expression of a classic horological complication, the ArceauL'heure de la lune watch off ers an original interpretation of Hermès watchmaking expertise. Framed by a white gold case, the mechanics adopt a light, barely-there role. Meteorite inlaid with mother-of-pearl form a cosmos in which satellite dials fl oat above hemispherical moons. These mischievous displays have swapped cardinal points, with the south above and the north below.

A topsy-turvy direction inviting observers to lose their bearings, with their head in the stars‚ The horse, representing the origins of Hermès, gallops elegantly into the world of dreams. At 12 o'clock, the moon is adorned by a Pegasus designed by the "dreamer-designer" Dimitri Rybaltchenko.Entitled Pleine Lune (Full Moon), this portrayal of the winged horse hints at a passage between two worlds, where magic and reality merge.

On the other side, at 6 o'clock, the view of the moon from the northern hemisphere provides a realistic depiction of its surface. The mobile counters displaying the time and date turn weightlessly to reveal the moon discs, while maintaining their horizontal orientation.

This contemporary dance is choreographed by a module exclusively developed for Hermès and for which a patent has been fi led. With a total thickness of just 4.2 mm, its 117 polished and bead-blasted components are incorporated within the Manufacture Hermès H1837 movement: a technical challenge designed to preserve the slenderness of the overall mobile chassis, which sweeps around the dial in 59 days.

The mother-of-pearl moons set into the stone display the lunar cycles in the northern and southern hemispheres. This mysterious game of hide and-seek reveals nothing of its technical complexity, so as to give pride of place to dreams. Within this space-time, metal, stars and rock seamlessly merge the watch exterior with the movement to form an unprecedented technical and aesthetic display of simple and graphic readability. The double moon here eclipses a traditional aperture-type display, instead covering the entire surface of the dial. The result is a free-spirited and impertinent vision of mechanical watchmaking according to Hermès.

The Arceau case with its asymmetrical lugs, designed by Henri d'Origny in 1978, becomes a lunar crater made of meteorite stone, while the lacquered dials, gravitating like satellites, display Arabic numerals with a distinctive sloping font.

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