New: Hermès Arceau Petite Lune ciel étoilé

Hermès extends their Arceau collection with a moonphase – the Petite Lune ciel étoilé, so named after the starry skies over Paris.

Press Release information with commentary in italics.

New: Hermès Arceau Petite Lune ciel étoilé

The retail price of the Hermès Arceau Petite Lune ciel étoilé is set at CHF 15,810.

Commentary

In tyical Hermès style, the new Arceau Petite Lune ciel étoilé is very harmonious in design and looks stunning. The proportions are excellent. The aesthetics extremely pleasing. That is what Hermès is good at, and that is what Hermès does. Par excellence! The case is stainless steel with a bezel with 70 drip-set diamonds.

But also in typical Hermès style, the press release is very skimpy, with only two photographs, both reproduced here. And not much information on how the dial or the movement is manufactured.

What we do know is the dial is a textured mother of pearl with blue gradient lacquer. And the watch case is the Arceau Petite, measuring only 38mm in diameter, with the signature stirrup lugs. “ciel étoilé” in French means Starry night, and refers stars visualised by the motif led by the 7 diamonds encrusted on the sky.

The movement is the H1837, which curiously carries the same caliber number as the movement used in the H08. The Arceau Petite Lune ciel étoilé has a moonphase display (at 10:30), but the H08 is a time only model with a date display at 4:30. Specifications wise, the H1937 in the Arceau Petite Lune is somewhat larger at 26mm diameter vs 23.3mm in the H08; with the same height dimension. Power reserve is also lower at 42 hours with the moonphase compared to 50 hours on the H08. The movement is manufactured in the Vaucher manufacture in Fleurier, and is a product of a partnership between Hermès and Parmigiani, Vaucher’s parent company. Hermès currently have a 25% ownership in Vaucher since 2006. The movement is basically the Vaucher caliber VMF 3000.

Release information

The Arceau watch designed by Henri d’Origny in 1978 combines understatement with creativity in a round shape resting on a stirrup, a nod to the brand’s equestrian roots. Its steel case featuring asymmetrical lugs and a gem-set crown is adorned with 70 diamonds using a cut-down setting technique that highlights the diamonds’ many facets.

This setting frames a celestial dial that captures the gaze and propels it into a star-studded night sky. In a play on chiaroscuro effects, the textured mother-of-pearl reveals its nuances and reliefs in shades of blue lacquer. The moon appears in an iridescent glow, while a constellation of seven diamonds lights up the surrounding darkness.

Swept over by slender leaf-shaped hands, this starlit universe is brought to life by the Manufacture Hermès H1837 movement powering the hours and minutes as well as the moon-phase functions appearing between 10 and 11 o’clock The sapphire crystal caseback reveals the circular-grained, snailed and satin-brushed finishes, as well as the ‘sprinkling of Hs’ motif adorning the bridges and oscillating weight.

This timepiece with its fascinating deep hues is fitted with a sapphire-blue alligator strap crafted in accordance with the brand’s saddlery and leather goods expertise.

Hermès Arceau Petite Lune ciel étoilé specifications

MOVEMENT

Hermès H1837 movement / Mechanical self-winding, crafted in Switzerland

Diameter : 26 mm (11 ½’’’)

Thickness : 3,7 mm

Power reserve : 42 hours

Frequency : 28,800 vibrations per hour / 4Hz

Decoration : Circular-grained and snailed mainplate, satin-brushed bridges and oscillating weight with ‘sprinkling of Hs’ motif

CASE

Shape, size : Round, 38 mm in diameter

Material : steel, bezel set with 70 drop-set diamonds

Crown set with 1 diamond

Anti-glare sapphire crystal and case-back

Water resistance : 3 bar

DIAL

Textured mother-of-pearl blue-gradient dial, 7 diamonds

STRAP

Smooth sapphire blue alligator