The French luxury brand Hermès has launched a limited edition of the Arceau Harnais Remix, a watch with a porcelain dial, engraved and hand-painted.
Sold at launch for around 48 thousand euros, the 38 mm white gold watch, set with 82 diamonds, is the new version of a model created in 1978.
With its round case and asymmetrical lugs reminiscent of a stirrup, the Arceau watch, designed by Henri d’Origny in 1978, is instantly recognizable. Hermès has redesigned this model for a special and limited collection of only 24 pieces worldwide.
The engraved and hand-painted porcelain dial highlights Hermès’ savoir-faire (expertise) and creativity. The design, featuring two magnificent horses, is the central element of the watch, with the original drawing created by Hugo Grygkar, a designer for the French maison between 1940 and 1959.
At the time, the artist was inspired by a piece from Émile Hermès’ private collection, depicting a team of harnessed horses, groomed and adorned with multicolored feathers. The artwork was designed by two young 19th-century architects, Fontaine and Percier, who were responsible for creating a carriage for the coronation of Napoleon I in 1804.
The equestrian representation comes to life through the meticulous craftsmanship of the artisan, after nearly a month of work on the watch with a porcelain dial. The matte and delicate appearance of the material corresponds to the manufacturing stage before enameling, a process that makes the porcelain smooth and glossy. The different colors are applied directly to the raw material, and the delicate painting of each color is alternated with successive and precise kiln firings to fix the pigments.
This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
