HERMES Arceau H Cube Limited Edition

There are some materials whose striking simplicity represents a rich source of inspiration for craftsmen. One of these is straw. Used in miniature marquetry, it adorns the dial of the Arceau watch with an iconic motif in bright colours.

Straw is an extraordinary material: a long, smooth rye stem, from which the usable parts have been patiently selected. The plant, which is a variety cultivated on a single farm, is delicately scythed by hand and then dyed through. Successive baths followed by drying reveal brilliant and profound colours with subtle highlights.

Combining the colours, shades and direction of the fibres of each strand, the craftsman patterns the straw marquetry that will constitute the dial of the watch. With infinite precision, he cuts each piece and assembles them one by one in an unimaginably small space, reproducing the tricks of perspective that characterise the H Cube motif – designed, like the Arceau watch, by Henri d’Origny.

This geometric view, emphasised by a white gold case featuring a diameter of 41 mm and asymmetrical attachments, is powered by an H1837 Manufacture movement that can be seen through the sapphire crystal case back.