Hermès Arceau Belles du Mexique

The Hermès Arceau Belles du Mexique is a watch that captures the essence of the vibrant Mexican hat dance. Its dial is a kinetic masterpiece, featuring hand-painted twirling sombreros that bring the dance to life. Complementing this animated display, diamonds meticulously applied to the dial and bezel add a layer of sparkling elegance.

This timepiece is a testament to the notion that time is often more about perception than mere ticking seconds. Unlike traditional watches with busy dials, the Arceau Belles du Mexique offers a serene yet dynamic display. It achieves this unique balance by featuring feuille-style hands for hours and minutes, while introducing an unexpected element of motion through spinning dancers. This extraordinary design includes seven hand-painted rotating discs, each depicting a dancer in a swirling sombrero, creating a captivating illusion of movement.

Each of these dancers, whether in motion or static, is a work of art in itself. They are meticulously handcrafted and layered with paint, contributing to the dial’s depth and bringing the Mexican theme to life. The watch’s aesthetic is further enriched by a connection to Hermès’ heritage, drawing inspiration from a scarf design in the Maison’s collection, which often references the brand’s equestrian roots.

The watch’s design nods to Mexico’s rich culture and spirit, embodying both the brand’s creative spirit and artistic prowess. It features a white gold case and bezel, illuminated by 82 diamonds, and is driven by the self-winding Manufacture Hermès H1912 movement. Available in two vibrant colourways, orange and raspberry, each limited to 12 pieces, the watch is a celebration of joy, movement, and the art of horology.

The Arceau Belles du Mexiquetells tells a story of dance and rhythm. The 38 mm-diameter white gold case houses a lively scene of dancers, seven of whom move freely, creating a dynamic dance around the hours and minutes. These figures, like their static counterparts, are hand-crafted and layered with individual paint strokes.

In a dance of light and shadow, the seven central figures spin on their axis with each wrist movement, while the remaining seven are bathed in the light from a bezel set with 82 diamonds. They are silent spectators to a central spectacle, where the hat dance competes with the dance of time. Below this vibrant display, a self-winding movement breathes perpetual energy into the watch, embodying Virgil’s timeless words about the spirit giving life to matter.