Sport, Style, and Substance: The Hermés H08
As any brand expert will tell you, one of the hardest things for a watch company to do is build an identity. Sometimes a watch appears at the right place or the right time like when an explorer brings a timepiece along on an expedition to earth’s most remote locales. Similarly, an appearance on the silver-screen can set the tone for a watch brand for decades to come. But what happens when a luxury brand that already has renown enters the watch game? This presents new challenges as the watches take on a life of their own, co-existing with the firm’s other offerings.
So it was with Hermes, a firm first made famous for producing quality leather goods since 1837. Since 1928, Hermes has been manufacturing timepieces and with last year’s Hermés H08, has stepped into a new realm of watchmaking.
When it comes from an iconic brand with a rich history
Hermés began life in 1837 as a workshop crafting fine quality horse saddles and harnesses, which led to today’s production of high-end luxury goods. In 1928, the brand released their first timepiece at the historical Hermés store in Paris. In the years since, they’ve become world-renowned as a maker of exquisite timepieces. And harkening back to their legendary roots, Hermés created a workshop in 2006 dedicated to crafting their own leather watch straps, the only brand to do so. For over 15 years, Feldmar has proudly carried Hermes watches, witnessing the growth in popularity that defines their timepieces today.
The H08: Created with unparalleled technology
The very heart of the Hermés H08 is the Swiss-made Hermés Manufacture movement H1837 (named for the date Hermés was founded), a mechanical self-winding movement that runs at a frequency of 4 Hz, which is 28,800 vibrations per hours, for superior precision and accuracy. An outstanding 50-hour power reserve via twin barrels gives over 2 days of function once taken off the wrist. Cases in either satin-brushed titanium, black DLC titanium, or graphene composite, with sapphire crystal caseback and anti-glare sapphire crystal present a sleek, clean look and the H08 is beach-ready too, thanks to water resistance to 10 bar.
When it was designed by master craftsmen
The Hermés H08 is a men’s watch designed with versatility in mind, meaning it’s a natural fit on a woman’s wrist as well. A modern, fashion forward timepiece that’s also ruggedly individualistic, the design aesthetic starts with the case, a square with supple rounded corners, and a rounded square bezel. Available in two stunning looks, the first is the black graphene composite shown above. Featuring a black-gold treated dial, grey transferred minutes track, and grained center, it’s a sleek affair. Pictured below, the satin-brushed titanium offers a black nickel-treated dial, black gold treated circular satin-brushed minutes disc, and a finely grained center. On each, the exhibition caseback reveals the exquisite movement inside. Each model features Super-LumiNova coated hour markers and hands. The real color arrives via the bracelets and straps, available in titanium, black rubber, and orange rubber.
What makes the H08 special?
Aside from world-class construction, the H08 is a lesson in design. Careful geometry and numerals that are singularly unique make the H08 a perfect demonstration that innovation in watches is always an exciting endeavor. The sporty yet refined aesthetic puts the H08 in a class of watches that are at home in formal, sporty, and casual settings alike. Quality meets versatility and innovative design in the H08, making it one of the hottest releases of the 2021.
Discover the Hermés H08 and all the other luxury watches at Feldmar. Browse our online store or stop into our flagship location.
About The Author: Tom Roth
Born in Washington state, Tom developed an interest in photography during college at University of San Diego. There, he got started in music journalism, interviewing artists and taking photos at concerts. A life-long tinkerer and collector, it wasn’t long before Tom became fascinated with fountain pens and watches.
Those interests collided in November 2020 when Tom started at Feldmar Watch Company where he lives out every watch geek’s dream: photographing and writing about timepieces. When he’s not tinkering with his watch collection, Tom can be found traveling, biting his nails while watching PNW sports teams, and taking flying lessons.
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