Simply Abu Dhabi XXXI

E ight years ago, the legendary fashion heavyweight Hermès launched the Carré H—an eye-catching square wristwatch created by the renowned designer and architect Marc Berthier. It made an instant impact with its contemporary style and dynamic clarity. Marc Berthier now revisits his work and has made some masterful adjustments to produce a new iteration of this notable member of Hermès’ rich and evolving watch lineage. The steel case with its polished and microbead-blasted finishes has been enlarged by a few millimetres. Although slight the increase in size seems to invite more light to dance across the dial, which is recognisable for its right-angled guilloché work. The dial comes in two options, dark grey or black, with an opaline guilloché centre, finely grained chapter ring, and a sunburst or opaline rim. The applied rhodium- plated hour-markers and Arabic numerals are coated with Super-LumiNova® and there is either a yellow or red second hand. The exclusive font of the numerals— making use of the zero—contributes to the new aesthetic equilibrium of this modernistic beauty of a watch. At its heart is the Swiss made Hermès Manufacture H1912 mechanical self-winding movement, produced for the brand by vaucher, which Hermès owns. It features the level of finishing one expects fromHermès, including a circular-grained and snailed mainplate, and bridges and oscillating weight satin-brushed and adorned with the signature H pattern. The movement can be admired through the sapphire crystal caseback window and it boasts a 50-hour power reserve. The watch is presented on a natural or black Barénia calfskin strap and is sure to be a swift seller piece. The first version from 2010 was a limited edition of 173 pieces and is now very rare. The newmodel is approximately half the price at $7,725 and is in steel rather than titanium.