The watch that launched Hermès into the horology sphere has just been revamped to celebrate the designer brand’s 25th anniversary of manufacturing watches. Baroque Access finds out all about the new iteration of the Cape Cod timepiece
Despite the Cape Cod collection that Hermès created 25 years ago, this iconic fashion brand used to be associated more with its exquisite clothing and handbags. It’s only since 2015 that Hermès diversified into watches in a big way, when they collaborated with tech giant Apple to create a collection of stunning Apple smart watches. Prior to that, the only watch in the Hermès’ collection was the Cape Cod watch. And now, to celebrate a quarter of a century in business, the iconic French fashion house has created another covetable iteration to add to its Cape Cod iteration.
The very first Hermès Cape Cod timepiece was a breakthrough concept in watchmaking. Designer of the watch Henri d’Origni, who was also Artistic Director, developed a design of a square inside a rectangle. This became an instant classic. But what set the watch apart from the rest and made it a coveted item was the very first double-wrap version of the strap that was introduced in 1998 by Hermès designer Martin Margiela.
These double-wrap versions are also evident in the 2017 version of the timepiece. One of the new models of the Cape Cod edition features an opaque black DLC-treated 29 x 29mm case that is embedded in brushed 316L steel as well as a matt black dial that boasts rhodium-plated raised Arabic numerals. The watch is accessorized with a black Barenia calfskin strap that is finished with red-burnished edges and features a special brushed steel buckle. Other models feature brightly colored iconic Hermes double tour straps that are interchangeable – in electric blue, iris, Veronese green, ultraviolet and tomato red. There’s also a model that features diamonds onto the case itself and an exquisite mother-of-pearl dial. For men, there’s a chic model with a cuff wristband.
While the new timepiece sticks to its roots when it comes to style, the inner workings feature new innovations. For instance, there’s a high precision quartz caliber, setting the hours and minutes with the brand’s prestigious Swiss-made signature.