A piece rooted in history: the first watch designed by La Manufacture Hermès in 1979 and still in the collection today. Featuring numerals à l'italienne and an assymetrical case, the Arceau is unconventionally playful yet retains the elegance of Hermès
Condition
Recently serviced (February 2026) and presenting in good vintage condition. The case has been previously polished, and light oxidation is present on the interior of the bracelet. The watch comes with the original Hermès box and papers. Made in Switzerland.
Specifications:
Reference No: n/a
Year: 1992
Size: 26mm
Movement: Quartz
Material: Steel and Gold Plated
Bracelet: Fits upwards of 16mm
Contents: Original Hermès Box & Papers
Conceived by long-time Hermès creative director Henri d'Origny, the Arceau holds a singular place in the Maison's history as the first watch designed by its Swiss watchmaking subsidiary, La Montre Hermès S.A. — a design language so enduring it remains largely unchanged to this day.
Rooted in the equestrian heritage that has long defined Hermès, the dial's numerals — described by d'Origny himself as à l'italienne — appear to gallop across the face, lending the watch a sense of rhythm and motion that evokes the spirit of a horse in full stride. Their slightly raised, gold-plated forms play beautifully against the warmth of the champagne dial, an understated and refined finishing choice. The asymmetrical lugs extend this playful vocabulary further drawing their form not from the watchmaking conventions of the era, but from the curve of a stirrup.
