Making-of the HERMÈS Carré H. Part 3: Watch Assembly + Handmade Barénia calfskin strap

Today let me present you the third of three videos where we show you how Hermès Horloger in Brügg / Switzerland designs, creates and manufactures its iconic “Carré H” wristwatch.

Part 3 will will let you discover how the unique Hermès Barénia calfskin strap is hand-made and the entire watch assembled. Be sure not to miss part 1 & 2! – Part 1: movement “H1912” production, assembly & testing (already online) – Part 2: Case / Dial Production and Assembly (already online) Back in 2010, Hermès introduced the “Carré H”, a square timepiece created by Marc Berthier, with a modern aesthetic, designed for instant legibility.

In 2010, Hermès introduced the “Carré H”, a square timepiece created by Marc Berthier, with a modern aesthetic, designed for instant legibility. It returns in a new style: Marc Berthier has enlarged the square by a few millimetres and opted for light effects, playing across the steel case with its polished and microbead-blasted finishes, on the dial with its right-angled guilloché work, and on the facetted hands and numerals. This perfectly balanced use of light harmoniously accentuates the clarity of the design, the softened edges of the square, the curved profile of the case, and the cylindrical crystal. Finally, the exclusive font of the numerals – making use of the zero – contributes to the new aesthetic equilibrium of this watch.

Movement Hermès “H1912” movement Mechanical self-winding 100% Swiss Made in Fleurier by Vaucher Manufacture (Hermès Horloger holds a stake of 25 %) Diameter: 23.3mm (10 ½’’’) Thickness: 3.7mm 193 components, 28 jewels Frequency: 28,800 A/h (= 4Hz) Power reserve: 50 hours Circular-grained and snailed mainplate, bridges and oscillating weight satin-brushed and adorned with the signature H pattern

Case Designer: Marc Berthier (2010)

Case in polished and microbead-blasted 316L steel Dimensions: 38 × 38mm, interhorn width 21mm Sapphire crystal and case-back with anti-glare treatment Water-resistant to 30 meters or 3 bar

Dial Dark grey or black Opaline guilloché centre, finely grained chapter ring, sunburst or opaline rim Applied rhodium-plated hour-markers and Arabic numerals, coated with Super-LumiNova® White transferred minute circle Rhodium-plated hour and minute hands coated with Super-LumiNova® Yellow or red second hand

Functions Hours, minutes & seconds

Strap Natural or black Barénia calfskin Pin buckle in microbead-blasted 316L steel, 21mm