Since 1978, the Arceau collection has been celebrating asymmetrical lines, equestrian inspiration and the exploration of watchmaking craftsmanship. Beneath its apparent simplicity, the round case provides a veritable canvas for design. With the Arceau Cavalier en Formes watch, time combines sophisticated horological complications with the decorative arts.
In Gianpaolo Pagni’s intriguing design, a rider concealed beneath a set of circles and squares is vividly suggested through these cubist-style shapes. Originally conceptualised for a silk scarf, this graphic composition finds a new setting here while losing nothing of its evocative power. The artist was inspired by an equestrian lithograph from the Émile Hermès collection, choosing to retain only the mount before recomposing the figure of the rider into geometric motifs.
Set directly onto the dial, a sapphire crystal graced with a dainty miniature painting on either side portrays a scene comprising various layers of radiant fragments and subtle shades. Finely engraved leaves unfurl and the surface is enlivened by hand-painted blue flat-colour blocks in square and round shapes.
An engraved yellow gold horse stands out at the heart of this visually balanced depiction. Through the interplay of superimposed engraving, painting and transparency, the dial captures the light and reveals an almost sculptural depth.
This pictorial dance is performed above a Lift tourbillon positioned at 6 o’clock, with a carriage picking up the “double H” motif of the historic lift in the Hermès boutique at 24 Faubourg Saint-Honoré in Paris. Invisible to the eye yet essential to the soul of the timepiece, a minute repeater orchestrated by the hand-wound H1924 movement lends its voice to the watch.
Presented in a 43 mm white gold case and issued in a limited edition of six, the Arceau Cavalier en Formes is adorned with a bleu abysse alligator strap, crafted in the Hermès workshops.
