Hermès Horloger is undergoing a quiet transformation, thanks to the signature vision of Philippe Delhotal, an industry strongman with a career that has taken him from Vacheron Constantin to Piaget, Jaeger-LeCoultre, and Patek Philippe. Philippe joined Hermès as its creative director of watches in 2008 with a challenging task: Firmly establishing the French Maison in horology, a highly competitive business dominated by Swiss brands. Earning respect in this sector is not easy, even if the soft power of the French legacy brand transcends genders and market forces. And unlike key players in the watch business, the effortlessly casual Delhotal was not one for following the rules. But the watch community is a fickle audience, and Instagram is saturated with retro design and deep-seated traditionalism. This combination has set the bar high for Delhotal’s modernist take on watchmaking, but for Hermès Horloger, the proof of Philippe’s vision is evident. Today, we see his creations on the wrists of collectors and fashion-conscious buyers alike, and the future-proofed Hermès H08 and Hermès Cut collections have set new standards for the hot sports watch market.
The Hermès H08 has redefined sports watches
The heading might sound brash, but hear me out. Winning over the watch community by adding an indefinable cool factor to a legacy brand is a magic trick few designers can pull off. But from its 2021 debut, the Hermès H08 has inhabited its urban club within the House of Hermès. Philippe Delhotal’s focus on a more casual, sporty vibe had hit the right note. The handsome in-house calibre was not new, but the tech-forward stance of the 42mm Hermès H08 certainly was. The rounded case had a broad-shouldered look of intent, and a sartorial blend of new materials, including titanium and graphene composite.
Fast forward to 2025, and the Hermès H08 range has evolved, transforming into a bold chronograph and the top-tier version pictured above, boasting the distinctive hue of brushed rose gold juxtaposed with a black ceramic bezel. This interpretation of the architectural language of the Hermès H08 is one of our favourite versions, offering a suave two-tone design for a modern age. With its matte, layered dial it also makes the proprietary and defiantly modern font stand out with its quirky charm, as Delhotal’s obsession with details come to the fore.
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A Cut above
With Instagram embracing the new direction of Hermès, the crisp white dials of the Hermès Cut women’s collection emphasised the new streetwise vibe. On the debut of the 36mm sports watch, Delhotal said:” This is the first watch men will borrow from their wife,” showing the importance of non-gender-specific products. A cut above (pun intended) and embracing the small-cased trend, Hermès Cut stood apart with its indefinably rounded case. The strong personality came fitted to an integrated steel bracelet, and it hit hard with collectors and fashionistas alike. Today, the monochrome versatility has seen the Hermès Cut stake its claim as an everyday sports watch, as the craftsmanship of Hermès Horloger comes through in the self-winding Caliber H1912, a manufacture movement.
This spring, the Hermès Cut was treated to the integration of the thought-provoking ‘Le temps suspendu’ complication, featured in a larger 39mm case. The surprising pairing of the feature first seen in the Arceau collection made its debut in a reimagined Hermès Cut, grailed up in a rose gold suit with a red sunburst dial. The new dial design features a fan-shaped recess at 12 and a cheeky power reserve indicator display at 4 o’clock, running counterclockwise on a 24-second rotation. With a 100m water resistance and additional craie-coloured rubber strap, this elevated version of the Hermès Cut is a curated choice with everyday comfort.
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