Sometimes when looking at watches you might wonder, “How do you even make that?”. Many watches have very dazzling details which look very majestic. An example of that is how Hermés makes square crystals for its dials. In making the dial of 2018’s ultra-limited Arceau Lift Millefiori, the process is made more contemporary-looking by adding a new color scheme and shape to the traditional process.
This dial added more uniqueness and rarified nature to it which was a great idea to add to the Lift tourbillion. The first Hermès Arceau Lift flying tourbillon came out in 2013 inspired by the Double H element that was first used on a lift (elevator) installed in 1923 in Hermès’ flagship boutique. A testament to that era’s love of wrought iron and art deco design, the Double H was created in honor of the marriage of the founder’s grandson, Émile Hermès, to Julie Hollande, the daughter of a local businessman.
The process to make square crystals for the dial includes high glass blowing skills to achieve the crocodile-leather-like look of the Arceau Lift Millefiori’s dial.
Basics:
Case: 43 x 12.65 mm, white gold
Dial: crystal using the Cristalleries Saint-Louis Millefiori technique
Movement: manually wound Hermès Caliber H1923 with one-minute tourbillon, 3 Hz/21,600 vph frequency, power reserve 90 hours
Functions: hours, minutes
Limitation: 3 pieces
Price: 200,000 Swiss francs
