A clever play on words, the Slim d’Hermès Flagship features a hand-painted dial depicting the flagship Hermès store in Paris as a sailing ship. Executed with a gold appliqué and miniature painting on an aventurine-glass dial, the “flagship” transforms the famous store at 24 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré into the hull of the ship with sails billowing above it.

As is often the case with Hermès’ métiers d’art watches, the dial is based on a scarf bearing the same motif designed by Dimitri Rybaltchenko, an artist based in Paris who’s a longtime designer for Hermès.

Initial thoughts

Both the motif and presentation of the Flagship encapsulate what Hermès does well. It’s typical Hermès – whimsical, elegant, and finely executed. And it’s not just about aesthetics: the depth and detail of the dial decoration is outstanding.

Beyond the dial decor, the Flagship also incorporates subtle touches that reflect an attention to detail, like the spinning star disc on the dial and the slightly retro yellow gold case.

Slim and witty

An aventurine glass base serves as the base for the dial decoration. The store building is a solid gold appliqué that’s hand-engraved with a burin to fill out the fine details of the structure. It’s then painted by hand to add colour to the windows and “Hermes” logo.

The rest of the dial, including the sails and starry sky, is done in miniature painting, specifically acrylic paint applied by hand and then baked in an oven to set.

A subtle detail adds motion to the dial: a disc bearing a shooting star sits at four o’clock. Because it is free-spinning, the disc swivels with the motion of the wrist.

The dial is the work of Ateliers Blandenier, a specialist based in Geneva that supplies elaborate dials to a variety of brands

Dial aside, the rest of the watch is standard Slim d’Hermès with its wire-esque lugs. The case material, however, is uncommon. It’s in yellow gold, instead of the more common pink gold.

The case is elegantly proportioned at 39.5 mm wide and under 8 mm high. Like the most of the Slim d’Hermès line, it contains the H1950, an automatic movement with a micro-rotor made by Vaucher.

The H1950 with the trademark repeating “H” decoration on the bridges

Key facts and price

Hermès Slim d’Hermès Flagship
Ref.

Case diameter: 39.5 mm
Height: 7.5 mm
Material: 18k yellow gold
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 30 m

Movement: H1950
Functions: Hours, minutes, and free-spinning shoot star disc
Frequency: 21,600 beats per hour (3 Hz)
Winding: Automatic
Power reserve: 48 hours

Strap: Alligator with pin buckle

Limited edition: 12 pieces 
Availability: At Hermes boutiques
Price: CHF97,000 before taxes

For more, visit Hermes.com.