Hermés Arceau TGM Manufacture
2017 GPHG Petite Aiguille Category Finalist
One of three watches here from brands which have evolved from luxury fashion houses into the world of in house watchmaking, the Arceau TGM Manufacture by Hermés is individual and stylish.
Like Bulgari and Louis Vuitton who are also contesting among the six preselected finalists in the GPHG 2017 Petite Aiguille category, Hermés have, in relatively recent times, adopted a much more focussed approach to horology as part of its overall portfolio of branded luxury goods, and as winners of the 2015 Calendar category award with the Slim d'Hermès Quantième Perpétuel, it's clear that these brands are no longer just purveyors of high-end designer watches.
The Arceau TGM Manufacture is where a Hermés signature design meets with their in house watchmaking expertise, and the Vaucher Manufacture in which they have a twenty-five per cent holding, and the result is a distinctive profile, with an eyecatching dial, and a sophisticated self winding movement.
The brand's affinity with the world of equine sports, and its influence on its styling is captured in the watch's stirrup-like top lug, and the galloping italicised arabic numerals, and is set off with the anodised hazelnut brown dial, with a contra-flow guilloché decorated panel creating a candystripe effect at the centre.
Considering the impressive opposition it beat to get to the final six in the Petite Aiguille category, I wonder what I'm missing here, because apart from the dial colour, and a name change, the Arceau TGM Manufacture is really nothing new, and it would not have made my own preselected list. Yes, it is elegant, chic and with an enduring, much loved design, but it's been two years since the Arceau Automatique featuring the Montres Hermès-Vaucher Manufacture caliber H1837 first appeared, and this is essentially the same watch.
The Watch Press prediction
No. Although it boasts a high quality manufacture movement, I can't get excited about it. A win would be a shock to me.
The pertinents
REFERENCE: AR8.61AQ.331/MM18
CASE: Stainless steel
BRACELET/STRAP: Leather
BUCKLE: Pin buckle
MOVEMENT: Hand winding mechanical. Power reserve: 50 h, 28'800 vph
FUNCTIONS: Hours, Minutes, Date
SIZE: ø 40 mm
THICKNESS: 9.3 mm
WATERPROOFNESS: 30 m
PRICE EXCL.VAT: Est. c. CHF 4'630
