Hermès H08 Designer on Crafting Time and Watch Design Philosophy

Philippe Delhotal, Creative Director of Hermès Horloger, discusses the design of the Hermès H08 watch and the Maison's approach to time in an interview for Canvas. The H08 is showcased in the 2023 Crafting Time exhibition. Delhotal describes the watch as urban, casual, and vibrant, embedded in Hermès' masculine universe. He emphasizes that aesthetics and function are inseparable in watch design, citing the Arceau Le Temps Suspendu which allows wearers to hide time temporarily. The H08's shape—a circle within a square—is central to its identity, and its typography echoes this circular form. Delhotal collaborated with sculptor Clément Vieille, who used dragonflies as a motif for the exhibition's scenography themed on the finesse of time. The Slim d'Hermès and H08 both convey lightness, the latter through material choice. Delhotal notes that time is omnipresent in Hermès objects, and creating unique pieces requires taking time. The interview covers design principles, craftsmanship, and the H08's place among more jewel-heavy métiers d'art pieces.