Hermès might not be the first name that comes to mind when you think of quality watchmaking, but you ignore the French-founded fashion firm’s watchmaking expertise at your peril. The latest release from the maison is a cracking example of what the brand is capable of, with the Hermès H08 Blue Titanium Edition offering the sort of sporty-chic you could wear from your desk to your local dive spot.
The growth of Hermès’ watchmaking catalogue has been vigorous over the last decade or so, with a number of different designs winning awards and the watch community at large coming to appreciate the offering. The Hermès H08 collection was first launched last year, with the execution overseen by Philippe Delhotal, Creative Director Hermès Horloger, and it’s hard to argue with the quality of his team’s efforts.
Only in its second year, and we’re already seeing an expansion of the collection, with the Hermès H08 Blue Titanium Edition presenting as a more comfortable, further refined expression of the original concept. The new release features a 39mm by 39mm case that is distinctly shaped, with the brushed titanium receiving a blue PVD coating, while the bezel is made from black ceramic.
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The dial is relatively simple thanks to a healthy dose of Parisian restraint, but still has enough considered detail to be visually engaging. It features a brushed inner ring that the quintessentially Hermès orange hour markers have been printed onto, with a matte textured inner disc and outer ring, with the specially designed font of the numerals applied to the outer. They’ve even snuck a date window in at the 4:30 position.
Securing the watch to your wrist is a blue rubber strap that has received a textile pattern applied to its outside, with a closure guaranteed by a titanium butterfly clasp. If you turn the timepiece over, you’ll be greeted by the exhibition caseback that shows off the Manufacture Hermès H1837 movement (made by Vaucher) inside. It offers 50 hours of power reserve, while the watch is guaranteed to 100m of water resistance.
As far as everyday sports watches go, there really is a lot going for the Hermès H08 Blue Titanium Edition. From the refined details of the dial to the lightweight titanium case in such a charming shade of blue, if you’re after a sporty timepiece that knows how to have fun, this could be exactly what you’re after.
