Europa Star: How does Hermès Horloger define the métiers d’art?

Philippe Delhotal: These crafts demand exceptional skill and are only ever executed by hand, hence they are instilled with a degree of uniqueness. The métiers d’art appeal to our emotions and are passed from generation to generation, so as to preserve them. At Hermès, the métiers d’art are first and foremost the encounter between an artisan and the House, and the sharing of a design, colours, a narrative. It’s wonderful to see how each artisan interprets a design in their own way. In a series of 12 pieces, no two will be the same and this is what gives hand-crafting, and the artistic flair of these métiers, their beauty.

Is it preferable to bring all these techniques in-house or are there mutual advantages to conserving collaborations with independent artisans?

Excellence takes precedence at Hermès, hence we have no hesitation in working with trusted partners who excel in their field and encourage us to surpass ourselves. We are committed to forming lasting relations with artisans. They are a source of emulation and enable us to continually push back the limits of our creations. We firmly believe in working with independent artisans as a means for constant innovation.

Hermès Arceau Locomotion. Sapphire dial, miniature painting on and under sapphire.

How does Hermès ensure the long-term and effective transmission of these artisanal skills to its teams?

In 2016 I decided that leather should take centre-stage on our dials: a first in the métiers d’art family. I proposed two designs and our leather artisans imagined two techniques, leather marquetry and leather mosaic. After several months of trial and error, these techniques saw daylight on the dials of watches which were released in 2017 [the Arceau Robe du Soir was awarded the Artistic Crafts prize at the 2018 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève]. This was a team project, with craftsmen and women thinking and working together. Once they had defined and perfected the technique, we set it down in black and white and trained other artisans, at our workshops in Brügg. In 2016-2017, only one craftswoman was skilled in leather marquetry and mosaic. Now five people are able to create leather marquetry dials and two leather mosaic dials.

Hermès Arceau Rocabar de Rire (2025)

Is there a limit to the diversity and variety of the métiers d’art in watchmaking? Also, how do you preserve these traditions while still innovating?

Craftsmanship and creation are fundamental concerns for Hermès. There are no limits. The realm of possibility is wide open and there is so much to explore. I enjoy working without limitations, always setting new challenges for my teams and our outside partners. What matters above all is that the finished piece is a homage to the original design, and that we succeed in creating the intended depth and relief for the colours, the materials and the different planes of the dial. In fact it’s often the dial that dictates the technique or techniques we employ. Take the example of the Slim d’Hermès Flagship, one of our most recent creations. The only way we could render Dimitri Rybaltchenko’s design in all its detail was through a combination of several techniques and by pushing the limits of engraving and miniature painting in order to achieve the necessary reliefs.

I believe innovation is always possible and that this doesn’t have to be to the detriment of tradition. Coming back to the example I gave of leather marquetry and mosaic, we were able to invent these techniques thanks to Hermès’ expertise in the traditional skills of leather and saddle-making, and reach another level of expertise, on an infinitely small scale. Also, new technologies can provide aesthetic solutions, new ways of imagining and creating. It’s important to maintain a good balance of tradition and innovation, while remaining true to who we are and to our values.

Hermès Arceau 18-3-7. Leather marquetry dial crafted at the Hermès workshops in Brügg.

How do you envisage the future of artistic craftsmanship?

Artistic crafts have a bright future at Hermès. We constantly push the limits of art and technique, thanks to our artisans. Each year our collections are joined by exceptional watches in limited and numbered editions. We’re fortunate to have such a vast catalogue of designs at our disposal. Nor are we afraid to introduce colour and light-hearted themes, and this is something our partners appreciate. For them, it’s an opportunity to explore something different, something unexpected, with a dash of humour.