he Arceau Samarcande turns Hermès’ equestrian heritage into a window onto its mechanics. A horse’s head, cut out of the Saint-Louis crystal dial, reveals the movement beneath a starry eye. Light and shadow shift across the exposed components, lending depth to the composition.

This interplay finds its setting in the Arceau, designed by Henri d’Origny in 1978. Its round case and asymmetrical, stirrup-inspired lugs remain central to the design. For Samarcande, the 38mm case comes in white or rose gold, framing a dial that alternately conceals and reveals the mechanism.

Developed and crafted exclusively for Hermès, the new H1927 calibre measures 28mm in diameter and 4.95mm thick. The skeletonised automatic movement delivers an 85-hour power reserve and incorporates a minute repeater equipped with three gongs and three hammers. The visual exploration of the movement thus acquires an acoustic dimension.

The sapphire caseback offers another perspective, revealing the repeater hammers and a platinum micro-rotor, finely adorned with the Duc attelé motif. Decorative references extend into the winding mechanism itself, maintaining the connection between the house’s imagery and the movement’s function.

Samarcande evokes the Silk Roads and the lands that shaped the relationship between horse and traveller. Three editions of 24 pieces interpret this theme: white gold with blue Saint-Louis crystal, and gem-set white or rose gold with white crystal. Alligator or calfskin straps complement the colours of these three distinctive chiming watches.