First Look at the Hermès H08 Green

Time, Editor's Pick

First Look at the Hermès H08 Green

By Asaph Low
March 27, 2023

First Look at the Hermès H08 Green Since the launch of the Hermès H08 in 2021, Hermès Horloger has enjoyed time in the spotlight for all the right reasons. The refreshing and original design conceived by Philippe Delhotal, Creative Director of Hermès Horloger, stole the hearts of many. It was a bold move for the French Maison as the watch was a departure from the classical and elegant counterparts such as the Hermès Arceau or Cape Cod. This year at Watches & Wonders, Hermès debuts the Hermès H08 Green.

Sporty Elegance

The Hermès H08 was intended as a versatile sports watch, yet the omission of highly masculine components lends a touch of elegance to the watch, a knack that Hermès is so famed for. Véronique Nichanian, artistic director of Hermès’ men’s universe, had a role to play in the conceptualisation of the watch; its design harmonises opposites making it contemporary yet timeless, robust and delicate at the same time. The Hermès H08 plays extensively with geometry and proportions. A series of concentric shapes — circles and rings in the centre of the dial — are rimmed by a square bezel with rounded corners. The watch case follows the lines of the bezel, sharp and distinct, making a visual impact on the wrist. Part of the Hermès H08’s charm lies in the dial fonts. A set of original fonts were designed from scratch, starting with the stylistic approach to the digit 8. The raised appliques are juxtaposed against a textured dial, with subtle hashes used for the hour and minute tracks.

Gone Ever-Green

First Look at the Hermès H08 Green After several iterations of the Hermès H08, including the original black graphene-filled composite case from 2021, a blue titanium case from 2022 and a rose gold case from earlier this year, a green model enters the fray. It is not clad entirely in green, though, as you would expect, as this year’s edition bears the collection’s lightest colour thus far. It starts with a grey case with a subtle silvery tinge that contrasts against the black ceramic bezel and crown. A textured concrete-coloured dial complements the overall colouration, with accents of green seen on the watch crystal seal, minute track and varnished seconds hand, providing just enough detailing. It might not be the most literal execution of what its namesake suggests, but the Hermès H08 Green is very much an embodiment of the Hermès universe. As with previous Hermès H08, this edition is powered by the trusty automatic Hermès Manufacture H1837 calibre.

Making a Case for the (Watch) Case

First Look at the Hermès H08 Green After debuting the Hermès H08 with a graphene composite case, the following technical update comes in the vein of a composite fashioned from braided and aluminised glass fibre, epoxy resin and slate powder. The cocktail of materials is forged under extremely high heat to obtain blocks of the composite before they are cut and polished into extremely strong but lightweight watch cases. While ordinary composites made from regular glass fibre are considered strong in most applications, braided and aluminised variants are even stronger. Braided glass fibre imparts more strength, stiffness, toughness and damage tolerance, while aluminised ones, primarily used in military applications, further boost mechanical and physical properties. Another thing to note is the signature random striations and mineral appearance that such composites are renowned for.