Philippe Delhotal, Creative Director of Hermès Horloger
From watches fit for every day to those reserved for a single day, Hermès Horloger has enriched the watch industry with Hermès’ creativity and DNA — you see it in whimsical yet highly innovative complications to Métiers d’Art masterpieces. Creating run-of-the-mill watches with the Hermès logo would be the easy way out, but that is not what the Maison has in mind. Hermès Horloger had a vision for their time-telling vertical, and that is to establish its watchmaking credibility and legitimacy and to distil Hermès’ universe into an object on the wrist. Philippe Delhotal, Creative Director of Hermès Horloger, is the man tasked with bringing the vision to life. During our trip to Switzerland for Watches and Wonders Geneva, we caught up with Philippe about the ins and outs of Hermès Horloger and the novelties for 2023.
You assume the role of Creative Director of Hermès Horloger. What are your responsibilities, and what is your typical day like?
Philippe Delhotal: My responsibility is managing a team of creative people, dealing with new collections and their variations, and working on the four pillars of Hermès Horloger: Métiers d’Art, complications, jewellery and the current collection. My day changes from day to day. The activity in my job is very varied, rich and creative. No one day looks like another.
You were appointed by Hermès Horloger in 2008. What was the vision you had for the brand when you joined?
It was to bring watchmaking legitimacy and complexity, particularly for the men’s lines. Since then, we’ve been working to build the Maison based on a singular territory, with complications and watches which are different. Pieces such as the Arceau Le temps suspendu, Arceau L’heure de la lune, and Arceau Le temps voyageur are styles and stories which are singular. They support our credibility, bringing technicity and beautiful stories.
Hermès Horloger booth at Watches and Wonders Geneva by artist Clément Vieille
The Hermès universe is so unique and rich. How do you strike a balance between Hermès’ philosophy and creativity when designing a watch?
I must say I take inspiration from the DNA of Hermès a lot, be it in the colours or designs. The difficulty with coming into a house like Hermès is to soak in and take in its codes. Sometimes, the codes are very difficult to catch and can also mean things that are ostentatious. But these are more subtle; codes of subtlety, elegance, uniqueness, singularity, fantasy, and astonishment. There are all these elements, and there comes a time when they have to live together to bring singular watches.
The Hermès H08 green uses a case material with a very interesting combination. Is the case material a signal that Hermès Horloger is experimenting more with technical materials?
The materials that we use are materials that exist and are known. Since this watch is more of an urban watch of its time and contemporary, I often compare it to big buildings with its structure, geometry and special materials. The story of materials follows the evolution of this watch. And that is why for the functional side, comfort, lightness, solidity and also for style, these (technical) materials also provide us with an aesthetic answer.
The Hermès H08 is a sports watch in spirit, and this year, the Hermès H08 Chronograph was released. How long did the team decide that we should have a chronograph?
(Laughs) It came quite late. It wasn’t immediately that we’d imagined to introduce a chronograph. When we decided to introduce the first complication to the line, it was obvious it would be a chronograph, only on one condition: to respect the original design of the Hermès H08. That’s why we developed the monopusher. When you see it from afar, you say, “Oh, it’s a regular Hermès H08”. We wanted to keep this aesthetic code that it had to start with and not include other buttons because then there’s a problem with balance.
The Hermès H08 has been wildly successful since its launch. How do you ensure new models of the Hermès H08 continue to be desirable for clients?
I think that we have to keep it alive through more complications. Maybe other colours? So that’s the difficulty of keeping a collection alive. We have to find the right codes and inspirations to precisely take this watch, to continue its life so that maybe one day, it becomes timeless.
What do you think is the defining spirit of the Hermès H08?
An urban spirit watch with a sporty character, it’s a contemporary of its times, and it suits all generations. It is casual and has a bit of fantasy. The shape is also very important, the form, which is neither round nor square, and has a real identity. I think that it’s in keeping with the identity of Hermès because Hermès always makes objects that have a meaning, and I think this watch has a meaning, a true personality.
Are there any plans to make a smaller watch for ladies, perhaps?
No, I don’t think so. But there is a demand; more and more women want to wear this watch, and that’s why we are developing a shorter strap.
Once you’re done with this exclusive interview with Philippe Delhotal, click here to catch up with our May 2023 issue.
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