CLIPPER H1 Craftsmen guided by passion and dexterity An eye for precision, pride in their craft and centuries-old know-how unite the artisans of saddlery and watchmaking in a perfect marriage and a shared quest for excellence and elegance, constantly pushing back the boundaries of fine workmanship. Symbols of creativity and manual dexterity, leather and mechanical movements bring together the vision and skill of master craftsmen. From the supple length of a watch strap to the curve of a balance-spring, from the perfect punctuation of saddle stitching to the delicate circular-graining of an oscillating weight, from the painstaking work of preparation of the hide to the meticulous assembly of gear-trains, master leatherworkers and watchmakers observe the same demanding standards. Guardians of time and visionary explorers, with each piece they bequeath their love of fine materials, their pride in work made to last and their talent for the unceasing innovation that gives substance to their aspirations. Inventive loyalty to the quintessential values of their art and skills handed down by tradition come together in a community of spirit dedicated to fluidity of movement and shared emotion. From contemporary style to contemporary art Up to the minute and forever in movement… All pieces produced by the House feature contemporary designs and are built to last. The passing of time has no hold over them. A meeting between the serene world of Hermès and handcrafted watchmaking was always never more than a question of time. The photo of Jacqueline, daughter of Emile Hermès, wearing a “porte oignon” fitted with a leather strap as early as 1912, already hinted at this future alliance. And in the 1920s, the Manufacture’s influence began to spread in Switzerland, offering models imbued with tradition in collaboration with the most prestigious manufacturers. The appearance in 1975 of the Kelly watch, inspired by the padlock of the eponymous bag, ushered in a new watchmaking era. This model, drawing its inspiration from the company’s heritage, was followed by ranges of distinctive character following the relocation of La Montre Hermès workshops to Bienne in 1978. A tribute to cultural sources of inspiration, combining the expertise of artisans and the creativity of designers, every piece reflects the company’s rise to prominence in the world of watchmaking. Each evocative name opens the door to a dreamlike world, with it wealth of promises and fantasies. From Arceau to Dressage, from Clipper to Cape Cod, from Harnais to Barenia… models that forge deep-seated ties with the equestrian world, travel and the saddler's craft. Through unforgettable moments and sporting achievements, special occasions and scheduled encounters, the form and substance of Hermès watches combine elegance with exactitude, freedom with precision, emotion with reliability. True lifetime companions! Expertise in movements Fleurier is in every sense the home of the movement that established the credentials of Swiss watchmaking. And the Vaucher Manufacture is intimately bound up with the creation and rapid growth of pocket watches, associating its name from the outset with the complex expertise at the heart of fine mechanical timepieces. Since the Age of Enlightenment, the soul of a watch has always resided in the subtlety of its mechanism. Going-trains and gears, fine adjustments, minuscule precision-made parts: each piece is a work that only a few gifted artisans have the ability to produce. In 1730, Fleurier’s first “complete” watchmaker, David-Jean-Jacques-Henri Vaucher, enjoyed a reputation for excellence in his field and was the forerunner of many vocations. Thanks to him, the town received a new lease of life and by degrees became a centre of watchmaking excellence. In 1750, around fifteen people were actively engaged in the trade. In 1790, they numbered 131…
Passed on diligently from hand to hand, this expertise spanned the generations and became organised, with local artisans gradually specialising in the production of different watch components. Within the Vaucher family, the torch passed naturally from father to sons, who founded the company “Vaucher Frères” towards the end of the 18th century. The history of the Vaucher family had begun and, with it, that of watchmaking… Demanding, inventive and bold, over the following decades the family members constantly strove to carry the perfection of their timepieces to new heights. Enamel painters, master jewellers, movement developers, they pooled their talents and constantly expanded their fields of expertise. Explorers in a figurative sense, they soon pushed back the frontiers of Le Val-de-Travers, setting up business in Geneva, where they produced automaton watches of the highest quality. They won the hearts of Parisians with pieces signed “Vauchez en la Cité” which can still be admired in the Louvre Museum today. As time went by, they also became traders, selling their models from England to Germany, Italy to China, giving considerable momentum to the workshops in Fleurier. As visionary and meticulous artists, their burgeoning inspiration was always combined with technological innovation.
Hence in 1820 the introduction, thanks to Cesar-Arnold Vaucher, of a balance-spring with a frequency of 18,000 vibrations per hour, a standard that was quickly adopted by the profession. At the turn of the 20th century production systems were put on a more industrial footing and over time master watchmakers, forerunners in the development of handcrafted production, began to mechanise their work. Another history was emerging, that of Manufactures. In the ensuing decades the House of Vaucher, true to its heritage, gave itself the means to ensure the independent development and production of virtually all components required by the watch movement and its decorations. At the dawn of the 3rd millennium, as part of the watchmaking division of the Sandoz Family Foundation, Vaucher Manufacture Fleurier SA embodies a tradition of superior quality and innovation in terms of mechanisms and the use of original materials, with a client list that includes the most demanding manufacturers. Its newfound capacity to produce escapements and sprung balances gives it total independence, allowing it once and for all to occupy a position of prominence in the world of prestige watches. Time for partnership Marking an association of names conveying values, independence and integrity, talent and age-old skills, the partnership between la Montre Hermès and Vaucher Manufacture Fleurier seemed natural, as though preordained in the histories of both Houses. What might be termed a match made in heaven… From the very first contact in 2000 a bond was formed, brought into being by a common philosophy and a shared taste for hand craftsmanship, fine workmanship and quality materials, the quest for perfection and a watchmaking tradition spanning almost two centuries. A spiritual heritage enriched from generation to generation by an entrepreneurial outlook encapsulating creative design, technological innovation and a perfectly defined product image rich in culture and prestige. In 2003, the alliance of movement and style gave rise to Dressage. This exceptional timepiece, assembled by hand, features the high-precision Hermès H1928 movement and a unique decoration exhibiting the characteristic “H” symbol. Then came the Moon Phases and retrograde calendar versions of the Dressage, equipped with the Hermès H1929 calibre, as well as the Cape Cod 1928 simple calendar, self-winding mechanical movement and the Cape Cod 8 Days, a hand-wound version with an eight-day power reserve and jumping hours.
With these models imbued with tradition, La Montre Hermès entered a new era in its history. As the cornerstone of its rise to prominence among a new clientele, the development of mechanical models became a feature of its longterm strategy. At a mature age, its quest for perfection and independence found a partner in Vaucher Manufacture Fleurier that offered both complementarity and a commitment to like values. Concluded at the end of 2006 when Hermès acquired a 25 % stake in the capital of the Manufacture, this synergy allowed La Montre Hermès to enhance its offer of complicated watches, while ensuring fluidity in the supply of movements. The fusion of form and essence of the watch promises a bright future for this partnership between faithful guardians of time. The beauty of exclusive movements: exceptional timepieces A measure of credibility and independence, access to exclusive in-house movements is now de rigueur in prestige watchmaking. A preference among clients for complications has led to the appearance of increasingly sophisticated movements. True to itself, la Montre Hermès intends not to follow the trend, but to capture its momentum, imbuing it with the elegant, inventive and meticulous craftsmanship marking objects that are built to last. Here, the word “exclusive” evokes first and foremost freedom. The freedom to share the company’s vision thanks to a new generation of timepieces of beauty and distinction both inside and out, and to complete the process, begun three decades ago, of placing its expertise and watchmaking prowess on a lasting footing. It is the freedom to “tell the time” as beautifully as possible, offering harmonies of innovation and tradition, elegance and excellence; also freedom of “movement”, paving the way for the development of unique calibres that reflect its vision of watchmaking excellence. Dedicated movements offer this, but much more. They spell the contribution of passionate watchmakers, for whom nothing is impossible in their quest to share the living entity we call time. They also mean working in a community of enthusiastic and dedicated craftsmen and women who excel at their trade. And finally, they mean combining skills and imagination to find that extra something which since 1837 has characterised the company’s products. For simple automatic movements and grand complications alike, taking responsibility for the beating heart of a watch is the high point and culmination of expertise and the point of departure of a new journey into the exciting world of the mechanical timepiece. THE EXCLUSIVE H1 MOVEMENT La Montre Hermès becomes the master of time Calibre H1 Simple Calendar The automatic self-winding H1 movement was entirely designed and developed in-house by Vaucher Manufacture Fleurier for La Montre Hermès. In its simple version, it harmoniously combines the classic watch functions of display of the hours, minutes, date and seconds, the latter featuring a large centre-seconds hand. It also features a stop seconds mechanism that allows the watch to be stopped for manual adjustment. Operating at a frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour — the best compromise between the quest for precision and the assurance of long-term reliability — this calibre is equipped with a double barrel and offers a dual energy source, a system allowing the power reserve of the H1 to be extended to 50 hours.
Its sprung balance ensures the constant to and fro motion of the oscillating weight. Regardless of the amount of energy received, it divides time into rigorously identical portions and instructs the escapement to adjust the speed of the gear-train. The diversity of materials that make up the H1 ensures its robustness, accuracy and durability. For example, the presence of a ceramic ball-bearing mechanism in the operating system of the oscillating weight eliminates the need to lubricate the ball-bearing mechanism, also guaranteeing a longer operating life for the movement. Glucydur — a hard, elastic non-magnetic and stainless material — was chosen to produce the balance. The use of German silver for the parts composing the mechanism offers an assurance of strength and quality. Made up of 193 parts, it contains 28 synthetic jewels which act as bearings for the watch’s different moving parts. Observing the standards of high-quality workmanship, particular attention has been paid to the finish and decoration of components. Far from being purely aesthetic, some finishing processes, such as the polishing of steel parts and pinions, serve above all a functional purpose and contribute to the reliability and correct operation of the watch. The shape of the chamfered bridges of the H1 movement is exclusive and several of its components benefit from unique decoration: the bridges and oscillating weight display a pattern of characteristic H symbols. Thanks to its ergonomic dimensions, with a thickness of 3.5 mm and a diameter of 25.6 mm (11 1/2 lines), the H1 calibre is compatible with the men’s models produced by the House, whose cases contain the H1928 movement, such as the Cape Cod Moon Phases and Dressage Annual Calendar. The first movement exclusive to Hermès, the H1 combines innovative ergonomics and hi-tech materials with its classic watch functions. The Big Date which follows the movement Calibre H1 Big Date The best features of watchmaking complications can be summed up by three main strengths: mechanical complexity, simplicity of use and useful indications. The H1 Big Date movement equipped with an additional module is a perfect example of these qualities. As its name implies, this complication displays the date by means of large numerals shown on two separate discs (instantaneous calendar). It is also distinguished by its secure manual correction of the day and the hour, a mechanism allowing the watch and calendar to be adjusted at any time. The module also has remarkable ergonomic qualities which set it apart from its competitors thanks to its flat profile and a thickness of 1.5 mm. Revealed through generously dimensioned apertures, the association of the module’s fine architecture and its mechanical movement mark the ascendancy of La Montre Hermès in the world of prestige watchmaking. CLIPPER H1 BIG DATE SPORT With its perfect lines and athletic silhouette, the new Clipper Sport is made for movement. Its H1 Big Date calibre nestles comfortably within a steel case of generous proportions, while its unidirectional notched rotating bezel adds depth to the charcoal or white dial. On this beautiful expanse with a diameter of 43.5 mm, numerals, hands and big date are coated with Superluminova to make functions even more legible. Manual correction of the date and hours has no prohibited “red zone” to protect the movement, offering new freedom of use. Ergonomic, precise and elegant viewed from front and back, the Clipper H1 Big Date makes great play of its mechanical performance and retains its sporty feel in all circumstances. Press release | 
CLIPPER H1 BIG DATE SPORT Technical data CASE . Shape / dimensions Round, 43.5 mm diameter
. Material Steel (316L)
. Crystal Glareproof sapphire crystal and case-back
. Water-resistance 100 meters
. Distinctive features Screwed-in horn, unidirectional notched rotating bezel DIAL . Colour: White, with superluminova applied numerals and hands. Charcoal, with superluminova applied numerals and hands. Etoupe, with superluminova applied numerals and hands MOVEMENT . Type Mechanical, single direction self-winding
. Calibre Hermès H1 Big Date movement by Vaucher Manufacture Fleurier
. Module Big date display
. Thickness 5 mm
. Diameter 30,4 mm, meaning 13 1/2 ’’ (13 and a half lines)
. Power reserve 50 hours, series-coupled twin barrel
. Oscillating weight Anti-clockwise winding
. Jewelling 28 jewels
. Number of parts 258 parts
. Functions Hours, minutes, centre-seconds, large date display
. Indications Instantaneous large date at 6 o’clock, disc display
. Distinctive features Oscillations at 28,800 vibrations per hour / frequency of 4Hz,
rhodium-plated bridges and plate, special Hermès decoration,
oscillating weight decorated with H symbols
. Corrections By push-button STRAPS / BRACELET
Black barenia calfskin
Natural barenia calfskin
Etoupe calfskin
Matt black alligator
Matt havana alligator
Steel BUCKLE
Safety folding clasp |
