At Watches and Wonders, Hermès focused firmly on the beauty of mechanics. This year’s novelties centred on three skeleton watches – the Hermès H08 Squelette, the Arceau Samarcande and the Slim d’Hermès Squelette Lune – each offering a distinct perspective on transparency and movement. Across these pieces, the architecture of the movement becomes a shifting backdrop, where light and shadow play across openworked surfaces, inviting the eye to explore the depth and detail of each calibre.

The Hermès H08 Squelette builds on the collection’s distinctive shape, neatly balanced between round and cushion forms. Crafted in satin-brushed titanium, the 39mm case frames a movement that is both open and structured. The architecture remains clean and deliberate, allowing the wearer to follow the flow of gears and bridges without distraction. Subtle colour accents, particularly in blue, add depth while reinforcing the watch’s modern, graphic identity.

The Arceau Samarcande draws on the house’s equestrian heritage, reinterpreted through an openworked dial. Designed around the signature asymmetrical lugs introduced by Henri d’Origny, the watch reveals the outline of a horse’s head through carefully cut crystal and metal. Beneath this sits a complex movement featuring a minute repeater, adding an acoustic layer to the visual composition. The result is a piece that feels both technical and expressive, with the motif subtly shifting as light moves across the dial.

Then there is the fascinating Slim d’Hermès Pocket Roaaaaar!, a pocket watch that brings a playful edge to fine watchmaking, featuring a roaring lion rendered in intricate wood marquetry over a Grand Feu enamel dial. Conceived as part of the Slim d’Hermès universe by Philippe Delhotal, it balances refined minimalism with expressive craft, revealing Hermès’ taste for subtle theatricality and animal motifs.

More understated in its approach, the Slim d’Hermès Squelette Lune explores the passage of time through lunar cycles. Housed within the refined proportions of the Slim case, it incorporates a moonphase display for both hemispheres. The openworked dial is balanced and precise, allowing negative space to play as important a role as the mechanics themselves. Presented in soft tones of blue and vert d’eau, it offers a quieter, more contemplative take on skeletonisation.