Hermes Arceau Pocket Watch, Contemporary Crafts Master

In 2011, Hermes is entitled “Contemporary Crafts Master.” Hermes collects Swiss watchmaking watch the culmination of the essence,  polished with the fine movement , ancient fine wood inlays, exquisite gold carving, ornate enamels and Hermes particular leather sewing unique ,all these process to complete one masterpiece of wood inlay puzzles Arceau pocket watch, was presented as a master of contemporary craft the most perfect work.

Contemporary wood mosaic master Jerome Bouttecon carefully selected three different materials of wood in his precious collection of more than 1,200 pieces of wood : chestnut, maple and walnut, spent more than a month  completibg the masterpiece . Wood mosaic is derived from ancient Egypt 4,000 years ago an ancient decorative craft. Renaissance, this process has been prosperous in Italy and France. 18-19 century the last century, when the French royal family is very respected in this process, almost all of the palaces, royal furniture using wood mosaics to decorate. French emperor imperial edict to wood mosaic as “the Royal decoration process.”

In Jerome Bouttecon 25 years career in the wood mosaic, award-winning: winning the first master craftsman in France, the world’s wood mosaics contest awards. He is a leader in this field. The cooperation with the Hermes watches are the highest in his career, the difficulty process is a challenge. How to cut the entire sub-frame, each small piece of wood how to put together the perfect, smooth and seamless, this is the hands of his own skills as well as great challenges.

The front of the watch’s dial is carved with gold shiny radial Guilloche patterns by a layer of transparent enamel glaze it protected. Open the cover, carefully crafted by the Vaucher Hermes H1928 movement gracefully out of the rhythm of time, the inner surface of the cover is hand-polished fish-scale pattern, the light refraction in the full beauty of rhythm.