Playing with Time

This high fashion French brand has elegant distinction stamped across its range of luxury goods, whether they be leather, lifestyle accessories, home furnishings, perfumery or jewellery.

Its watches are no less distinctive, but this recent addition to the Slim d'Hermès line - Le’Heure Impatiente (The Impatient Hour) – is a classic example of quirkiness from a luxury house that doesn’t take itself too seriously, and is all the better for it.

Think back to a childhood perspective of waiting for a muchanticipated event - perhaps Christmas morning when presents could be finally opened - and remember the ecstatic joy of counting down the minutes to the event.

That’s the inspiration behind Le’Heure Impatiente, although joyful anticipation was never articulated so handsomely, as in this wristhugging ultra-slim rose gold case.

Unlike an alarm watch that wakes you up in the morning, Le’Heure Impatiente is intended to alert the wearer to an eagerly-awaited event that will take place in less than 12 hours.

An hour before the event occurs, the mechanical hourglass at 6 o’clock on the dial is set in motion, and its progress can be followed as anticipation and pleasurable excitement mount.

This exquisite torture culminates when the countdown ends and a velvety-smooth chime sounds. 

It’s playful, quirky, and endowed with character that invites us to look forward to an upcoming moment, instead of passively awaiting it.

In doing so, the focus becomes the flow of the hour preceding the event, rather than the event itself.

But unlike memories of childhood whimsy there’s a cost to all this pleasurable anticipation, and in this case, it’s US$ 39,000.

For more check-out: hermes.com