Vogue Scandinavia’s editor in chief Martina Bonnier documents her time on the remote Greek island of Tinos celebrating Hermès’ unique Cut watch. Take in the sights and sounds of the 'Shapes of Time' trip through her lens, along with unique insights from Philippe Delhotal, creative director of Hermès Horloger
Dotted in the azure blue Cyclades archipelago is Tinos, a remote Greek island only accessible by boat from Mykonos. Here – where the goats outnumber the residents – you can feel the rich ancient history seeping from the stone surroundings and rugged natural beauty.
I am in Tinos with Hermès Horloger. On the surface, the house of Hermès isn't usually associated with Greece. Hermès’ German-born founder established roots firmly in Paris, of course, and its watchmaking division is now, naturally, based in Brügg – the heart of the Swiss watchmaking industry. So why are we in the Tinos? To celebrate Hermès' new Cut collection of timepieces.
Understanding the story of the Hermès Cut collection helps in understanding the Grecian setting. The new range comprises four 36mm unisex steel-and-gold or stainless steel models, with customisable strap and bracelet possibilities, which boast a streamlined shape playing with proportion and volume.
The Hermès Cut timepiece against the stone of the marble quarry in Tinos.
“The Hermès Cut plays with the vocabulary of shapes,” says Philippe Delhotal, creative director of Hermès Horloger when we catch up on the island. “Its sharp angles and lines give it its identity. I originally did a men’s watch,” he says, referencing Hermès H08 collection. “It’s been well received, but it is quite big on the wrist.” So, Delhotal decided to create a unisex interpretation that would feel more accessible to women, all the while maintaining the same DNA: elegant, sporty, streamlined.
Further aesthetic inspiration for the Hermès Cut revealed itself when Delhotal was walking amongst nature in Geneva one day. “There are lots of beautiful lakes that I often walk by, and one day I started to pick up stones along the way – admiring the cuts and shapes. It made me reflect on the shapes of the materials around us, how shapes can be created in different materials.” From there, Delhotal collaborated closely with creative directors from across the house to integrate the idea with Hermès’ design language. And the Cut was born.
The lake at the bottom of one of the famous quarries in Tinos, where we gathered to experience the tastes and sounds of the island.
But when it comes to Hermès’ design language and the approach of Delhotal, everything is imbued with poetry. Hermès Horloger always takes a philosophical approach: contemplating not just what mades a good timepiece, what time can do, and how we experience time. Hence, a poetic and, in many ways, philosophical experience being hosted at Tinos island: known for its exemplary marble- and stone-cutting over the past millenia.
In-keeping with the spirit of shape and geometry, the experience began immersed in the island’s famous stone quarries. Here, we were awe-struck by the acoustic wonder of a custom composition, a musical interpretation of the Hermès Cut by composer Alessandro Sciarroni, in collaboration with Aurora Bauzà and Pere Jou. Performed by a choir, the sound echoed around the space and bouncing beautifully off the lake at the quarry's bottom, where we enjoyed we enjoyed local food and learned about the art form of stone cutting.
We couldn’t spend time in Tinos without exploring embracing the wild and rustic natural surroundings. We were out on foot, hiking through the wonderful historic monasteries, and along the rocky unpaved roads that lead to clear Mediterranean waters.
Finally, we visited the Museum of Marble Crafts in Pyrgos on the island of Tinos, which delved into the technology and usage of marble from antiquity through to the present. Then it was time to get hands-on with the marble ourselves, under instruction from a master: Giorgos C Palamaris. Palamaris is a sculptor trained in fine arts, who has – in parallel with his artistic career of the last eight or nine years – been involved in archeology. Coming from a long line of marble artisans including his father, grandfather and grandfather’s father, Palamaris taught us how to cut marble and how the shapes correlated with the technical and aesthetic components of the Hermès Cut.
Sculptor and archeologist Giorgos C Palamaris showing us the ropes in cutting stone and marble.
What became evident during this time in Tinos island, there is something very unfussy and experience-led about Hermès. So much so, that I can’t help but draw parallels with the Scandinavian way of life. In Delhotal’s words, “it’s so important, first and foremost, for Hermès to be functional. It must be beautiful and poetic and inspired by nature – like this rustic environment here on the island – but at the end of the day, designs need to be driven by function, and of course of the highest quality,” he says. “For example, one version of the Hermès Cut has a diamond setting around the dial. It is stunning, but it’s not my favourite. I prefer the simplicity, the purity,” Delhotal explains.
After this memorable time experiencing the 'Shapes of Time' with Hermès in Tinos, immersed in the ways of the house and its Horlogerie, a key reflection is how refreshing it is to come across an esteemed Swiss watch brand that isn’t shackled by its history.
In the world of timepieces, Hermès is somewhat a newcomer, but this is something that works in its favour. Strengthened by the house's 187-year old foundations, there’s unbreakable strength in Hermès’ relationship with clients and consumers. But the newer watchmaking initiatives have a fresh sense of modernity that will resonate even further now that its elegant timepieces are more accessible to all with the unisex, versatile and timeless Hermès Cut collection.