At Watches & Wonders Geneva 2024, Hermès released a new model lineup which they call CUT. We got our hands on one, and here is our review.
Review: the new Hermès CUT
The Hermès CUT in stainless steel case and bracelet as reviewed has a retail price of SGD 10,700 inclusive of GST. Other versions are available. More information is found on the Hermés site.
The case, dial and hands
The case shape is unique. It is neither a circle, nor round nor square. But rather, all these shapes morphed into one. A geometry which plays with sharp angles, with seductive smooth curves. Classic Hermés style. A case shape that is very difficult to describe, but visually it is very simple and appealing. See it, and immediately one understands.
The proportions are well balanced and the case shows off juxtapositions of satin brushed and polished surfaces. The bracelet is very elegant, and seamlessly integrated. A quick release system used and functions intuitively allowing very quick and easy. Very fuss free with easy switching of bracelets to straps without fear of scratching any of the surfaces. The watch comes with a rubber strap available in 8 different colours which Hermès calls – white, orange, gris perle, gris étain, glycine, vert criquet, bleu jean and capucine. Lots of fashion options.
The dial is simple, but very clear and legible. Numeral markers are large arabic numbers with lume infilling. A chapter ring, marked in minutes are inward of the hour markers and marked with black transfer lines punctuated by orange circles marking the 5 minute intervals. The central medallion and the hour marker ring is matte finished, while the chapter ring for the minutes sitting between them has a concentric circle finishing. Hands are lozenge shaped with generous infilling of lume. The seconds hand is long and slender and indicated with a red lollipop, and a syringe on the counter balance.
Legibility in good lighting as well as in the dark is very good. As we only managed to photograph the watch in a working office, we were not able to turn down the lighting to show the lume. But trust us on this. It glows quite nicely indeed.
The movement: Hermès H1912
The watch is powered by a Manufacture Hermès H1912 movement. The movement is sourced from Vaucher, where Hermès maintains a 25% ownership. The other 75% is owned by Parmigiani Fleurier. The movements developed by Vaucher which are exclusively for Hermès include this H1912 as well as the H1837 used in the very popular H08 and the H1920.
This is a basic mechanical self-winding calibre which display of hours, minutes and seconds. Finishing is par for the course at this pricing level for a luxury steel watch in steel bracelet with a nice, in-house manufactured automatic movement.
The Competitive Landscape
The genre which we would put the Hermès CUT is the luxury steel sports watch with integrated bracelet category. This is a very popular genre, perhaps a bit too well played out by the maisons, and turning to be rather crowded. We see two distinct ranges – the high end, marked by the leadership of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, and arguably more so by the Patek Philippe Nautilus, even though the latter is discontinued in steel. Grouped below these two leaders, we see the likes of the Chopard Alpine Eagle, the Czapek Antarctique, the Moser Streamliner, the Louis Vuitton Tambour, the Girard-Perregaux Laureato, and many others. And somewhat at the entry level, we see brands like Bell & Ross with their BR 05 and BR X5, the various Grand Seiko releases as well as the Citizen 0200.
Bell & Ross is an interesting comparison. Not only is it pitched at a similar pricing level, but it too sports a squarish case. Though the BR case is a more geometric round within a square, it has character, just like the CUT. The movement it uses is either based on Sellita (BR 05) or Kinissi (BR X5). And the similarity even extends to the Parisian chic origins of both brands.
Concluding thoughts
Overall, the 36mm nominal case dimensions are a tad on the smallish side by today’s measure. On my 7.5 inch flat wrist, it looks a bit on the small side. But Hermès intended the watch to be usable for both men and ladies, and indeed some of the models (nor reviewed) carry gemstones. The CUT is also available in a two tone finish – steel case with gold bezel, also with or without gemstones.
But the value proposition from Hermés is always been the same. Effortless elegance. Chic. Drop dead gorgeous proportion and attention to detail for a high quality product. We are able to heartily recommend the Hermés CUT as a candidate to be considered within the price range and the integrated steel sports watch genre.
Hermès CUT specifications
TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS
Dial
Opaline silver-toned
Applied grey PVD-treated Arabic numerals enhanced with Super-LumiNova®
Snailed silver-toned minutes ring
Transferred grey and orange minutes ring markings
Rhodium-plated polished baton-type hands enhanced with Super-LumiNova®
Case
“A circle within a round shape”
36 mm in diameter, 11 mm interhorn width
Circular satin-finish steel case with polished bevels
Crown at 1:30 and orange-lacquered H
Anti-glare sapphire crystal and caseback
Water-resistant to 10 bar
Movement
Manufacture Hermès H1912 movement
Mechanical self-winding, crafted in Switzerland
Average 50-hour power reserve
Circular-grained and snailed mainplate,
satin-brushed bridges and oscillating weight,
signature sprinkling of Hs
Functions
Hours, minutes, seconds
Strap
Interchangeable system
Bracelet in satin-brushed and polished steel
Butterfly clasp in satin-brushed steel with polished pushers
Strap in white, orange, gris perle, gris étain, glycine, vert criquet, bleu jean or capucine rubber
17 mm steel pin buckle satin-brushed along the 6 to 12 o’clock axis,
polished vertical faces
