Making-of the HERMÈS Carré H. Part 3: Watch Assembly + Handmade Barénia calfskin strap

#hermes #hermeshorloger #lamontrehermes
Today let me present you the third of three videos where we show you how Hermès Horloger in Brügg / Switzerland designs, creates and manufactures its iconic "Carré H" wristwatch.
Part 3 will will let you discover how the unique Hermès Barénia calfskin strap is hand-made and the entire watch assembled.
Be sure not to miss part 1 & 2!
Part 1: movement "H1912" production, assembly & testing (already online)
Part 2: Case / Dial Production and Assembly (already online)
Back in 2010, Hermès introduced the "Carré H", a square timepiece created by Marc Berthier, with a modern aesthetic, designed for instant legibility.
In 2019 the "Carré H" returned in a new style: Marc Berthier has enlarged the square by a few millimetres and opted for light effects, playing across the steel case with its polished and microbead-blasted finishes, on the dial with its right-angled guilloché work, and on the facetted hands and numerals. This perfectly balanced use of light harmoniously accentuates the clarity of the design, the softened edges of the square, the curved profile of the case, and the cylindrical crystal. Finally, the exclusive font of the numerals - making use of the zero - contributes to the new aesthetic equilibrium
of this watch.
Case Designer: Marc Berthier (2010)
Case in polished and microbead-blasted 316L steel
Dimensions: 38 × 38mm, interhorn width 21mm
Sapphire crystal and case-back with anti-glare treatment
Water-resistant to 30 meters or 3 bar
Dial
Dark grey or black
Opaline guilloché centre, finely grained chapter ring, sunburst or opaline rim
Applied rhodium-plated hour-markers and Arabic numerals, coated with Super-LumiNova®
White transferred minute circle
Rhodium-plated hour and minute hands coated with Super-LumiNova®
Yellow or red second hand
Movement
Hermès "H1912" movement
Mechanical self-winding
100% Swiss Made in Fleurier by Vaucher Manufacture (Hermès Horloger holds a stake of 25 %)
Diameter: 23.3mm (10 ½’’’)
Thickness: 3.7mm
193 components, 28 jewels
Frequency: 28,800 A/h (= 4Hz)
Power reserve: 50 hours
Circular-grained and snailed mainplate, bridges and oscillating weight satin-brushed and adorned with the signature H pattern
Functions
Hours, minutes & seconds
Strap
Natural or black Barénia calfskin
Pin buckle in microbead-blasted 316L steel, 21mm

[@spidiq8]

What a beautiful watch and a great series of videos. Thanks.

[@WatchAdvisor]

One would not expect this at Hermès and this makes the three videos so special...

[@spidiq8]

@@WatchAdvisor It's appreciated by me. Others too I'm sure. As someone who works on watches it's always a pleasure to see one assembled from new in the factory. Thank you for bringing these videos to us and for answering my Q on the recent livestream.

[@b.2221]

Awesome, and a real eye opener to quality and skill. Thank you so much for sharing this video Sir 👍 Tam.

[@WatchAdvisor]

Please forgive me when I repeat what I just wrote to Jay: To see that Hermès is so much a watchmaker was and is impressive! Even some "big" names should be ashamed...

[@markw951]

Great series. More of these types of videos please. It really gives the consumers a greater understanding and appreciate of how many work goes into making a quality time piece.

[@WatchAdvisor]

Mark, we will bring more such videos. Thank you for your positive feedback! As soon COVID-19 lets me travel again to Switzerland we will restart at full speed...

[@SeraphimMarcopoulos]

Fantastic Video Series, Alexander. Looking forward to more when you're able to travel. Stay safe in Vienna until then. Greetings and best wishes from Toronto, Canada.

[@WatchAdvisor]

I will be VERY active once I may travel again and COVID-19 is gone... VERY, VERY active! I am eager to get started ...

[@johnmcdonagh1607]

Brilliant again Alexander. Thanks to your good self , and also to those wonderfully skilled people at Hermes.

[@WatchAdvisor]

John Mcdonagh Thank you, very much appreciated! That was also real fun for me and I also learned a lot...

[@edwardb7811]

The series gave a very clear and impressive presentation on all the many aspects involved in the creation of a fine watch. The videos were also made with the presentation of a fine watch. Thanks to all who were involved in the production.

[@WatchAdvisor]

We love your comment and we thank you! Believe me also for us it was impressive to discover all these little details. Hermès is a true watchmaker. Even some “big” names acting if they have literally invented the watch should be ashamed 😉

[@artagain8977]

Enjoyed this series very much Alexander. Thank you and thumbs up every time.

[@WatchAdvisor]

Artagain I really enjoyed reading this! That’s what the best audience in the world deserves! 😉

[@aeoa79]

Great video. I bought my first Hermès watch 17 years ago. I owned 5 now (2 H hour, a cape cod, 1 H hour round and an Hermes Arceau). The straps are the best. Best regards from Mexico

[@WatchAdvisor]

Thanks for sharing your Hermès history with us! Question: Do you like the new Carrè H?

[@chrismuz]

Excellent series of videos, with my 11,999th (only?!) view this Sunday morning. Makes me appreciate watch making as a synthesis of design, engineering, craft and art even more than I already do. - Hope this comment is "mostly" welcome, haha. Cheers from Germany!

[@WatchAdvisor]

Love your comment, thanks for sharing! Danke Dir für das tolle Feedback! These videos go back to the early days of Watchadvisor on KZbin. Meanwhile the channel grew quite a bit and we learned very much. E.g. I stopped working with the cameraman filming it ... It is good to read this since only some days I watched these videos and said to myself they are pretty cool, but we could have done better. Yes, Hermès offers real watchmaking and not only labeling of a prominent logo on a dial... I will get hands on the newest Hermès watches in a few days and they are stunning beautiful. Videos will go online in April. Concerning the views I can tell you that the more watchmaking you squeeze in a video and the less superficial blablabla the more difficult it is to get views. Do you focus on religious brands like Rolex and your content is blablabla (warme Luft😉) then you have lots of views and you grow quickly as a channel. But this is not our goal! I wrote for „Armbanduhren“ and „CHRONOS“ for decades and I always delivered quality and nothing else. That’s the way to go! We already today have the best audience in the world and we are growing... We are proud of you sharing your passion for watchmaking with us. Thank you! Habe es in Englisch geschrieben, sodass es auch andere verstehen...

[@wernerjacq]

That was truly awsome. It always reminds you what true artisans are all about. Like they say in French: c’est un vrai métier. I really like these inside videos, more than anything else. Take care of yourself and, keep up the good spirit!

[@WatchAdvisor]

Thank you very much! This is really encouraging - for Hermès and our work. We plan to produce more such content very soon. Therefore let us all hope that the COVID-19 nightmare is over soon and no one was seriously hit...

[@MZ-1981]

That is represent how the expensive luxury watches has been made , I love that video🧡

[@WatchAdvisor]

Th three videos show what Hermès is able to do in-hose. And this is much more than many others "big" names claim...

[@MrAstroshot]

Tremendous amount of work min just one strap! Amazing!

[@WatchAdvisor]

MichaelOC _ That distinguishes Hermès from everyone else...

[@rarts2000]

Finally!, the 3rd part, thanks Alex, I'd love to see more videos like these, one can really appriciate all the work, skill, and handcraft of the brands cheers, stay safe

[@WatchAdvisor]

Rafael Rodriguez Thank you for your positive feedback! It is my plan to make more such videos. Of course in the moment I can only hope to once get back to Switzerland 🇨🇭 ...

[@dr.omar.insights2000]

Outstanding as usual

[@WatchAdvisor]

That's good news! Thank you!

[@albertmyers7176]

Such great vids I'll be watching all 3 over many times...Thank you ...Any more " how it's made " vids in the works ?

[@WatchAdvisor]

Yes, in the pipeline... After COVID-19 releases the world and life gets normal again I start right away... I wish I could have started yesterday...

[@clydemills7088]

Thanks for the video. Great to see the watch assembly process

[@WatchAdvisor]

The three videos show quite decisively what Hermès is able to do. When you buy a Hermès watch, you buy a real wristwatch and not a marketing tool to place the Hermès logo prominently on your wrist.

[@afarhan21]

Such precision work, from start to finish. Great video.

[@WatchAdvisor]

Correct! Only when you see it you realize it is true... In fact Hermès is a true watchmaker!

[@valisechi2492]

Great video, I’m guessing it’s a rarity for cameras to be allowed inside Hermes. I’m glad they finally sell straps separately too, I just got one for my datejust 1601 and it’s amazing. Maybe a bit overpriced but by far the best quality strap I ever touched.

[@WatchAdvisor]

Vali Sechi In fact it was a privilege for us to be hosted by Hermès. You have seen it now with your own eyes what an elaborate process it is to produce a strap. If I would have only told you, you probably wouldn’t have believed it... 😉

[@Ifzal42]

Amazing series of videos.

[@WatchAdvisor]

Ifzal Khan Thank you very much for your positive feedback!

[@neilwade9870]

Great video and a lovely watch. Nice one all round !! 👍

[@WatchAdvisor]

I really enjoyed reading this! That’s what the best audience in the world deserves! 😉

[@cps7553]

beautiful art

[@WatchAdvisor]

Shows that Hermès is a true watchmaker and takes his business seriously ...

[@cps7553]

WatchAdvisor agreed! Masterful

[@heuer03]

Great video, many thanks 👍😉😎

[@WatchAdvisor]

heuer03 You are welcome 🙏 thanks for the positive feedback

[@j.burgess4459]

Classy watch.

[@WatchAdvisor]

To see that Hermès is so much a watchmaker was and is impressive! Even some "big" names should be ashamed...

[@ashleyslingers2814]

Great video👍

[@WatchAdvisor]

Ashley, thank you very much, it is good to know that you liked our videos!

[@lucachinellato5936]

Beautiful strap!

[@WatchAdvisor]

One would not expect all this I suppose...

[@lucachinellato5936]

Manual skill is a great value.

[@WatchAdvisor]

@@lucachinellato5936 That's a principle at Hermès! I also saw how they make their handbags, foulards, scarfs ... CRAZY!

[@lucachinellato5936]

@@WatchAdvisor Wonderfoul!

[@ManuB985]

Fantastic!

[@WatchAdvisor]

Questo è davvero un bell'orologio. I video mostrano anche che Hermès è un vero orologiaio...

[@ManuB985]

@@WatchAdvisor hai ragione. Se prima guardavo con ammirazione Hermes ora dopo i tuoi video ammiro ancora di più la qualità e il grande lavoro che c'è dietro ad ogni loro creazione! Grazie ancora Alexander per condividere questi contenuti di altissima qualità!

[@WatchAdvisor]

@@ManuB985 Alcuni nomi "grandi" dovrebbero vergognarsi quando vedono cosa può fare Hermès !

[@ManuB985]

@@WatchAdvisor you're right!!!!

[@WatchAdvisor]

@@ManuB985 😉

[@jamespalsson746]

Love Hermes straps! that movement is too small for the case though.

[@WatchAdvisor]

I hear you! Normally I would have agreed, but in this case I disagree. You need a certain dimension of a movement holding ring in a rectangular cases to be sure shocks etc can do no harm. The size is what it is in this case...

[@Nestor88]

NGL i was very impressed but then agian i work in tech so nothing closely related to this, I would love see an opinion from someone that work leather to validate this process

[@WatchAdvisor]

What exactly do you want to know?

[@EduardoSilva-mr1lp]

I actually make watch straps and can tell you this is a very simple , very simple strap nothing special about it , made with press machine. Even more I can tell that it's made not rally skillfully, poor accuracy from the workers there, overheating the edge paint , nothing impressed me, for sure I can do much better and much more sofisticate.

[@manusego]

👏😍👏😍👏😍👏

[@WatchAdvisor]

Thank you very much! Hermès really deserves the applause ...

[@chmm.wien2412]

Great video, when will it come on the market and what will it cost ?

[@WatchAdvisor]

The Carré H is already available and is sold for 5900 Euro including 19 % VAT here in Europe...

[@Sodabp]

What's impressive about this isn't necessarily the craftmanship (which is quite basic), but it's the fact that such a huge company decided to keep the craftmanship. Things like handstitching are basically impossible to scale up. With that said, the pricing is absolutely ridiculous.

[@WatchAdvisor]

It is Hermès… this brand is the epitome of luxury and with what and how they do it incredibly successful… So why worry?

[@Sodabp]

@@WatchAdvisor I am simply making a point as a fellow craftsman

[@WatchAdvisor]

I hear you!

[@XstonedmonkeyzX]

I guess "Heisenberg" is now into watch making 🤣🤣 1:50

[@WatchAdvisor]

I know about the similarities to Brian Cranston 😜 You are not the first one to tell me… I hope you liked “Heisenberg’s” video…

[@XstonedmonkeyzX]

@@WatchAdvisor I genuinely did not notice until that "shot" specifically, and now I can't unsee it 🤣🤣 Since I have been a sub fo a while hahaha.

[@WatchAdvisor]

Heissenberger is all over the place here … 😆 have fun!!!

[@scottallan3327]

What is that watch your wearing ??

[@WatchAdvisor]

Scott Allan IWC Portugieser...

[@Raccoonsareawesome]

​@@WatchAdvisor I make watch straps and other small leather goods as a hobby, i'm curious what you think about Santoni's IWC straps?

[@WatchAdvisor]

@@Raccoonsareawesome What yea do you want to know? What I have seen and felt so far the quality is outstanding... The look? Well tastes are different...

[@Raccoonsareawesome]

@@WatchAdvisor I talked to a seller at a watch retailer that told me that a couple of high end brands have problem with the durability on the "keepers" and also stretch between "buckle pin holes" but he never mentioned any brands. And from what i've seen on used IWC-watches that are old, Santoni straps seems to be very well made. So was just curious.

[@WatchAdvisor]

@@Raccoonsareawesome A leather strap is always a bit fragile... Same applies to shoes by the way... if you know what you mean... For a dress watch it is ok, but once you start really “using” a watch you better change to a tissue, nylon, rubber strap or bracelet...

[@willchung2072]

I am surprise that Hermes is actually making a real watch looks like a apple watch....

[@WatchAdvisor]

The watch by Hermès watch designed by Marc Berthier many, many years before the Apple Watch ... So why worry?

[@willchung2072]

@@WatchAdvisor True. I just bought a Hermes deployment buckle strap for my apple watch. I am wondering if the Hermes Strap for Apple Hermes watch is the same quality and handcraft as the other Hermes watch strap. By the way, I have a Hermes Clipper Chronograph and love it.

[@watchclog2979]

Is Hermes actually involved at all ? It all seems outsourced

[@WatchAdvisor]

Nothing is outsourced! What you see is in-house-Hermès! Cases, Dials, straps... At Vaucher, the movement manufacturer, Hermès holds a stake of 25 %...

[@watchclog2979]

WatchAdvisor did not know that about Vaucher. Thanks for clarification!

[@WatchAdvisor]

Yes, Hermès bought a stake of 25 % from the Parmigiani Group (the Sandoz Foundation who owns Parmigiani) some years ago and also works very close with them. The majority shareholders of Vaucher Manufacture are SFF LMH and Hermès International. By the way: Parmigiani watches are all worn with a Hermès straps...

[@WatchAdvisor]

One more remark: Vaucher also manufactures a wast majority of the Richard Mille movements

[@WatchAdvisor]

www.sandozfondation.ch/en/watchmaking-club

[@muaysa1252]

Derilerin kalınlığı nedir

[@WatchAdvisor]

Bilmiyorum, üzgünüm!

[@tlgoh1]

Unfortunately I would like to share my great disappointment of my Hermes watch. I bought a new Cape Cod, within a year, it had water issues (water leaking into the dial) TWICE. This really deter me from trusting Hermes watch quality anymore. It's a sad and devastating experience.

[@WatchAdvisor]

We don't know the circumstances that lead to your experience. Therefore I do not accept this as a general statement, but as a very personal one. Please let me assist you with your Hermès watch if you need some help. Write an an email alexander @ watchadvisor . com and I will do the necessary for you...

[@imfeitastic]

Is your Cape cod quartz or mechanical? I own a Cape cod for 4 years, it's looks brand new as at today. You can always take back to hermes for them to help you, doesn't matter how many times. Their after serviceis great. =)

[@AllInOne-gs7jw]

I make much better quality Watch Straps ...

[@WatchAdvisor]

Do you? So who are you? What do you have to offer…

[@EduardoSilva-mr1lp]

Not really impressed and I've seen more craftsman saying the same thing, the strap has a very, very basic construction, stamped and cant be called a fine leather work, overpriced for sure , this construction even with hand made stitching shoud not cost more than 50$ considering the craftsmanship, if they wold do a real fine work I wont say the same thing, it wold worth more .

[@WatchAdvisor]

Personal sensitivities? Do you have any problems with Hermes?

[@EduardoSilva-mr1lp]

@@WatchAdvisor I personally do not like the golden aura around this fashion companies, not only hermes , people should be more aware that is nothing special about this and it's mostly overpayment for brand name . It's more like people trust the experience and most of the time will get a ok quality out of known brand rather than buying from a small company or craftsman that for sure can offer similar or much better quality for lower rate .

[@WatchAdvisor]

That's your approach... Hermès is the epitome of luxury... every single item Hermès manufactures is very much sought after...

[@EduardoSilva-mr1lp]

@@WatchAdvisor you have not seen and touched a really exclusive and well made watch strap I suppose, personally I can show you how it should be done and you may understand the difference. Not on camera there are lots of little secrets every crafter have . If you have a hermes strap on you, even better))

[@WatchAdvisor]

I am meanwhile 30 + years in this industry and I have seen bad, good and excellent watch straps…