Our friends at The Watches TV visited Cristalleries Saint-Louis to find out how Hermès achieves the modern, “square” look of the crystal dial in the Arceau Lift Millefiori.

This is not the first time that the masterful watch video makers have visited the Alsatian company, which belongs to the Hermès group. The first visit took place back in 2014 to find out more about the novel dial of the Arceau Millefiori watch, which Hermès had introduced that same year. I accompanied them on this outing, which you can read about in How Hermès Transforms Crystal Into The Colorful Dial Of The Arceau Millefiori Watch.

In making the dial of 2018’s ultra-limited Arceau Lift Millefiori, the process remains mostly the same, however its look is made more contemporary-looking by adding a new color scheme and shape to the traditional process.

Hermès Arceau Lift flying tourbillon (photo courtesy Claude Joray)

Using this dial on the Lift tourbillon was a great idea to underscore the unique and rarified nature of it. The first Hermès Arceau Lift flying tourbillon came out in 2013 (more in Hermès Solidifies Place In High Watchmaking With Elevator Inspiration), and its design was inspired by the Double H element that was first used on a lift (elevator) installed in 1923 in Hermès’ flagship boutique at 24, Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré in Paris. A testament to that era’s love of wrought iron and art deco design, the Double H was created in honor of the marriage of the founder’s grandson, Émile Hermès, to Julie Hollande, the daughter of a local businessman.

The Arceau Lift marked the first time the Double H was used on an Hermès timepiece, hence its interesting name.

Follow as The Watches TV team discovers the technical art of artistic glassblowing to achieve the crocodile-leather-like look of the Arceau Lift Millefiori’s dial.

Quick Facts Hermès Arceau Lift Millefiori
Case: 43 x 12.65 mm, white gold
Dial: crystal using the Cristalleries Saint-Louis Millefiori technique
Movement: manually wound Hermès Caliber H1923 with one-minute tourbillon, 3 Hz/21,600 vph frequency, power reserve 90 hours
Functions: hours, minutes
Limitation: 3 pieces
Price: 200,000 Swiss francs

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