Hermès shapes time with marble and steel to celebrate the new cut watch in tinos island

HERMÈS CELEBRATES THE NEW CUT WATCH IN TINOS, GREECE

The Cycladic island of Tinos, Greece, sets the stage to celebrate the Shapes of Time with Hermès for its new Cut watch collection. First introduced in Geneva during Watches and Wonders 2024, the collection finds its natural home amidst the island’s rugged landscapes and marble quarries, echoing the timeless craftsmanship that defines both the island and the new timepieces.

Kicking off the two-day celebration, the site-specific Shapes of Time performance immersed viewers in Alessandro Sciarroni’s musical interpretation of the ‘cut’. Marking the second chapter in a story that began in Geneva, the performance took place in the remote green marble quarry of Koumelas, unfolding into a captivating composition where the island’s history and the watch collection’s essence intertwined seamlessly.

all images courtesy of Hermès

SHAPES OF TIME PERFORMANCE AND MARBLE WORKSHOP

The second chapter of Hermès’ Shapes of Time performance comes to life through the musical language of Alessandro Sciarroni. In collaboration with composers Aurora Bauzà and Pere Jou, the Italian artist—who was awarded the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement in Dance by the Venice Biennale in 2019—has curated his own interpretation of the word ‘cut’ in relation to the quarry. For Sciarroni, ‘cut’ is best described as a modest yet cutting musical rendition, an intangible force expressed by the choir ensemble singing his composition. Their voices, almost transcendent, play on the contrast with the telluric reality and sculptural appearance of the quarry.

The journey through time and materiality continues with a visit to local artisans, witnessing their mastery with marble. Artist and craftsman Giorgos Palamaris demonstrates the techniques and tools used in marble carving while explaining the different marble extraction methods, from antiquity to the present day. His workshop is set in open air, at the quarry of Agios Eleftherios, just outside the village of Pyrgos. It’s a village known for its longstanding marble tradition, being the home to many Greek sculptors throughout the centuries. The gathering begins with an introduction to marble as a key material in Cycladic culture, and concludes with a hands-on experience with marble carving. A dialogue with Hermès Horloger Creative Director Philippe Delhotal follows, where he speaks about the gesture of giving shape to materials, from marble to steel, paving a way to the inspiration behind the new Cut watch.

Shapes of Time performance in Tinos

Hermès Cut plays with the vocabulary of geometry

The new Hermès Cut collection blends harp angles and crisply drawn lines, creating a timeless design that merges a free-spirited round form with the geometry of the circle. The watch’s crown is boldly positioned at half past one and embellished with a lacquered or engraved H, while the bevel-cut bezel frames a generous dial with a curved edge, punctuated by luminescent applied Arabic numerals. With a satin-brushed and polished case of balanced proportions, the watch comes in either all steel or in a two-tone combination of steel and rose gold. Meanwhile, its seamlessly integrated metal bracelet features supple links with a rounded profile and alternating finishes picking up the case design. In addition, a rubber strap is available in a range of eight colours drawn from the Hermès palette – white, orange, gris perle, gris étain, glycine, vert criquet, bleu jean and capucine – while a clever interchangeability system makes it easy to play with styles on a daily basis.

the performance unveils Alessandro Sciarroni’s musical interpretation of the ‘cut’