The Hermès H08 Squelette takes the cushion-shaped sports watch introduced in 2021 and gives it a more technical personality, revealing a purpose-built automatic movement through an open dial architecture.
It is a notable move for Hermès because the H08 has always been the brand’s most urban, material-driven watch family, and this version pushes that idea further without losing the collection’s clean, graphic identity.
Black Titanium Gives the H08 a More Technical Edge
The case measures 42 mm by 39 mm, a compact cushion profile that should suit a broad range of wrists while still having enough presence to feel contemporary.
Hermès uses black DLC-treated titanium for the case, giving the watch a light, corrosion-resistant and hypoallergenic shell with a matte, understated finish.
The bezel is made from sunburst satin-brushed ceramic, with polished chamfers adding a controlled flash of light against the otherwise dark case architecture.
A screw-down crown and 100 metres of water resistance keep the watch firmly in daily-wear territory, while sapphire crystals front and back underline the model’s mechanical focus.
A Skeleton Dial That Keeps the H08 Language Intact
The openworked dial could easily have overwhelmed the H08’s design, but Hermès keeps the composition disciplined with a matte black framework and a grey transfer-printed minute track that follows the cushion outline of the case.
The exposed gear train and balance wheel sit beneath this graphic structure, giving the watch depth without turning it into a decorative exercise.
Legibility is treated seriously, too: the Arabic hour numerals are cut from solid Super-LumiNova and edged in either grey or blue, depending on the version.
The hands also carry generous lume, while the partially openworked minute hand and skeletonised seconds counterweight show the sort of small design decisions that make the watch feel considered rather than merely exposed.
Hermès omits a date display, and that feels like the right decision here, preserving the symmetry and avoiding the visual clutter a date wheel would bring to the skeletonised layout.
The Hermès H1978S Movement Was Built for the Job
Inside is the Manufacture Hermès H1978S, an automatic calibre developed with Vaucher Manufacture Fleurier and created specifically for this skeletonised H08.
The movement is made from black PVD-treated titanium, a choice that supports both the watch’s lightweight character and its dark, architectural appearance.
Its bridges are shaped to allow light through the calibre while maintaining rigidity, a crucial point in modern skeletonisation where visual openness cannot come at the expense of mechanical stability.
The movement runs at 28,800 vibrations per hour, uses 26 jewels and offers a 60-hour power reserve.
A semi-square tungsten oscillating weight echoes the form of the case, reinforcing the H08’s habit of repeating its geometry across case, dial and movement details.
Straps, Price and the Best Fit for Collectors
The Hermès H08 Squelette is offered on textured rubber straps, with choices varying by dial accent: blue-marker versions can be paired with Bleu Zanzibar or Noir, while grey-marker models are available with Dune, Vert moyen or Bleu abysse.
Each version uses a titanium folding clasp with a satin-brushed black DLC coating, keeping the hardware aligned with the case.
At £17,500, the H08 Squelette sits well above standard sports-watch territory, but it is also not trying to be a conventional steel daily wearer.
This is a watch for collectors who like Hermès’ design discipline but want something more mechanical and expressive than the regular H08, with enough practicality to wear often and enough openworked detail to remain engaging on the wrist.
