Hermès has given the H08 a more architectural edge with the new H08 Squelette, a skeletonised take on one of its most contemporary watch designs.
Unveiled at Watches and Wonders, the watch keeps the collection’s familiar cushion-shaped profile but opens the dial to turn its mechanics into the main visual language.
It’s a sportier expression of Hermès watchmaking, where graphic design, material contrast and movement finishing carry as much weight as traditional decorative craft.
At a glance
- Hermès has introduced the H08 Squelette, an openworked version of its modern sporty watch.
- The 39mm black DLC microblasted titanium case is paired with a satin-finished ceramic bezel and a skeletonised dial.
- Inside is the Hermès H1978S automatic calibre, developed for this model with a 4Hz frequency and around 60 hours of power reserve.
A familiar H08 shape with a darker edge
The H08 has always stood apart in the Hermès watch catalogue because of its “circle within a square” case architecture.
Here, that silhouette is retained in a 39mm cushion-shaped case measuring 11.69mm thick, giving the watch a compact but assertive presence.
The case is crafted from microblasted titanium and finished with a black DLC coating, creating a matte technical surface that suits the model’s sport-leaning character.
A satin-finished ceramic bezel adds another layer of texture, while polished accents keep the watch from feeling flat or overly tactical.
The skeleton dial becomes the design
The defining move is the openworked dial, which exposes the anthracite bridges and gears rather than hiding them behind a conventional surface.
Hermès treats that exposed structure as a graphic composition, with depth, shadow and negative space doing much of the design work.
The luminescent numerals appear to hover above the movement, giving the dial a sense of suspension that feels aligned with the H08’s clean, modern typography.
It’s not a baroque skeleton watch filled with ornamental carving.
The effect is more urban and architectural, with the movement acting like a layered framework beneath the indications.
The H1978S calibre is part of the visual language
Powering the watch is the Hermès H1978S, an in-house automatic movement developed specifically for this skeletonised version.
It runs at 4Hz and offers approximately 60 hours of power reserve, placing it comfortably in the territory of a practical modern automatic.
The calibre is visible from both the dial side and the caseback, so its layout isn’t just mechanical infrastructure but a central part of the watch’s identity.
A black oscillating weight continues the darker palette and echoes the geometry of the case, tying the movement side back to the exterior design.
Details & Specifications
| Brand | Hermès |
|---|---|
| Model | H08 Squelette |
| Case size | 39mm |
| Case thickness | 11.69mm |
| Case material | Microblasted titanium with black DLC coating |
| Bezel | Satin-finished ceramic |
| Dial | Openworked with anthracite bridges and luminescent numerals |
| Movement | Hermès H1978S in-house calibre |
| Winding | Automatic |
| Frequency | 4Hz |
| Power reserve | Approximately 60 hours |
| Oscillating weight | Black rotor with lines echoing the case design |
| Debut | Watches and Wonders |
The H08 Squelette works because it doesn’t simply expose a movement for spectacle.
It uses transparency to sharpen the identity of the H08, turning a clean sporty design into something more technical, more dimensional and unmistakably Hermès.
