Hands-On with the Slim d’Hermes Titane

Launched in 2015, the original Slim d’Hermès is a modern dress watch – slim, clean, and lightly designed – and relatively formal in style. The Slim d’Hermes Titane, added to the line at SIHH 2019, takes a different tack. It’s light, modern, and sporty, despite retaining the same clean design and signature custom typography by graph designer Philippe Apeloig.

Hermès injected a hint of sportiness with colour, material and construction. The use of subtle details that combine to create something quite different, but nevertheless restrained, is typical of Hermès.



Though the material is new, the case size is exactly the same, 39.5mm in diameter. Already a thin watch with a case 9.06mm high, the use of titanium makes the Slim d’Hermes Titane lighter than its steel or precious metal counterparts. It feels lightweight and elegant on the wrist.



The case is simple, but it cleverly employs starkly contrasting surface finishing for an unusual and appealing effect.

The bezel is finished with circular brushing (with the graining perpendicular to the radial brushing on the dial), while the lugs and case band have a granular, frosted surface.

It makes for stark contrast between the two components, despite the material being identical. And it further helps frame the dial, and leaving the lugs to recede into the background.



In a first for the Slim d’Hermès, the dial relies on a “sandwich” construction. It’s a multi-level affair made up of three pieces – an anthracite dial plate printed with SuperLuminova numerals; a chapter ring open-worked for the hour numerals, further enhancing the stencil-like font; and the recessed small seconds.

The constituent parts of the dial. Photo – Hermes

The contrasting finishing across every facet of the watch is typical of Hermès’ commitment to details. The grained small seconds, the azurage guilloche finish on the middle dial and the vertically brushed chapter ring is balanced out by the circular brushed titanium bezel, that in turn, connects to the micro-blasted lugs and profile of the case. It makes for a compelling closer look at the watch.

Powering the watch is the H1950 calibre, essentially a rebranded VMF5401 automatic movement by Vaucher. Hermès is however, co-owner of Vaucher, having acquired a quarter stake in 2006. The ultra-slim movement, just 2.6mm high, utilises a micro-rotor and has a power reserve of just 42 hours. The signature repeating “H” pattern can be seen on the movement’s bridge surfaces through the sapphire crystal caseback.



While the 39.5mm timepiece fits snugly on the wrist, it’s the expansive dial that gives it additional wrist presence and makes for a watch that stands out. As with most things Hermès, it’s hard to pigeonhole the Slim d’Hermès Titane into a corner.

Similar in nature to Bulgari’s titanium or carbon Octo Finissimo timepieces, the watch can easily be worn as a dress watch because of its sizing, perhaps not at a black tie event but for a semi-formal occasion. Think of them as high-design modern timepieces, unsubscribing to generalisations.



Pricing and availability

The Slim d’Hermès Titane is priced at US$8,050 or 7,100 Swiss francs.