Hermès Unveils a Dazzling Time Observatory (and Adult Playland) in Houston: Lose Yourself in a Colorful Labyrinth

What is time? A line? A dimension? To Hermès, time is one huge playground. From this Thursday, November 15th through Saturday, November 17, Hermès Houston unveils its latest clever in-store animation: a time observatory.

Hermès describes time as an “object born of uncompromising expertise.” Rather than trying to control it, they seek to measure the passing hours in a more fun way, to stir up emotions, open up interludes, and create spaces for recreation.

In Time, a Hermès Object exhibition, visitors are invited to lose themselves in a James Turrell-worthy colorful labyrinth — a new temporal space with light, sound and motion effects — where time is anything but staid. Mysterious light pulses, exploration of time zones, discovering the path of of the sun, and blurred perception are all part of the game.

Naturally, some of Hermès’s most fabulous new and classic watches appear— and vanish — in step with encounters in the time observatory. Slid d’Hermès GMT, Carré H, Cape Cod and Arceau are all available for playtime.

And you’ll need to see some of these stunning watches in person to truly appreciate the master artisanship at work. In the new Arceau Robe du Soir, one particular Hermès artisan spent a year and a half of R&D mastering the exclusive mosaic technique to compose the equestrian motif picked up from the Robe du Soir silk scarf. For weeks, she patiently fashions a miniature work of art — first cutting out 3,500 tesserae from full-grain calfskin, then, to fit inside the small dial space of the Arceau watch, 2,200 leather fragments to craft the final masterpiece.

The Arcaeau Robe du Soir was issued in a 12-piece limited numbered edition.

Leather marquetery is the technique behind the Arceau Cavales and the Slim D’Hermès Les Zèbres de Tanzanie. Within the confined space of an inch-perfect round dial, artisans compose a variegated work depicting either a horse or a zebra from vivid leather patchwork patterns. Made of full grain calfskin, the leather pieces are split to a .5 mm thickness before cut accurately to the appointed size and shape within the motif. An artisan then painstakingly picks up each leather fragment and fashions it onto the dial.

The Arceau Cavales was issued in two six-piece limited series — one in Hermès Red and one in Indigo Blue. Each watch takes an artisan six hours to assemble the symmetrical motif within the 41 mm-diameter white gold Arceau case.

Twenty six hours of enameling and leather marquetry comprise the Les Zèbres de Tanzanie, a motif originally designed by animal artist Yves-Marie de Malleray in 2010. A matte alligator leather strap accompanies three white gold variations, issued in a 12-piece limited series.

We recommend swiftly proceeding to the Hermès boutique in River Oaks District — before time is up.

Time, A Hermès Object, Thursday to Saturday, November 15 to 17, Hermès, River Oaks District, 4444 Westheimer Road.