Tatler embarked on an unexpected journey to the Greek island of Tinos with Hermès, uncovering the Shapes of Time and the profound craftsmanship that defines the Hermès Cut
When the invitation from Hermès arrived, it was as confusing as it was enticing. A press trip, they said—but where? I was emailed round-trip tickets to Paris from Hong Kong, but we were told that the French capital wasn’t the final destination—it was to be merely the beginning of an odyssey to uncover the philosophy behind Hermès’s latest horological creation.
As we gathered in Paris, an air of anticipation hung over our group of 50 journalists from around the world, handpicked
by the maison. Whispers and speculation circulated, but Hermès representatives remained tight- lipped, their wrists adorned with the sleek new Cut timepieces launched at Watches and Wonders 2024—our only clue to the purpose of this mysterious voyage.
It wasn’t until we boarded a chartered Hermès Shapes of Time plane to Mykonos that the veil began to lift. Yet even then, our final destination remained shrouded in secrecy. We stepped off the plane onto the sun-drenched tarmac, then were ushered onto a yacht straight out of HBO dramedy The White Lotus, an endless supply of champagne, homemade Greek desserts and fresh fruits on offer, with the azure waters of the Aegean stretching endlessly before us. Thirty minutes later—and 36 hours since we’d left Hong Kong—we finally arrived on the rugged shores of Tinos, a place where time moves at its own pace.
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The landscape of Tinos in Greece (Photo: courtesy of Hermès/Studio Panoulis)
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As we were conveyed in a convoy of black Jeeps along winding rocky roads scattered with cacti and lavender, the island’s essence began to reveal itself. Here, amid marble quarries and windswept hills, the rhythms of nature and centuries-old craftsmanship intertwined, creating a tapestry that mirrors the ethos of the Hermès Cut.
The following day, our adventure began in earnest, with lunch and a show at an inactive green marble quarry by the sea. The significance of this rock to Tinos cannot be overstated; it has been a cornerstone of the island’s artistic heritage for centuries, used in everything from local sculptures to the construction of the Church of Panagia Evangelistria, a prominent religious site on the island. As we stood surrounded by raw, uncut stone, the parallels with watchmaking became clear: just as skilled artisans coax beauty from these rough blocks, so too Hermès’s watchmakers transform raw materials into objects of precision and elegance.
An original piece of music echoed through the quarry, the sound bouncing off the lagoon at the quarry’s bed. It was composed by Alessandro Sciarroni, an Italian artist and choreographer known for his innovative performances that blend dance, theatre and visual art. He collaborated with Aurora Bauzà and Pere Jou, a composing duo from Spain whose work explores the intersection of sound and movement. Set against a background of raw, breathtaking nature, the performance was a musical interpretation of the new watch, reflecting the maison’s philosophies and the power of human ingenuity.
