Introducing Apple Watch Hermès

IN a move that further brings together the worlds of luxury fashion and technology, Apple announced today that it has collaborated with Hermès to create a collection of new Apple Watches.

While many would anticipate that the heritage leather brand may have merely lent its expertise to creating a new series of straps, Apple Watch Hermès is a truly collaborative line - each watch comes engraved with the Hermès signature, the typeface can be customised to Hermès's famous orange and three exclusive dials reference classic Hermès watch face designs.Of course, the straps play an integral role too; each of the three designs - the single tour, the double tour and the cuff - are handcrafted in Paris in the label's Barenia leather.

"Apple and Hermès make very different products, but they reflect the deep appreciation of quality design," said Apple's chief design officer Jonathan Ive."Both companies are motivated by a sincere pursuit of excellence and the desire to create something that is not compromised.Apple Watch Hermès is a true testament to that belief."

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Pierre-Alexis Dumas, Hermès's executive vice president in charge of artistic direction, added, "At Hermès, we strive to provide our clients with elegant, creative and functional objects for their everyday lives.What more contemporary and relevant expression of this principle could there be than this collaboration with Apple.We are strongly united by the same deeply held ideas and principles.I see it as the establishment of an alliance in excellence; like horse and carriage, a perfect team."

Ive addressed Apple's dedication to quality design when speaking at theCondé Nast International Luxury Conference in April 2015."At Apple we don't look at the world through predetermined market opportunities.What we've done fairly consistently is try to invest tremendous care in the development of our products," he told Suzy Menkes."It's not so much about things being touched personally - there are many ways to craft something.It's easy to assume that just because you make something in small volumes, not using many tools, that there is integrity and care - that is a false assumption."

The collection will be available to buy from October 5 at select Apple retail stores, select Hermès stores, speciality stores and department stores beginning October 5.

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