Next week, from April 14 to 20, in the heart of Geneva, Hermès will unveil the latest innovations in the watch industry at Watches and Wonders 2026, the most relevant event on the international calendar. With sixty-six brands present-eleven more than the previous edition-and the triad finally reunited (Rolex, Patek Philippe, and Audemars Piguet), this edition promises to be among the most interesting in recent years.

For this 2026, Hermès presents theH08 Squelette: two new skeletonized versions of the already famous H80, one of the French house’s flagship models.

The evolution of Hermès H08 from 2021 to the present.

In the fluid geography of contemporary watchmaking, few models have been as effective in constructing a balance between stylistic identity and technical credibility as Hermès’ H08. Since its debut in 2021, this design has worked for what it is: a well-resolved watch, in proportions and materials, with a coherent technical construction. A rare synthesis of ergonomics, innovative materials, and bold design.

The first model of H08 presented at Watches and Wonder 2021.

The 39 mm cushion case-compact but well-defined titanium combined with black DLC-and the automatic caliber H1837, visible through the case back, made the H08 instantly recognizable, while lightness and ergonomics made it an everyday watch. Versatile and contemporary, it has built an audience around it beyond the canonical circuit of the brand’s connoisseurs and collectors, to the point of becoming a reference in the catalogs of collectors and specialty retailers.

Under the creative direction of Philippe Delhotal, the first model was distinguished by a construction capable of balancing strength and lightness, juxtaposing titanium, composite graphene and matte surfaces. The typographic language-a key element of Hermès design-was reflected in the nickel-treated applied black Arabic numerals, while the only color accent, now a signature of the collection, was the tip of the seconds hand in a bright Hermès orange.

The typographic markers of the new model H08, filled with blue SuperLuminova.

The H1837 manufacture movement, an automatic with about 50 hours of power reserve, completed a watch capable of combining aesthetics and functionality.

Between 2023 and 2025, the collection expanded, maintaining proportions and movement but experimenting with colors and materials. In 2023 Hermès introduced new hues-blue, green, orange, and yellow-along with a composite material of fiberglass and slate powder, capable of enriching the visual texture of the case and reducing its weight. Two titanium versions arrived in 2025: one monochromatic, minimalist, playing entirely on gray tones with the usual orange detail; the other more contrasting, with a black ceramic bezel, black gold-treated details and blue Super-LumiNova®. In both, the movement decoration with repeated “H” motif and soleil finishing served as an increasingly recognizable distinctive element.

Watches and Wonder 2026: the new Hermès H08 Squelette

The new H08 in the blue version photographed in the dark.

For Watches and Wonders 2026, Hermès introduces two new skeletonized versions of theH08, both equipped with the manufacture caliber H1978S.

The 39mm titanium case with black DLC treatment and satin ceramic bezel remains true to the line’s sporty, monochromatic aesthetic, just as the guaranteed water resistance to 10 bar and screw-down crown confirm the model’s functional vocation. Case thickness dimensions increase to 11.69 millimeters, compared to 10.6mm for the 2025 model, for the movement from the previous 26mm x 3.7mm measurements to the current 27mm x 4.165.

The shape of the case remains the square and soft one, a hybrid of circle and square, but the skeletonization of the dial introduces a new visual dimension, revealing the mechanical heart of the watch.

The caliber H1978S

The caliber H1978S, with 4 Hz frequency and about 60 hours of power reserve, marks an evolution from the H1837. The skeletonized plate, composed of 168 components and 26 jewels, becomes the star of the dial, integrating architecture and design into a single language.

The two new versions are distinguished exclusively by the Super-LumiNova® treatment of the indexes and hands: one with gray details, the other with blue accents capable of creating more contrast and visual depth on the skeletonized background.

The gray SuperLuminova version with Bleu Abyss, Dune and Vert Moyen straps.

The gray version with blue SuperLuminova, available with Blue Zanzibar and black strap.

The choice of rubber or textile straps remains unchanged-a significant departure from the Maison’s leather-driven tradition-which is perfectly consistent with the model’s sporty spirit. Color variants of the new 2026 rubber straps include Bleu Zanzibar and black for the first version, Dune, Vert Moyen and Bleu Abyssfor the second. The clasp is titanium with satin black DLC treatment.

Conclusions

H08 is likely to continue to evolve through new material experimentation, color variations, and the play of finishes and luminescences, elements that make it particularly attractive to collectors.

For a Maison deeply committed to seasonal color variation-just think of the iconic, carefully named palettes of the Birkin and Kelly bags-the evolution of H08 has been surprisingly measured, almost deliberately slow.

And it is precisely this gradualness that is one of the keys to its success. Unlike many brands that quickly claim “in-house” movements, Hermès has taken over thirty years to build a solid manufacture, making slow and steady progression a structural virtue. This development is the result of a consistent path of vertical integration, initiated in 2006 with the entry into the capital of Vaucher Manufacture Fleurier (first with the acquisition of 25 percent, then 40 percent in 2012), which has enabled the Maison to progressively control all the key components of its watches and consequently, to speak to both Hermès enthusiasts and the most rigorous, specification-conscious collectors.

The market context confirms this success. Not only because Hermès entered the top 20 Swiss watch brands in the very same year in which the Hermès H08 was launched, and the Maison’s watchmaking division recorded impressive sales growth: +72.5 percent, +43.1 percent, and +13.8 percent in 2021, 2022, and 2023, respectively. But also because in the current market environment, in which Swiss watch exports are showing signs of contraction and a simultaneous 4.8 percent drop in volumes, Hermès continues to move against the trend: some 16 billion in sales, up 5.5 percent, and an increasingly structured watch division that continues to gain weight within the group.

The newH08Squelette references are not simply aesthetic variants, but stages in a broader evolution: theH08 Squelette moves away from a one-size-fits-all definition of sportiness to embrace a more complex vision in which performance, lightness, and design coexist.

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