In case you didn’t know, this year’s Watches and Wonders is the largest edition of the watch fair to date—60 heavyweight brands all vying for attention with their latest horological creations. In an arena this saturated, standing out is no small feat—especially when every exhibitor is showcasing variations of the same fundamental concept: wrist-worn timekeeping machines. So how do you distinguish yourself in a sea of ticking hands?
By stopping it entirely. Hermès has separated itself from the pack by unveiling timepieces that defy time itself. In 2011, Hermès’ Arceau Le Temps Suspendu won the top prize in the GPHG Men’s Watch category for its groundbreaking complication that allows wearers to suspend time. It’s a formula that’s been proven to work before, so it makes sense for Hermès to revive this concept in two new models: the Arceau Le Temps Suspendu and the Cut Le Temps Suspendu, both recently unveiled in Geneva.
Sure, one could question the practicality of a quirky feature that obscures the very function of a watch. But this is Hermès, and grounded practicality has never been the Maison’s sole pursuit. They’ve long been known for creating wearable art pieces that belong as much in a gallery as they do on your wrist—and this suspension of time is an extension of that artistry. This is their invitation to break free from the tyranny of the constant ticking.
Call it philosophical. Call it whimsical. But whatever you call it, just be sure to use stylish as an adjective when you describe the watch.
The Arceau Le Temps Suspendu brings a new look to its original predecessor, preserving all its signature elements: elegant hands, cursive numerals, asymmetrical lugs, and the retrograde date display still anchored at 5 o’clock. But the most striking update is achieved through subtraction. A piece of the dial is cut away to reveal the inner workings of the “Time Suspended” module, exposing its satin-brushed bridges, visible gears, screws, and jewels.
The heart of the watch is the in-house manufactured Hermès H1837 self-winding movement, visible through the transparent caseback complete with an oscillating weight. But onto the part you’re more interested in.
With a press of the button at 9 o’clock, the hour and minute hands leap to an "impossible" position near 12, while the date hand vanishes entirely—creating the illusion that time has stopped. Behind the scenes, however, the movement continues tracking time uninterrupted. Press the button again, and the hands snap back to reality, displaying the correct time and date.
Available in 42mm white or rose gold cases, the watch offers three dial options: sunburst blue, brun désert (desert brown), and rouge sellier (saddle red).
Introduced just last year, the Cut collection was designed for smaller wrists at 36mm. The new Cut Le Temps Suspendu, however, expands to 39mm and introduces the same mesmerizing time-stopping function—with an added twist.
This time, however, Hermès goes even further down the rabbit hole. A subsidiary seconds dial at 4 o’clock runs counterclockwise on a 24-second loop, further disrupting our temporal perceptions of time.
Visually, the Cut Le Temps Suspendu plays with soft geometry—from its rounded hands and fonts that sit on bridged curves across the dial. It contributes to a soft geometric aesthetic, accentuated by a satin finish and contrasting polished bevels. This gentleness is disrupted by a sharp cone slice which frames the 12 o’clock position, serving as the “parking spot” for the hour and minute hands whenever time is paused.
The Cut Le Temps Suspendu comes in sunburst red or silver-toned opaline, with an additional diamond-set bezel variant for added luxury.
