Hermès’ Arceau world has always been a fascinating one, bringing scenes to life in swooning dials that make a watch a true work of art. This time was no exception, as the French House unveils its newest masterpiece, Arceau Wild Singapore. Like every Arceau timepiece, this novelty blends the classic aesthetic with a rich palette of Hermès’ skills.

Inside the round white gold case, a miniature painting woven with gold threads unveils a majestic lion in the heart of a lush natural setting. The artsy dial reinterprets a scenery that made an appearance on an eponymous silk scarf designed by Alice Shirley for the Spring-Summer 2021 collection, through which the British artist paid a distinguished tribute to the extraordinary biodiversity of Singapore.

Shaped like a fig tree, the regal lion takes center stage in this nocturnal rainforest, highlighting the island nature of Singapore, which means “Lion City” in Sanskrit. The feline and its equatorial environment come alive on a gold base using the House’s unbeatable skills. Shapes and colors are obtained through a multitude of layers of micro-painting successively applied and dried in a hot kiln. A multitude of threads that are three times finer than a human hair are then assembled on the surface like an embroidery, adding depth to the extraordinary dial.

After a week of patient work, the masterpiece is housed in the 41mm round case along with the Manufacture Hermès H1837 self-winding movement. Setting the final touches to this limited edition of 24 are abyss blue matt alligator straps, further highlighting the dial’s deep nuances.