Hermès Cape Cod and the Art of the Strap

The history of Hermès is bound in leather. Literally, as the brand started out as a harness workshop in Paris, on its way to becoming so much more. Hermès has always retained leather as an important part of their DNA and collection. From the Birkin bag to the refined leather straps that are attached to their watches.

Hermès started to add watches to its collection in the 1930’s and has created some icon’s along the way. One of the most recognizable Hermès watches is the Cape Cod. It was designed in 1991 by Hermès artistic director Henri d’Origny and inspired by the iconic Chaîne d’Ancre (French for “anchor chain”) link, which was part of the brand’s jewelry collection.

The design put a lot of emphasis on the strap, as it was of course above all a Hermès, and that name represents the finest in leather goods. In 1998 Martin Margiela, Hermès artistic director for their women’s ready-to-wear collection, added the now iconic “Double Tour” strap to the Cape Cod design. This gave the design, even more, impact and turned it into a must-have watch for many fashionable women.

In the current collection the Cape Cod, the “Double Tour” strap still plays an important role. Hermès added earlier this year a version to the line-up with a cranberry red dial and matching strap. For women who want to tone it down, also an all black version of the Cape Cod has been introduced. Nice detail on the “Double Tour” strap of that one is that the sides feature a red lacquer finish, highlighting its outline when on the wrist.

That the Cape Cod is above all a very versatile design is proven with a new intricate cuff bracelet. Olive green alligator leather is used to create a two part strap that goes underneath the watch itself, ensuring that no metal touches the skin. It gives the Cape Cod a more muscular elegance and shows that this icon is still as relevant and fashionable as the day it was introduced.

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