
Wristwatches · Wristwatch
Hermès Rare Ultra Slim Dress Watch, 1970s
- Maker / attribution
- Hermes (maker)
- Date
- 1970s
- Historical period
- Quartz Revolution (1969 – 1990)
- Country of origin
- Unrecorded in source
- Object type
- Wristwatch
- Dimensions
- Case 33 mm
- Stock no.
- Product 8427453055159
- Credit line
- Dealer listing, Huntington Company (product 8427453055159)
- Catalogue title (original)
- 1970s Hermès Rare Ultra Slim Dress Watch (English)
View the source record (dealer listing) ↗ (opens another website in a new tab)Suggest a correction
Record summary
Catalogued by Huntington Company (dealer) (stock number Product 8427453055159), this is a wristwatch by Hermes, dated 1970s. The Atlas places it in the Quartz Revolution period (1969 – 1990) of its Wristwatches collection. Recorded dimensions: Case 33 mm. The record is illustrated with 6 photographs.
Assembled from the source record's structured fields. Dates and attributions are given as the source states them; where a field is missing the Atlas leaves it blank rather than estimating.
Catalogue description
Dealer description — Huntington Company
History and Significance By the 1970s, Hermès was well established as a house of leather goods and refined accessories, but its watches from this period still feel somewhat under the radar. Pieces like this stainless steel dress watch reflect a time when Hermès focused on restrained case design paired with a strong visual identity on the dial. This example features a 33mm stainless steel case with long, straight lugs and a slim mid-case, keeping the profile remarkably thin. The dial is clean and balanced, with stylized Breguet numerals arranged around a classic minute track. What sets it apart is the oversized Hermès carriage logo beneath 12 o’clock. It is bold without being overwhelming and gives the watch a distinct presence that many dress watches of the era simply do not have. Inside is a manual Swiss movement, appropriate for a watch of this style and period. It keeps the case thin and reinforces the traditional, time-only nature of the piece. Altogether, it is a straightforward dress watch elevated by proportion and branding done correctly. Writer’s Thoughts This is one of those watches that surprises you once it’s on the wrist. At 33mm, it sounds modest on paper, but the dial opening is wide and the lugs stretch nicely, so it wears larger than the number suggests. The slim case is also impressive. It slides under a cuff and feels very elegant without being delicate. The carriage logo is the star here. It gives the dial personality and makes the watch unmistakably Hermès. It is graphic, confident, and genuinely beautiful in person. The painted Breguet numerals also add to the charm. If you like dress watches with a bit of identity rather than total minimalism, this hits a very nice balance. Our Promise Every watch is thoroughly vetted, carefully described with complete transparency, and guaranteed authentic. This watch is offered in honest condition. Specifications Brand: Hermès Model: Dress Watch Year: 1970s Case: Stainless steel case with smooth bezel and slim profile Case Size: 33mm Dial: Silver dial with Breguet numerals and large Hermès carriage logo Crystal: Mineral Movement: Manual wind Swiss movement Strap/Bracelet: New leather strap Buckle/Clasp: Generic stainless steel pin buckle Contents: Watch only Condition Case: Stainless steel case shows normal surface wear consistent with age. Bezel: Smooth bezel shows minor wear and light marks consistent with use. Crystal: Crystal shows light surface wear consistent with age. Dial: Clean, with strong printing and well-preserved logo and numerals. Hands: Hands are original and match the dial well. Strap/Bracelet: The leather strap is new. Buckle/Clasp: Stainless steel pin buckle is new.
Historical context
Quartz Revolution (1969 – 1990)
Seiko's Astron begins mass quartz timekeeping; traditional industries contract sharply.
Quartz and digital watches transformed the market after 1969. Swiss employment collapsed, Japanese and Hong Kong production soared, and the Swatch (1983) helped the Swiss industry recover; mechanical watches survived as luxury goods.
Read the period in the timelineMore wristwatches from this periodEarlier: Modern Mechanical Horology
Atlas type guide
Wristwatches
Bracelet watches were worn by women from the early nineteenth century — Breguet made one for Caroline Murat, Queen of Naples, in 1810–12 — but the wristwatch only became a man's instrument with military use and aviation in the early twentieth century. Between the World Wars it overtook the pocket watch; the 1920s and 1930s brought rectangular Art Deco cases, water-resistant cases and the first automatic winding systems.
After 1945 the wristwatch became a carrier of identity — dress watches, sports and dive watches, chronographs, calendars — produced by Swiss, American, Japanese, German, Soviet and Chinese industries. The quartz revolution after 1969 and the mechanical renaissance since the 1990s, including the rise of independent watchmakers, complete the story.
What to look for
- The reference number (between the lugs or inside the case back) and serial number, the starting point for dating.
- The calibre: its maker and number are often stamped under the dial or on the bridge.
- Originality of dial, hands and crown — refinished ('redial') dials are common.
- Case material marks: 18K/750, 14K/585, stainless steel, gold-filled, plated.
Dating clues
- Wire-lug cases: before c. 1925.
- Water-resistant screw-down cases: from 1926.
- Quartz movements: from 1969; sapphire crystals widespread after c. 1980.
General guidance written by the Atlas editors about this kind of object. It is not a statement about this particular piece; for that, rely on the source record above and on physical examination.
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