The New Hermès Cape Cod In Titanium — A Dressy, Feminine Watch Turned Sporty And Masculine

This March, I helped organize and attended a Watch Discovery at the Hermès boutique in Amsterdam. Of course, the sporty H08 and the Arceau in various configurations were there. I was also pleasantly surprised by the skeletonized Slim d’Hermès. However, the watch that really stuck with me was the Hermès Cape Cod. Its unusual shape and beautiful Arabic-numeral font, both inspired by the brand’s Chaîne d’Ancre bracelet, somehow grabbed my attention and didn’t let go. And then, during Watches and Wonders in Geneva, the Parisian maison released its Cape Cod in titanium.

The Hermès H08 shows that the brand can make sporty watches. However, as Ben already said in his introductory article for this new Cape Cod, “double-tour leather straps and gem-set variants often skewed the collection toward a more feminine audience.” This new, more masculine titanium version is therefore quite a surprise. Let’s take a closer look and see what it’s like in the flesh.

The Hermès Cape Cod since 1991

But first, a little bit of history. Henri d’Origny’s 1991 Cape Cod design drew inspiration from Hermès’s Chaîne d’Ancre bracelet, a Robert Dumas design that debuted in 1938. Dumas was the son-in-law of Émile-Maurice Hermès (the grandson of founder Thierry Hermès) and married into the family when he wed Jacqueline Hermès. He designed and launched icons such as the Sac à Dépêches, later renamed the Kelly bag, the Hermès Silk Carré, and the Chaîne d’Ancre bracelet. Dumas ran the company from 1951 to 1978, and he was its first leader not to carry the Hermès surname. His son, Jean-Louis Dumas, succeeded him after he died in 1978.

If I’m not mistaken, since 1991, the Hermès Cape Cod has always been a fully polished watch in stainless steel or yellow gold and with or without diamonds. There are various sizes, and depending on which you choose, you either get a quartz or an automatic movement. Based on this history, you can see how the new Cape Cod in titanium is quite a departure from the usual offerings. It even comes on a rubber strap instead of the more common leather ones. That’s not to say it’s not a welcome departure; on the contrary. But before we get to the subjective part of the review, let’s go over the specs.

The Hermès Cape Cod in Grade 5 titanium

The new Hermès Cape Cod features a Grade 5 titanium case. It has the typical curved Cape Cod shape, featuring a square dial within a rounded rectangular frame. This time, though, the front of the case has been flattened and vertically satin-brushed. The sides and back of the bead-blasted lugs are still rounded, while the case back is quite angular, even with its round sapphire crystal. The lugs bend toward the rubber strap, and a central protrusion mimics the Chaîne d’Ancre bracelet.

As always, the sizing of rectangular watches is a bit confusing. Hermès describes this Cape Cod as 41 mm, or XL. If you’re familiar with the Cape Cod’s sizing, I won’t have to explain this to you, but that figure is the distance between the actual spring bars. It also means that the case is 33 mm wide and 45 mm long from lug tip to lug tip. Then, there’s the thickness. I measured it at just under 10 mm, while Hermès officially says it’s 10.36 mm thick. In any case, this is not a bulky watch.

Hermès and its magnificent fonts

Officially, the dial on the new Cape Cod is black, even though I’d say it’s more like an anthracite. That might be because of its vertically brushed and sandblasted finishes, though. It matches the darker gray tone of the Grade 5 titanium case very well and makes the orange central seconds hand pop. The baton hour and minute hands are filled with lume, just like the magnificent applied Arabic numerals. Like all the other components except for the movement, they are made in Hermès’s manufacture. They perfectly match the Cape Cod’s peculiar shape, and you can even find them on the date wheel. Finishing it off, we find the Hermès logo below 12 and the “Automatic” text above 6 o’clock. I could’ve done without the latter, especially because it’s printed in such an off-the-shelf font.

The text refers to the Vaucher-manufactured Hermès H1912 automatic movement inside. It runs at 28,800 vph, features 28 jewels, and has a power reserve of around 45 hours. You can check out its signature decoration on both the rotor and the bridges. Four screws hold the exhibition case back in place. But don’t worry because, with its 100m water resistance, you can easily take this watch swimming. That’s also why the titanium Cape Cod comes on a colorful rubber strap. You can choose between orange, yellow, black, or blue, and each features a titanium push-button folding clasp.

A completely different character

So, what is the new Hermès Cape Cod like in person? Well, it still has the signature Chaîne d’Ancre-inspired shape, but its brushed, bead-blasted, and flattened dark gray titanium case gives it a completely different character. This makeover turned the dressy, feminine Cape Cod into a sporty, more masculine watch. I have to say, I love what the current Hermès Horloger designer, Philippe Delhotal, has done. The supple rubber straps also perfectly match the new look and feel, especially if you pick one of the brighter colors.

For my taste, the case is slightly large on my 17cm wrist. However, because it’s so light and comfortable, I could totally get used to wearing it. The 10mm-thick case follows the curve of the wrist well and doesn’t feel bulky. Another thing that grabbed my attention was the sharp overall finishing. The transition between brushed and bead-blasted surfaces on the case is very precise. The same goes for the two finishes on the dial, and those playful numerals are so well cut that they really jump out at you.

In conclusion, the new Hermès Cape Cod in titanium is a lot of fun on the wrist. Its shape is very out of the ordinary, and with the colorful accents, quirky numerals, and great finishing all around, I found myself looking at my wrist almost constantly while wearing it.

Available now

The new Hermès Cape Cod in titanium should become available right around this time. It costs €6,150 / US$7,900 / £6,340 on one of the rubber straps, including the titanium folding clasp. If you want to know more, check out the official Hermès website or visit one of the brand’s boutiques.

What do you think of the new Hermès Cape Cod? Let us know in the comments below.