Why I Bought The Hermès Cape Cod

Last week, I reviewed the new titanium Hermès Cape Cod. It’s a great, more masculine, sportier version of a typically more feminine, dressier watch, but it maintains its quirky, Chaîne d’Ancre-bracelet-inspired design. It is certainly a surprising release, especially considering the model’s previous iterations. However, it perfectly fits Hermès’s approach to creating designs that feel fresh, original, and well executed. That approach is why I love the brand so much and why I (finally) added one to my collection recently. And no, it’s not the new titanium Cape Cod, but an older Cape Cod reference in stainless steel with a gray sunburst dial.

Over the past few years, I’ve admired Hermès’s outsider approach to watchmaking. The brand’s designs, like the H08, the Cut, and the Arceau, stand out in a world where it feels like every other design has already been done. But it wasn’t until a watch discovery event at the Hermès boutique here in Amsterdam that I tried on the Cape Cod in several sizes. Somehow, the watch’s quirky bracelet-inspired design stuck with me, so when I saw a pre-owned one offered on the Dutch Horlogeforum, I decided to go for it.

I’m a sucker for non-round watches

I guess it all starts with the fact that I’m a sucker for non-round watches. My favorite watch in my collection is the square-ish Cartier Santos Galbée XL. However, I’m also a big fan of watches like the Echo/Neutra Rivanera, JLC Reverso, Anoma A1, SpaceOne Jump Hour, Serica Parade, Nomos Tetra, and so on. It’s true that the Hermès Cape Cod wasn’t really on my radar until that event at the brand’s boutique, but it does fit perfectly on that list of non-round watches.

In 1991, Henri d’Origny designed the Cape Cod based on Hermès’s iconic Chaîne d’Ancre bracelet. As I explained in my review of the titanium Cape Cod, that was a Robert Dumas design that debuted in 1938. He was inspired by the anchor chains that held the ships in place on the Normandy coast. 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.

The Cape Cod’s design, then, is most certainly a product of Hermès’s rich history. Therefore, in my eyes, it’s a great representative of what the brand stands for. Honestly, I didn’t think about this much when I decided to buy the watch on the forum, but in hindsight, it’s a nice way to justify the purchase. In the end, we all have ways of over-rationalizing our decisions, don’t we?

The Hermès Cape Cod ref. CC1.710

So, what did I actually buy? Well, I wasn’t looking for any particular Cape Cod reference. Heck, I wasn’t actively looking for a Cape Cod at all. But have you ever suddenly stumbled upon a watch on a forum and then casually kept up with whether people showed interest or not? Well, that’s exactly what happened to me with this Hermès Cape Cod ref. CC1.710. The seller initially offered it for €1,400 without the box, papers, or any knowledge of its service history. It was more or less like a foundling looking for a new parent. It came on an aftermarket black crocodile Hirsch strap with the original stainless steel pin buckle.

I searched for other examples of this reference on Chrono24, eBay, and other channels. It looked like Hermès used to make it with white or sunburst gray dials. I preferred the gray-dial version offered on the forum, as the playful Chaîne d’Ancre-inspired numerals look better than on the white dial. I also checked the 29 × 41mm size. It’s always difficult to know from dimensions alone whether a watch will fit your wrist. In this case,  though, it corresponded to the measurements of the Cartier Santos ref. 2319. That’s one size smaller than my 2823, but I knew I could pull it off.

Four days after the guy put the Cape Cod up for sale, he lowered the price to €1,250, and then, two weeks later, he even dropped it to €1,000. That was much lower than the lowest price on Chrono24, which was €1,800. And even though the watch looked quite worn, I decided to go for it.

It needs some love

I transferred the money to the seller, and the watch arrived at my house the next day. I opened the package, and there it was — my first Hermès Cape Cod. And yes, as you can see in the pictures, the once-polished case almost looks brushed in its current condition. The automatic ETA 2000-1 movement inside also runs a little fast, so the watch needs a little bit of love, both inside and out. But before I ask Hermès for more information about the watch and send it off for service, I thought it would be nice to let Max take some pictures first and explain why I bought it in the first place.

It’s all about the quirkiness

Although it’s not in a great state, I am very happy with the watch itself. The Large size, as Hermès calls it, works great on my 17cm wrist. It’s also only 8 mm thick, and thanks to its curved shape, it happily slides under any cuff. Not that I want to hide it, though, because I love its quirky, out-of-the-ordinary shape. The curved lugs hold the strap firmly, and the protrusion in the middle throws everyone off guard. However, I thoroughly appreciate its originality, and that extends past the case.

I also adore the font used for the numerals and how they are printed onto the sunburst dial. As you can see in Max’s close-up, the sunburst texture actually continues within the silver portion of the numerals. This already makes them stand out, but the white outline makes them even bolder and perfectly matches the outline on the hands and the date window at 3 o’clock. The only disappointing thing is the lume, or lack thereof. I hoped the numerals would be lumed, but unfortunately, there are only three lume dots on the minute track and two fine lines on the minute and hour hands. I checked with Max, though, and the lume was so weak it was almost nonexistent. Oh well. Then again, this isn’t your typical tool watch either.

Another thing I could’ve done without is the “Automatic” text opposite the Hermès logo. I know there’s also a quartz version of this watch, but it doesn’t say “Quartz” on those dials. I guess it makes the watch sound a bit fancier to some people, but for me, it’s an unnecessary designation.

Only two weeks in

I’ve only had my “new” Hermès Cape Cod for two weeks, so I can’t tell you much about my experience so far other than that it’s exactly the original, elegant, quirky watch I hoped it would be. Sure, it needs a little love, but I expected that, and it’s totally acceptable, especially for the price I paid. Next, I need to find a suitable watchmaker who’d like to service it and give it a nice polish. I’ll also start searching for the right 19/18mm leather strap so that I can keep using the original matching pin buckle.

I may report back after handling all that. In the meantime, though, please tell me about your unexpected forum finds!