The time-telling jewel to anchor you in the here and now

The cool, sleek surface of a piece of jewelry or fine watch has the remarkable ability to ground us in the present moment. When fingers meet cold metal, its solidity appeals to our senses and tactile magnetism forces us to pause. None more so than the ‘Nantucket’ by Hermès – an iconic watch inspired by the chains linking a boat to its anchor.

For the first time in its 30-year history, the ‘Nantucket’ now boasts a metal bracelet, transforming it into a time-telling jewel not a moment too late. Bracelet styles tend to be the frontrunners of women’s watch design for their double appeal – a functional timepiece married with a gleaming piece of jewelry – but this year, they are more sought after than ever. Designers have recently renewed their focus on stacking bangles and bracelets to create piles of preciousness, which a bracelet watch can seamlessly slip into. We are now curating our wrists much like we would our homes or our wardrobes – a unique combination of specially selected pieces that expresses our personalities, allowing our hearts to be worn on – or under – our sleeves.

The SS21 ready-to-wear collections were punctuated by heavyset chains, worn with everything from tracksuits to slip dresses, with models and street-style influencers layering ropes upon ropes of gold and silver ever since. The likes of Alessa Winter, Maria Kragmann and Lena Perminova have proved their versatility by pairing them with lingerie, swimwear and knitwear, peeking out from under coats or draped over bodycon dresses. Their current cult status was also buoyed by the influence of on-screen successes, such as the TV adaption of Sally Rooney’s novel Normal People last year – whose lead character Connell is never seen without one.

Perfectly loose upon the wrist, the chunky links of the ‘Nantucket’ bracelet chime the right note for our ‘new normal’ with a hint of elegant rebellion, where precious metals and everyday diamonds are styled with denim and luxury loungewear. The dial is available with or without a dusting of diamonds that spills out across the elongated case, seemingly nonchalantly, yet meticulously manufactured in the Hermès horology workshops. Crafted from rose gold or steel, the bracelet snakes to meet the now iconic anchor chain-inspired link.

This ‘Chaîne d’Ancre’ was first conceived by Robert Dumas. On a retreat to the Normandy coast in 1938, he was struck by the elegant simplicity of the chains tethering boats. His sketches became a reality – the anchor link was first employed within a bracelet design, before it was then adopted by the various métiers of the house: printed upon fine silks and woven into chic accessories. It was soon cemented as a signature motif within the Hermès world.

Half a century later, the maison’s designer, Henri d’Origny, was charged with designing a new timepiece that would complement the ‘Cape Cod’ watch, a square dial timepiece that embodied the breezy cool of East Coast America and showcased a ‘Chaîne d’Ancre’ case. The ‘Nantucket’ strayed somewhat away from the square silhouette of the Cape Cod, but with its ‘rectangle within a rectangle’ design and diamond-set chatons, it boasted all the same design codes of laid-back sports-luxe. The heart and soul of the timepiece remains the same today, simply refreshed with its contemporary companion – the perfect chain reaction.