New Hermès chronograph is stylish and rare – and not as pricey as you'd think

The Hermès H08 is one of those rare beasts in the watch industry – a piece crafted by a fashion brand which transcends the usual scrutiny and arrives at a point of real acceptance. It's not hard to see why, either.

If you've never had your hands on one of these, you're really missing out. The design is tasteful, and unique enough to offer some personality without every feeling derivative.

Now, the brand has upped the ante once more, with a monopusher chronograph variant in a new colour. That adds a full complement of chronograph functionality, which is all controlled via a single pusher built into the end of the crown.

It's not an especially common way of creating a chronograph, which only serves to make this more appealing. It also means the case doesn't have extra pushers protruding above and below the crown, which is really important from a design perspective.

That movement is an Hermès Manufacture calibre H1837, which is automatic and crafted in Switzerland. It also offers 46 hours of power reserve from a 4Hz beat rate, and sits a remarkable 3.7mm thick.

All of that sits within a carbon fibre composite case, which is coated with graphene powder. The sunburst ceramic bezel is satin-brushed, with mirror-polishing on the chamfers for contrast.

The case offers an impressive 100m of water resistance, too. That's an area where chronographs can sometimes fall down, with those pushers offering added avenues for pesky moisture to reach the movement, so it's nice to see a solid rating here.

The piece is offered with a yellow accent design, which is found on the rubber strap, hands, around the crown, and on the miniature hour markers which sit on a ring within the dial, before the Arabic numerals.

Priced at £10,200 / €12,000 / CHF 11,440 / US$12,800 this actually represents pretty decent value in chronograph terms. Automatic chronographs with an in-house movement never come cheap, and those making use of a monopusher design are even scarcer.

Throw in the brand prestige and killer design chops, and you've got a really compelling package. I'm hooked, and I'm certain other watch lovers will be following suit.