In Singapore, An Hermes Exhibition Showcasing Its Jewellery Prowess And Ingenuity
The Chaine d'Ancre link, one of the French maison's most enduring icons, gets the spotlight at this extensive exhibition, which opens in Singapore next week.
The house of Hermes has many icons but one of its most enduring (and endearing) is the Chaine d’Ancre (French for anchor chain), which at its most fundamental, is an elegant oval design with a line across the middle. It got its start 87 years ago when Hermes family member Robert Dumas took inspiration from the marine chains that he saw on boats when talking a walk along the Normandy coast.
The Chaine d'Ancre motif, which was designed by Hermes family member Robert Dumas after he got inspired by a ship's anchor chains back in 1937.
That nautical inspiration eventually gave birth to the first Chaine d'Ancre object – a silver bracelet – the following year. The Chaine d'Ancre motif has been an Hermes mainstay ever since, and while it appears most frequently in the maison's jewellery collections, it also informs other creations such as accessories and ready-to-wear.
How many Chaine d'Ancre links can you count in this exquisite creation?
The Chaine d'Ancre motif by itself is a fairly straightforward and minimalist design but Herme's long-serving creative director of jewellery, Pierre Hardy, has constantly reinvented it in various astonishing ways over the years. Take for example this minaudiere pictured above – it comprises of Chaine d'Ancre chains interwoven to become an exquisite vessel.
Indeed the Chaine d'Ancre has become something of a cult design within the Hermes universe and now, you'll get to explore more of it at an upcoming exhibition that's simply titled Chaine d'Ancre. Slated to take place next week at Hermes' Liat Towers flagship, visitors will be treated to 58 pieces of Chaine d'Ancre designs over the decades – including even the original one that debuted in 1938.
A highlight of the collection are these Spring Summer 2024 high jewellery pieces that sport extra-lustrous gem stones and further elevate the Chaine d'Ancre line.
There'll also be five high jewellery pieces from the maison's Spring Summer 2024 collection which features a central gemstone that illuminates and adds extra preciousness to the original Chaine d’Ancre line.
Below, a closer look at some of the pieces you can expect to see at the exhibition:
The Chaine d'Ancre exhibition will be open to the public from February 27 -March 3 (11am- 8pm daily) at the Hermes Liat Towers flagship store, #01-02A Liat Towers, 541 Orchard Road. Visits are by appointment only – reservations can be made by calling 6933-3222.