The saddlery buckle, a story of horse and harness
Among the exceptional skills of the House of Hermès, its first profession, saddlery still contributes to the brand's reputation around the world today. 150 years after the first saddles were made by Thierry Hermès, the house's artisans still make saddles by hand in the Parisian workshops on Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré. Twenty-five to thirty hours of work are required for each one, with each saddle becoming a unique, numbered piece.
Hermès always uses beechwood pommels and the best skins, selected in French tanneries and cut in Pantin. The curves are perfectly adapted to the discipline and the rider (or rider), the saddle stitch sewing, invented by Thierry Hermès himself, is done by hand, as is the nail setting.
Of course, saddles have evolved since the 19th century, latex has replaced wool in the padding layers. Hermes modernized the accessories, strap and stirrups.
And then, in 1946, the saddle buckle was born. Inspired, it goes without saying, by equestrian harnesses, it came to adorn leather goods, but it especially became jewelry.
A vintage bracelet with a curb chain look
Certainly, one might have imagined that the modern-day saddle buckle would adorn luxurious belts. In reality, Hermès chose to make it a bracelet with the allure of a gourmette, now delightfully vintage.
With its buckle taking the shape of a rider's saddle, its two-hole loop and its point, it is recognizable among all, creating the link between two areas of expertise of the house: saddlery and jewelry.
The silver bracelet is a stylization of a belt, with a curb chain stitch. The buckle and loop act as a clasp. From small to very large models, every woman can find a second-hand bracelet to her liking, obviously signed Hermes.
In addition to the all-silver versions, there are models with leather bracelet, single or double turn, and silver buckle. Again, it is possible to find different thicknesses, for unisex bracelets strongly resembling belts. An even more original piece combines five silver chains with black Barenia calf leather.
In the current Hermès catalog, the saddler buckle bracelet appears in the pages of the jewelry collections: its links are made of 750/1000 white gold while the buckle is set with 32 diamonds for a total of 0.18 carats. Manufactured in the workshops of Pantin, it is however not offered in France.
Saddle buckle jewelry is therefore second-hand - and exceptional - objects, which we love to discover or unearth when we are looking for a specific model.
