in pursuit of a truly unique complication...

[Mockingbird]

Hi all,

Does anybody have any insight into the Hermes Le Temps Suspendu? Information is very hard to come by online. For the unfamiliar, this is a model from Hermes that has the a fun complication that, when a button at 9PM is pressed, shows the time in an "impossible" position (hour hand after 12, minute hand just before). Then, when the button is pressed again, the time goes back to the "true" time, as the movement has continued to run and track the time elapsed despite the frozen hands. It's a playful complication that speaks to the inability of humanity to fully master and defeat the concept of time, creating a timepiece that can sometimes seemingly exist both inside and outside of time.

The seemingly useless but oddly philosophy piece won Montres Passion's "Watch of the Year" in 2011 (beating out VC and AP models), but has still seemingly gone under the radar in collectors' circles

Here's a better read on it:

http://en.worldtempus.com/article/wa...-of-16139.html

https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/ha...e-pics-pricing


I find the piece beautiful--I love the intentional assymetry and textured dial coupled with the unique complication. Unfortunately very little information is available on it. From what I can gather, it was originally introduced in 2011 in 43mm with a date function and a modified ETA 2892. From what I can tell, this model is still in production and retails at around 20K USD. The first attachment is that model.


Then, in 2013, another model was briefly introduced in 38mm. This time, the ETA was swapped for an in-house movement and the date was eschewed for a small seconds subdial that moves backward and only tracks 24 seconds at a time. This is the model I'm most interested in, as I love the backward moving seconds hand and the smaller size. This model is the second attachment, and is the subject of the previously linked article:


I can't find this particular model anywhere, new or used--Hermes seems to only make it now with diamonds on the bezel

1. Did this SS no-gems 38mm model actually make it into production?
2. How many were made?
3. Are they reasonably obtainable? How?


Thanks!