Hermès’s Faubourg Manchette Joaillerie, launched at Baselworld 2016, is described as “the crossroads between leather craftsmanship and jewellery”.

The Faubourg line was first launched in several interpretations in 2014 and last year the cocktail line was extended with a leather cuff version paying tribute to the French house’s harness and saddle-making expertise. 

Now, Hermes says the line has transcended the art of leather craftsmanship by associating it with gem-setting.

Describing how the Faubourg Manchette Joaillerie is made, Hermès says that artisans first carve out from a piece of leather the elements required to make the strap. Craftsman assemble the strap using the saddle-stitching technique, making three double stitches at each end of the seam, a guarantee of a robust finish. 

They then rub down the sharp edges before pressing a furrow between the seam and the edge of the leather. The strap contour is dyed and then heat-smoothed with a soldering iron in an operation known as burnishing. Finally, it is waterproofed with beeswax.

The case is fashioned in gold and adorned with 36 handcrafted diamonds, emeralds or blue or brown sapphires in a baguette setting. 

Stone-cutters first cut each stone precisely before gem setters fit them into the bezel and polish them to accentuate their radiance.

The Faubourg Manchette Joaillerie line comes four versions: green (malachite and emeralds), blue (lapis lazuli and blue sapphires), brown (tiger’s eye and brown sapphires), and black (onyx and diamonds).

 The black version costs between $23,300-35,600 and has a white gold case.