Since the introduction of its first in-house mechanical movements in 2012, French luxury goods manufacturer?Hermes has progressively moved to improve upon some of their most established designs while serving up interesting new products. For Baselworld 2017, which is much closer than you think, the brand is introducing a new line of four Hermes Cape Cod watches for men featuring an assortment of dial and strap combinations that deliver a variety of visual updates to choose from. While the Cape Cod design has endured for over 25 years, these new models offer a chance to explore?some of these visual updates, while briefly considering where high fashion brands like?Hermes fall within the watchmaking spectrum.While the debate over fashion house legitimacy in the world of horology rages on, pieces like the Hermes Slim DHermes Quantieme Perpetuel Platine?demonstrate the brand can easily hold its own. When taking a look at the most recent in-house Hermes Cape Cod TGM models, I also cant help but compare it to another fashion-centric favorite of mine the Cartier Tank. Still, the new Hermes Cape Cod watches for men bring something a little more youthful and creative to the mix with their?square inside a rectangle designs and the kind of versatility that centers around some of the best straps and leatherwork in the business. The flagship model of the collection is?the?Hermes Cape Cod TGM Manufacture. It features a mechanical self-winding movement, and its also the?most visually conservative out of the bunch. The?Hermes H1912 is an in-house 28-jewel automatic caliber that operates at?28,800 vibrations per hour (4Hz), offers 50 hours of power reserve, and?delivers a simple time-only display with a date. Theres a range of finishing that?Hermes carries out and this includes circular graining and snail patterns on the mainplate along with the brands signature H engravings on the bridges and the?rotor.Its a thin movement coming in at just 3.7mm thick and 23.9mm in diameter, and its fitting for a watch of this size. Like some of the other movements used in?Hermes watches, it was developed by movement supplier Vaucher, which is 25% owned by Hermes and 75% owned by the Sandoz family (who own Parmigiani). On the other hand, the?Hermes Cape Cod TGM Bicolore,?Hermes Cape Cod TGM Cadran laque, and?Hermes Cape Cod TGM Bracelet de force models all feature basic Swiss-made quartz movements in place of the in-house mechanical caliber.All of the Hermes Cape Cod models feature rectangular stainless steel cases that measure 33mm in diameter. Dial options are plentiful and the?Hermes Cape Cod TGM Manufacture is available in blue, black, anthracite, or opaline silvered configurations. Carrying on with its minimal theme, the layout delivers a clean look with rhodium-coated hands, a textured center seconds display, and playful?rhodium-coated Arabic numerals that are raised and portray a design that isnt typical with most watches in this genre. While its true that the?Hermes Cape Cod TGM Manufacture is the most mechanically interesting in the group, the quartz models bring their own unique flavor to the mix. The?Cape Cod TGM Cadran laque, for example, offers a beautifully lacquered dial option (cadran laque = lacquered dial in French) in two graded shades of brown and deep red. The sportiest of the quartz versions is definitely the Hermes?Cape Cod TGM Bracelet de force. Like the?TGM Manufacture, it features an?opaline silvered dial but it comes on a more aggressive and burly bund strap thats chock full of the meticulous?saddle stitching Hermes is known for. This detailed approach to leatherwork is also present in the Hermes Cape Cod TGM Bicolore, which features a two-tone smooth calfskin strap combining Malta blue with Hermes red or etoupe.While it can be difficult to move past the deeply rooted discrimination against fashion brands, the latest efforts from?Hermes are indicative of a company that is truly pursuing advancements in their own watchmaking story. In 2012, the brand even purchased Nateber S.A., a Swiss dial maker and a large stake in case maker Joseph Erard. These Hermes Cape Cod models offer everything from casual variety to elegant in-house manufacturing thanks to the TGM Manufacture version. Although pricing for the quartz models varies between $3,175-$4,000 depending on strap and dial options, all dial variants of the?Hermes Cape Cod TGM Manufacture retail for $6,200?when paired with the alligator leather strap, but the?opaline silvered dial version with natural Barenia calf leather is an exception, priced at $5,950. hermes.com [...]