PERFECTION PERSONIFIED

Swiss master artisan Agnes Paul-Depasse, who makes straw, feather, and silk thread marquetry dials for Hermes, reveals eight fascinating truths about such rare historical crafts.

High up in the mountains of Switzerland, Agnes Paul-Depasse has only the stunning views, her ponies, and occasionally her husband to keep her company at home as she works on each Hermes watch dial. No distraction is allowed, she says, because perfection is all but expected.

A specialist in some of the world's rarest and most delicate marquetry crafts, she has devoted the past 15 years to creating some of the French maison's finest artistic dials.

Among them are the Arceau Marqueterie de Paille and Slim d'Hermes La Source de Pegase watches, realised through straw marquetry. Showcasing silk thread marquetry are the Arceau Mon Premier Galop and Arceau Toucan de Paradis.

The Slim d'Hermes Zebra Pegasus flaunts feather marquetry.

When one sees such extraordinary beauty, one often wonders about the talented hands that achieved it and what goes on behind the scenes.

Recently, on a whirlwind visit to Singapore, the Unesco Award of Excellence recipient and independent craftsman took us deep into her world.

01 | HERMES DEFENDS PATRIMONY

Metiers d'art, translat from French to English as "arts and crafts", is a term that describes rare, ancestral decorative techniques. Of the 281 crafts recognised by the Institut National des Métiers d'Art in France, many are used to embellish luxury lifestyle products, ranging from clothing to watches and jewellery to furnishings.