HERMES "Kelly" Watch
View Similar Items
HERMES "Kelly" Watch
About the Item
- Creator:
- Case Material:
- Style:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:Contemporary
- Condition:Good to Very Good, Minor wear on bracelet, Very minor dulling on watch.
- Seller Location:Palm Beach, FL
- Reference Number:1stDibs: JU11091620297
Hermès
For Hermès, what began as a maker of leather equestrian goods for European noblemen would eventually grow into one of the most storied fashion labels in the world. In 1837, German-born French entrepreneur Thierry Hermès opened a saddle and harness purveyor in Paris. Gradually, the house extended into accessories and luggage for its riders, and today, in paying homage to its origins, the family-run luxury brand resurfaces horse motifs in everything from clothing and modernist jewelry to pillows and handbags.
The first top-handled bag ever produced by Hermès was the Haut à courroies, which made its debut in 1892. A tall bag secured with a folded leather flap (fastened with bridle-inspired straps), it was designed to transport riding boots and a harness. As the world made the switch from horse to automobile, the bag adapted, becoming a multifunctional travel satchel instead of a designated saddlebag. Today, 120 years later, the HAC remains in Hermès’s line — and its distinctive flap and clasping straps have laid the groundwork for some of the house’s other iconic bags.
In the 1930s, Robert Dumas (son-in-law to Émile-Maurice Hermès, Thierry’s grandson) designed a smaller, trapezoidal take on the flap bag with a handle and two side straps. Later, actress Grace Kelly, then engaged to Prince Rainier of Monaco, is said to have used one of these bags to conceal her pregnancy during the 1950s. Because she was photographed constantly, the coverage catapulted her handbag to international popularity. In 1977, Hermès officially renamed the model for her, and the Kelly bag was born. Each Kelly bag takes between 18 and 25 hours to produce, and its 680 hand stitches owe solely to one Hermès artisan.
Robert Dumas was also responsible for another one of the brand’s most iconic offerings: the launch of its first silk scarf on the occasion of Hermès’s 100th anniversary in 1937. Based on a woodblock designed by Dumas and printed on Chinese silk, the accessory was an immediate hit.
Today, vintage Hermès scarves, typically adorned in rich colors and elaborate patterns, serve many functions, just as they did back then. Well-heeled women wear it on their heads, around their necks and, in a genius piece of cross-promotion, tied to the straps of their Hermès bags. Kelly even once used one as a sling for her broken arm.
In 1981, Robert Dumas’s son Jean-Louis Dumas, then Hermès chairman, found himself sitting next to French actress and musician Jane Birkin on a plane, where she was complaining about finding a suitable carryall for the necessary accoutrements of motherhood. After the two travelers were properly introduced, Birkin helped design Jean-Louis’s most famous contribution to the Hermès canon: the Birkin bag, a roomy, square catchall with the HAC’s trademark leather flap top and the addition of a lock and key. Owing to the brand’s legendary commitment to deft, handcrafted construction, the Birkin is an investment that is coveted by collectors everywhere.
While the Kelly and Birkin may be standouts, gracing the arms of everyone from royal heiresses to hip-hop stars in the past few decades, the handbags are but a small part of Hermès’s fashion offerings. Since the 1920s, the brand has produced some of the most desirable leather goods in the world. There’s the Constance bag, a favorite of Jacqueline Kennedy, the recently relaunched 1970s-era Evelyne and, on the vintage market, a slew of designs dating back to the 1920s.
Good design never goes out of style. Find a variety of vintage Hermès handbags, day dresses, shoes and more on 1stDibs.
- Elegant Platinum and Diamond Vintage, Ladies Hamilton Cocktail WatchBy HamiltonLocated in Palm Beach, FLThis wonderful creation by venerated American maker, Hamilton, is a pristine example of this Mid-20th Century genre, ladies cocktail watch. Crafted from platinum and replete in watch...Category
Mid-20th Century American Modern Wrist Watches
MaterialsDiamond, Platinum
- Elegant 18k Vintage Bueche-Girod Ruby and Diamond Wrist WatchBy Bueche GirodLocated in Palm Beach, FLThis elegant 18k yellow gold ladies cocktail watch was designed and created in Geneva Switzerland by Bueche-Girod during the 1970's. Featuring an oval head, and herring bone pattern ...Category
Mid-20th Century Swiss Wrist Watches
MaterialsDiamond, Ruby, 18k Gold
- Elegant 18k Yellow Gold Gents Tiffany & Co. Quartz Movement Wrist WatchBy Tiffany & Co.Located in Palm Beach, FLThis truly classic Tiffany & Co. quartz movement men's wrist watch epitomizes the luxury and elegance that Tiffany is perennially associated with. It is large, measuring a full 1 1/2...Category
Late 20th Century Swiss Modern Wrist Watches
Materials18k Gold, Yellow Gold
- Large Scale Ladies Vintage Bueche Girod Yellow Gold and Diamond Wrist WatchBy Bueche GirodLocated in Palm Beach, FLThis striking and large scale ladies vintage Bueche Girod wrist watch is crafted from 18k yellow gold and is pavee set with an approximate t...Category
Mid-20th Century Swiss Wrist Watches
MaterialsDiamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
$8,400 Sale Price20% OffFree Shipping - Tiffany & Co. Cushion Shaped Diamond and Ruby Bezel Watch in Yellow GoldBy Tiffany & Co.Located in Palm Beach, FLThis elegant champagne dial 14K Yellow Gold Tiffany & Co. wristwatch with a cushion shaped diamond bezel, is set with 2 brilliant rubies at the 12 o'clock, 3 o'clock, 6 o'clock, an...Category
Vintage 1970s American Wrist Watches
MaterialsDiamond, Ruby, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
$5,440 Sale Price20% OffFree Shipping - Vintage Chanel Quartz Premiere Yellow Gold Fashion Watch with Integral Gold BandBy ChanelLocated in Palm Beach, FLThis lovely 18K yellow gold Chanel Premiere quartz ladies wrist watch was released by the venerated house in 1987. The bold rectangular, clipped corner head measures over 1 inch in length by 3/4 inch in width. The dial is black, bears the company name at the 12 o'clock position and the word Swiss at the 6 o'clock position. The integral 18K band measures 9/16 inch wide and terminates in a flip clasp stamped CHANEL. On the inside of the clasp is stamped 750, Swiss Made, Chanel copyright, registration marks, Swiss and Chanel touch marks, and 1987. Additional touch marks are shown on the tongue of the clasp. The crystal is a high faceted mineral composition and adds greatly to the watches dramatic appearance. Trouble free and accurate timekeeping is assured by the Chanel quartz...Category
Late 20th Century Swiss Modern Wrist Watches
MaterialsQuartz, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
- Hermes 1990s Kelly WatchBy HermèsLocated in Scottsdale, AZIndulge in the epitome of luxury with the Hermes 1990s Kelly Watch—a timepiece that transcends the boundaries of elegance. Crafted in homage to the iconic Kelly Bag, this watch is no...Category
1990s Swiss Wrist Watches
MaterialsGold Plate
- Hermès Black Epsom Kelly WatchBy HermèsLocated in West Hollywood, CAHermès Kelly steel watch, with a 20mm x 20mm face, opaline silvered dial, quartz movement, and black grained calfskin strap. Minor scuffs on leather, metal and glass. Date stamp D f...Category
Early 2000s French Wrist Watches
- HERMES Kelly Watch Small ModelBy HermèsLocated in Paris, FRHermès Kelly watch small model. Opaline silver metal dial, quartz movement. Steel watch made in Switzerland. In very good condition. In working o...Category
2010s Swiss Wrist Watches
MaterialsSteel
- Hermès Watch Kelly Gold PlateBy HermèsLocated in PARIS, FRWatch signed by the House of Hermès in gold plated and brown leather. Kelly model. dimensions: 4.2 x 2.2 x 0.85 cm. Length of the wrist: 19 cm. Quartz move...Category
20th Century French Wrist Watches
MaterialsGold Plate
- Hermes Black Ostrich Watch StrapBy HermèsLocated in New York, NYHermes '06 Black Ostrich Watch Strap Made in: Not given- believed to be France Year of Production: 2006 Stamp: J stamp in square Color: Black Mate...Category
Early 2000s French Wrist Watches
- Vintage Hermès Kelly Watch PM With Crocodile BraceletBy HermèsLocated in Paris, FRHermès watch Condition : good because there are small scratches on the hardware especially on the dial (see on pictures) Made in Switzerland Model : Kelly watch PM, quartz movement ...Category
2010s Swiss Wrist Watches
MaterialsGold Plate
Recently Viewed
View AllRead More
The Hermès Passe-Guide Bag Might Not Be as Well Known as the Birkin or Kelly, But It’s Every Bit as Chic
Find out why this under-the-radar piece is so exceptional.
How to Spot a Fake Hermès Birkin Bag
The iconic Birkin bag is much coveted — and often copied. Find out how to tell the real deal from a convincing fake. Of course, you don't have to worry about this on 1stDibs, where every seller is highly vetted.