Editor’s Note
This article explores Hermès’ groundbreaking high jewelry collection, “Ninety Pieces Around the Horse,” unveiled at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris. Creative director Pierre Hardy presents 90 pieces that transcend mere equestrian themes, embedding the house’s saddlery heritage into the very essence of precious jewelry.
On Sunday, July 6, 2026, under the nave of the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, Hermès made a powerful statement with a high jewelry collection unlike any other. Ninety pieces signed by Pierre Hardy, the house’s creative director, revealed a singular vision of precious jewelry, rooted in an imaginary world that the saddler has cultivated since its origins.
That evening, equestrianism was not merely a backdrop. It was the very substance of every creation presented by Hermès. Pierre Hardy drew from the house’s archives to conceive pieces of rare creative power, including a saddle cuff in yellow gold and satin-finished titanium, echoing the forms of an 18th-century historical saddle.
This phrase from Pierre Hardy perfectly captures the spirit of the collection. For it is not simply about illustrating a theme. It is about transforming it into jewelry, making it live in the material, with the artisanal precision that characterizes Hermès. Thus, each piece becomes a complete object of desire. The collection confirms that the saddler has now fully integrated the codes of high jewelry, while imposing its own visual grammar upon them.
For Hermès, equestrianism is far more than a marketing heritage. It is a creative thread that Pierre Hardy exploits with increasing freedom. From collection to collection, the house has built a recognizable, powerful, and utterly singular jewelry language. Consequently, this new presentation does not surprise those who follow the house. It confirms their intuition: Hermès imitates no one in this field, and it is precisely this that makes each new unveiling so eagerly anticipated.
To measure the journey, one must go back sixteen years. In 2010, Hermès took its first steps in high jewelry with only fourteen pieces mixing rose gold, black jade, and diamonds. The house advanced cautiously on a territory others had occupied for decades. Since then, the high jewelry sector has profoundly changed. It has established itself as a major growth driver for luxury, with a younger, more international clientele less attached to traditional codes. Players have multiplied, collections have become more ambitious. In this context, Hermès has prospered spectacularly. Its revenue grew from 2.5 billion to 16 billion euros, driven by its bags, silver chains, and lipsticks. Precious jewelry followed this dynamic with an increasingly assertive identity.
What this evening at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs demonstrated is that Hermès no longer plays in the category of newcomers. The house has established itself with its own rules. It does not seek to compete with historic jewelers on their turf, but to occupy a space that is uniquely its own. Moreover, the thematic coherence of the collection around equestrianism reinforces this singularity. Few houses can claim such a strong anchor between their original DNA and their jewelry production. It is precisely this link that gives Hermès creations their narrative power. Pierre Hardy has embodied this continuity from the very beginning. His creative director’s gaze nourishes each collection with rare coherence, and this evening’s presentation is the most accomplished demonstration of this to date.
The high jewelry market has changed face since 2010. Today’s clients are more curious, less fixed in their buying habits. They seek a story, a point of view, a creativity that goes beyond the mere value of stones. In this sense, Hermès’ approach perfectly meets the expectations of a new generation of precious jewelry enthusiasts. For the collection presented this Sunday does not merely assemble noble materials. It tells something. Each piece carries within it a reference, an artisanal gesture, a clear intention. It is this narrative dimension that distinguishes Hermès in an increasingly competitive jewelry landscape. Thus, with ninety creations of such creative density, the house sends a strong signal to the entire sector. The saddler no longer merely imposes its own tune. It now plays in a full orchestra, with an entirely original score signed by Pierre Hardy. This collection marks a decisive step in Hermès’ jewelry history. It proves that sixteen years of patient work, creative risk-taking, and fidelity to a singular universe can produce something as powerful as a real whip crack.