Hermès entered the watch business relatively late in its history but has approached it with the commitment to quality and aesthetic refinement that defines every category the house touches. Founded in Paris in 1837 as a harness and saddlery workshop by Thierry Hermès, the brand's leather expertise made the transition to watch straps entirely natural, and Hermès straps have long been among the most desirable aftermarket accessories in the watch world. The watch division was formalized with the acquisition of the movement manufacturer Vaucher Manufacture Fleurier, giving Hermès genuine in-house movement capability. The Arceau, introduced in 1978, is the brand's most classical reference — a round case with asymmetric lugs derived from a riding stirrup. The Cape Cod, a rectangular watch with the distinctive double tour leather wrap strap, is the brand's most widely recognized watch design. The Slim d'Hermès houses ultra-thin movements and has become a serious object of desire among dress watch collectors. Special dial editions featuring silk scarf motifs — carrés applied to the dial with extraordinary finesse — represent Hermès at its most brand-coherent, attracting buyers from the fashion and watch worlds equally. DeMesy & Co. in Dallas has been authenticating pre-owned Hermès timepieces since 1987.