Originally made in postwar Germany, HP Hercules Watches took place in 2022 by Swiss watchmaker Adriaan Trampe (formerly revived under the leadership of Eza Watches). The brand’s revitalization is leaning towards nostalgia, but it aims to recharge it with modern mountain climbing efforts. I had the practical opportunity to hold the Hercules hand-wound double barrel.
These watches are ordered and cost 5,995 euros. Let’s take a closer look!
HP Hercules is back on watch
The original Hercules watch was created by Henzi & Pfaff by Pforzheim. It has a reputation for its sturdy yet elegant design, and in 1953, they reached a literal peak when climber Hermann Baal placed Hercules on his wrist and received a Nanga Parbat (one of the few 8000m+ peaks on Earth). The brand, like many others, declined during the quartz crisis.
Seven decades later, Buhl’s story is still at the heart of modern Hercules branding. Today, Swiss-made Hercules watches combine vintage-inspired watch designs with alpine storytelling. There are plenty of climbing pedigrees on the particular watch I have on my wrist as I write because adventurer Ryan Water wore it while magnifying Mount Everest. Therefore, if you find any scratches in the photo, know that this watch will arise from living the intended life.
HP Hercules Watches
This revived brand leaps towards a historic backstory, so let’s dig deeper into it. It all starts with scaling Nanga Prabat. In 1953, Hermann Bourg left base camp at 2am to attempt a solo summit for Nangaparbat. He peaked almost 17 hours later. He spent a miserable night standing on a small shelf before descending the next day. On his wrist in this ordeal: Hercules’ watch by Henzi & Pfaff.
This moment laid the foundation for what Herculeur’s new refoundants now call gorgeous alpinism. This is a philosophy in which technical watchmaking encounters the mountain spirit. This is a recipe we’ve seen before, but it’s a recipe that the resurrected Hercules follows with confidence.
The brand does that with two early models. I would say two models, but the main difference is actually the caliber. One – what I have here gets its own hand-wound caliber. The other also features a unique micro-rotor movement. You can choose between a steel version or a tantalum version, and there are several dialing options available. Among them is a hand-drawn version.
Ice Cold Dial Options
These Hercules watches are directly connected to high-altitude environments. The Snow Dial Collection includes four variants: Snow White, Ice Blue, Ice Pink and Ice Green. But these colors were not only chosen from Pantone books. They are based on scientific phenomena found in frozen landscapes around the world.
The ice blue model refers to compressed glacial ice scattered with blue light. The ice pink dial nods to the red algae that changes the blush in the spring as snow. Ice greens squeal bright flowers of green algae on the Arctic ice sheet. And the Snow White version evokes the calm tranquility of the Himalayas itself.
Again, storytelling is ubiquitous. I know this can be rubbed in the wrong way by enthusiasts, but at least it’s all thematically consistent. From a texture perspective, the dial reminds me of some Grand Seico models with snow-covered surfaces.
Hercules’ unique caliber
Under the dial, the Hercules watch chooses one of the two unique Swiss calibers mentioned above. The micro rotor’s movement thickness is 3.7mm, providing a 70-hour power reserve. Hercules adds a Nanga Parbat terrain sculpture to the bridge illuminated with the sparkling BRW9 Super Luminova.
The new hand-winding caliber is available to those who prefer the hands-on experience of winding the watch. It features a twin barrel with an impressive 120-hour power reserve and ticking at 28,800Vph. Like the automatic siblings, it comes with a shaved terrain line. These show fun visual Easter eggs, but you may see them when you don’t have a tendency to look at the back of the watch in the darkness.
Whether you choose a micro rotor or a hand-open version, you will be Chronometer certified. Hercules chooses ISO 3159 authentication with Timelab in Geneva. The advantage is that the caliber is tested after the casing rather than before. This movement is being developed and produced by the manufacturing Horlogère Valleede Joux.
Other specifications of HP Hercules Hand-Wound Double Barreled
Hercules’ hand-wound double barrel case is 40mm wide and 9.4mm thick (including crystals). Made from 316L stainless steel or tantalum in the optional. It is an unusual, dark metal that gives the watch a deep gray tone and a pleasant weight. The brand rated water resistance at 100 meters, with both sides featuring reflective sapphire.
The lugs range from 46mm and have 20mm spacing for quick release suede straps. Other straps are available, and my straps have appeared in tropical style rubber straps. All Hercules clocks are delivered in a large wooden box, along with a copy of the Nanga Parbat pilgrimage by Hermann Bourg.
Wearing a Hercules hand-wound double barrel
At 40mm, Hercules’ hand-wound double barrel double barrel is extremely worn due to its shape. It was shaped after the 1950s watch and comes with cues of style that will more relate to today’s dress watches. I’m used to seeing this shape at 34-37mm, so it looks a little uncomfortable at a glance. Certainly, it’s a former vintage dealer I’m talking about. It’s not by modern adventure watch standards.
On the wrist, the watch has a very nice stance. It is less than 10mm thick, and wraps around your arms neatly and doesn’t get in the way of what you’re doing. Judging by the wounds, Water certainly slammed it onto the object. Luckily it wears that scar well. If you ask me, adventure watches get better with just one or two.
As expected in this segment, the winding and configuration experience was found to be comfortable. The finish is good, but simple. The case is completely refined, but after being worn badly on Everest, I cannot always judge its quality. All hands and indicators look beautiful and beautiful. This movement has some flashy details, but otherwise the finish is simple. Naturally, as soon as you start developing your own caliber, things will be quick and costly. Still, I feel that the 6k Euro price tag is very steep for an otherwise relatively simple watch. For example, like certain independent products in the segment, you would have loved to use handcuts in the pattern to make the dial a little more advanced.
What I think about Hercules’ hand-wound double barrels
HP Hercules’ hand-wound double barrel falls into the category of watches with a long history and plenty of products. There is no shortage of revived historic brands or mountain climbing-themed watches. So when you decide to join the game, you need to be well armed. I respect that I aimed high for HERCULES and debuted with a unique, distinctive caliber. The same applies to 30 points of sale, such as Saint-Prex brand boutiques. There’s no half the solution. I tilt my hat to Adria’s playing cards for that.
On the other hand, the design has not completely won me. I miss the charm of a truly vintage-inspired watch and some of the features first pragmatism of modern tool watches. A hand-wrapped double barrel sits somewhere in between. I feel that to some degree it is unclear what it aims for me, but I fully recognize that it may seem like the perfect blend with others. I miss a bit of the amazing factors I’m looking for at this price.
When it comes to mountain climbing topics, I get a totally romantic lure. We also fully understand why we want to revive brands like HP Hercules and retell their stories. This is because it offers a great hook for new creative ideas and justification for existence. We hope that Trumpy and his team will find a way to truly distinguish HP Hercules from the flood of revived brands they have seen over the past few years. Tickets may be the ones that aim a little higher than most people and bring out a unique caliber. I’ll support them!
What do you think about the new HP Hercules hand-wound double barrel? Let us know in the comments section below!
