The watch worn by Jane Birkin, who inspired the creation of the Birkin, in her private life is, of course, Hermes!

Celebrity Watch Hunting is a series of columns that takes a snapshot of what kind of watches celebrities around the world are wearing. This time, we will be looking at the watch worn by Jane Birkin, the British actress who inspired the creation of the iconic Hermès bag, the Birkin.

Jane Birkin, the inspiration behind the Hermès Birkin

　Jane Birkin is a British actress, singer, and model, and the mother of three sisters, including actress Charlotte Gainsbourg. After moving to France, she entered into a common-law marriage with actor and artist Serge Gainsbourg. The two later parted ways, but they maintained a good relationship both professionally and privately.

　The relationship between Jane Birkin and Hermès dates back to 1984. On a flight between Paris and London, Jane Birkin sat next to Jean-Louis Dumas, then the chairman of Hermès. Seeing a basket bag haphazardly stuffed with items, the chairman offered to "make a bag that can hold anything." This led to the creation of the bag, the "Birkin," which has fans all over the world and is now extremely difficult to obtain.

　Here's another famous Jane Birkin anecdote, aside from the bag. It happened during the smash hit "Je t'aime moi non plus," which sparked a furor around the world due to its "extreme lyrics" being banned. It was a duet with her partner, Serge Gainsbourg, and she was visiting Japan for the first time to promote her film "The Glass Tombstone." She was eight months pregnant at the time. Her long flight abroad at that age surprised those around her, but perhaps this is a sign of a difference in sensibilities between Japanese people and women. There's also a record of Jane Birkin telling the surprised press, "There's nothing to worry about!" - a story that reveals her straightforward personality.

Jane Birkin's favorite watch is the Hermès Cape Cod

　Jane Birkin, who has a casual and free-spirited style and often wears oversized items even when wearing a jacket, chose the unisex Hermès Cape Cod watch with a date display. Judging from the way it sits on her wrist, it appears to be a GM size.

　The combination of a white dial and stainless steel case gives this model a cool look. It subtly matches the color of the hardware on the Birkin she was carrying during her visit to Japan, and looking at other photos, it seems she wears this watch on a daily basis. The strap is a basic black leather, and her basic style is to wear the watch on the inside of her wrist.

Cape Cod was born in 1991

The Cape Cod was designed by Henri d'Origny and features graphical Arabic numerals on the dial. Many people will notice that the number 8 in particular is designed like the chaine d'acre (French for anchor chain), one of Hermès' most popular motifs. While the dial is square, the lugs have a long, distinctive design that does not give the impression of a square to the viewer.

　Since its launch in 1991, this model has gained popularity thanks to its versatile design, wide range of sizes, and interchangeable straps. Hermès offers a wide variety of leather straps, and their comfort and rich colors are Hermès' specialties. You can also choose from a single strap or a double tour strap, which wraps around the wrist twice, making this a watch that you can enjoy changing the look of over and over again.

Jane Birkin chooses her watch with a style that is as free and enjoyable as life itself

　Jane Birkin has had a free-spirited image since her youth, but she continues to enjoy life to the fullest. A Japanophile who has visited Japan dozens of times, she adorns her iconic Birkin bag with kokeshi doll netsuke and rosary-like chain necklaces, and when she rushed to Tohoku to do charity work immediately after the Great East Japan Earthquake, she was seen with a large Japanese flag sticker and several lucky charms on her bag. Her strong sense of justice and drive still appeal to us even at the age of 76, making her an eternal fashion icon.

　The style of wearing a watch with a stress-free, loose strap like a bracelet is free-spirited and links to Jane Birkin's bold lifestyle.