Baume & Mercier

The beginnings of the luxury brand Baume & Mercier date back to the year 1830. The Geneva-based company, which is now part of the Richemont Group, has enjoyed an excellent reputation among fans of high-quality wristwatches since the 1920s. Although the brand produces timepieces with a traditional round shape, it's first and foremost rectangular watches with which the manufacturer has made its reputation. Ladies' watches have also been an integral part of Baume & Mercier's catalog since the early 20th century. Since the 1950s, the Greek letter Φ (Phi) has served as the company's brand logo, symbolizing the pursuit of balance.

This balance is reflected in the current range, which consists of four lines with models for both men and women - the Hampton, Classima, Baume, and Riviera collections - as well as the Linea collection for women and the Clifton line for men. Older collections that are still popular today include Capeland, Catwalk, and Marquise.

Baume & Mercier manufactures its watches primarily in stainless steel, but models made of titanium, rose gold, or various recycled materials are also available. Precision timekeeping is ensured by an in-house caliber, automatic ETA or Sellita movement, or Swiss quartz caliber, depending on the model.

Current quartz-powered women's models in Baume & Mercier's Baume collection are available for around 550 USD. A mechanical model such as the three-hand Classima, for example, changes hands on Chrono24 for roughly 2,200 USD in mint condition.

A stainless steel quartz chronograph costs around 1,750 USD, while a mechanical Capeland flyback chronograph will set you back about 3,800 USD. If you'd prefer an elegant three-hand watch in rose gold, take a look at the Clifton, which is powered by the in-house Baumatic caliber and costs approximately 8,200 USD.

At the higher end of the Baume & Mercier catalog in terms of price, you'll find the Clifton Perpetual Calendar in rose gold, which demands an investment of around 27,300 USD.

As of 2023, Baume & Mercier's mainstays are the Riviera, Hampton, Classima, and Baume collections. Each watch collection offers models in a variety of sizes suitable for men, women, and non-binary watch fans. While smaller timepieces range in diameter from between 21 and 36.5 mm depending on the model, larger watches measure up to 43 mm across.

Riviera: Watch With a Retro 1970s Look

The Riviera collection is one of Baume & Mercier's best-known lines. Designed by Jean-Claude Gueit and introduced in 1973, the Riviera, with its integrated bracelet, twelve-sided bezel, and four very prominent decorative screws, is reminiscent of the famous sports watches designed by Gérald Genta.

The Riviera is available with dials in a variety of colors, and most of the dials in the current collection feature a wave pattern intended to symbolize the mountains and the sea. The dials feature line indices for all hours except 6 and 12 o'clock, which are marked by Roman numerals.

Ladies' watches in the Baume & Mercier Riviera collection only come in three-hand versions powered by either quartz movements or automatic ETA calibers. Prices range from 1,750 to 2,850 USD, depending on the model. For watches set with diamonds or other precious gems, prices climb to around 6,350 USD.

The Riviera collection offers men's watches with three hands as well as chronographs, GMT watches, and timepieces with a moon phase display. A diving watch water-resistant to 300 m (30 bar, 984 ft) is also available. In contrast to the ladies' Riviera, Baume & Mercier equips the men's watches with mechanical movements, offering wearers the option of an in-house caliber or ETA movement. Depending on the variant, a Baume & Mercier Riviera for men will set you back between 2,600 and 4,500 USD on Chrono24.

The Rectangular Baume & Mercier Hampton

Fans of rectangular watches will be delighted with the Hampton collection. The shape of the case is reminiscent of Cartier's Tank Française, but the Baume & Mercier Hampton has a slightly more modern look, thanks to the line indices and Arabic numerals on the dial.

Baume & Mercier currently equips the 22 x 35-mm two-hand ladies' Hampton with a quartz movement. Models are available in gold or stainless steel, as well as diamond-set variants. Depending on the model, prices range from 1,420 to 3,500 USD.

Baume & Mercier offer Hampton models for men with a case size of 27.5 x 43 mm or 31 x 48 mm, all of which are made of stainless steel and powered by either a quartz or Swiss automatic caliber. The collection consists primarily of simple two- and three-hand timepieces. However, the top model in the range has an outsized date, second time zone, and day/night indicator. Prices range between 1,420 and 3,600 USD.

Classima: The Classic Dress Watch

The Classima collection is a line of elegant dress watches with a classic round shape. The restrained dial features fine line indices and Roman numerals at 3, 6, 9 and 12 o'clock, except for some men's models, which have Art Deco-style Arabic numerals.

Baume & Mercier offer both men's and women's models in the Classima collection, all powered by quartz or automatic calibers. Complicated timepieces are also available. Some women's models offer a moon phase display, while the line aimed at men is home to models with a chronograph function.

Baume & Mercier normally produce the watch in stainless steel, but rose gold and two-tone models are also available. Depending on the material, caliber, and complication, plan to spend between 1,050 and 4,150 USD for a Baume & Mercier Classima.

Baume: Recycling Is King

Baume was initially launched as an independent brand in 2018, but the watches have been part of the Baume & Mercier catalog since 2021.

With a round case, loop strap lugs, and a crown at 12 o'clock, these watches differ significantly from the rest of the manufacturer's catalog. The Baume collection also aims at sustainability: some models are made from old skateboards or recycled PET, while others are fitted with straps made from recycled cotton or natural cork.

Watches in the line are powered by quartz or automatic calibers, some of which feature complications such as small seconds, a date, or a moon phase display.

Prices for a watch from the Baume collection start at roughly 550 USD and climb to around 1,650 USD.

The Linea collection is aimed exclusively at women. The style-defining elements of the range include an integrated three-link bracelet and a wide bezel. The latter is polished and engraved with Arabic numerals 1 through 12. Versions with a diamond-set bezel are also available.

The restrained dial design features narrow line indices, but Baume & Mercier sometimes dispense with hour markers altogether, which gives the watch a particularly elegant look.

The Linea is available in rose or yellow gold, stainless steel, and two-tone versions. Models in the line are powered by a quartz movement that occasionally offers an additional date function.

Chronographs in the Linea line demand an investment of between 2,200 and 2,850 USD. A three-hand version will set you back between 950 and 4,050 USD, depending on the model.

The Baume & Mercier Clifton collection is home to a range of sporty and elegant dress watches for men. In addition to classic three-hand watches, chronographs, GMT watches, and timepieces with a perpetual calendar are also available. Clifton models are almost exclusively powered by mechanical self-winding calibers. While older models feature ETA or Sellita movements, newer models are powered by in-house Baumatic calibers with a power reserve of up to 5 days.

Watches in the Clifton collection are available in rose or yellow gold or stainless steel. A variety of dial colors is also available, from black or white to blue, gray, green, or red. Sizes range from 39 to 42 mm.

Depending on the model, plan to shell out between 2,100 and 27,300 USD. The Clifton Club Indian and Clifton Club Shelby Cobra chronographs are particularly popular with collectors and demand an investment of between 2,950 and 4,400 USD.

Over the years, Baume & Mercier has launched several collections that are no longer included in the manufacturer's catalog, but which remain very popular with fans of the brand. These include the Capeland collection; chronographs and world-time variants in this line are particularly popular. Designs range from sporty and masculine to classic and elegant.

A Baume & Mercier Capeland chronograph changes hands on Chrono24 for roughly 3,500 USD. You can call a model with a world-time function your own for between 6,500 and 7,700 USD. Simple pre-owned three-hand watches with a quartz movement can be purchased for just 750 USD.

The Baume & Mercier Catwalk is particularly popular. This watch features a square dial and a link bracelet that blends seamlessly into the case. Versions with a leather strap are also available. Well-maintained specimens of this quartz-powered watch demand an investment of approximately 440 USD on Chrono24.

In 1830, brothers Louis-Victor and Célestin Baume founded a small watchmaking business they called Frères Baume, laying the foundation for the company we know today as Baume & Mercier. The brand adopted its current name in 1918, when Louis-Victor's grandson William Baume decided to join forces with Paul Mercier.

Around the same time, the company began to expand internationally, opening branches in London and Philadelphia. Baume & Mercier also began to specialize in the production of wristwatches, which were completely new at the time. In particular, the manufacture of ladies' watches became an important part of its business.

Thanks to its unique selection of non-round watches, Baume & Mercier enjoyed great success in the 1950s and 60s, but the company suffered in the following two decades while weathering the quartz crisis of the 70s and 80s. For this reason, Baume & Mercier joined the luxury goods conglomerate Richemont in 1988.