SIHH 2013…
At last week’s SIHH in Geneva, Baume & Mercier officially unveiled its a fabulous new Clifton collection. Of course this was not a real surprise to Perpetuelle readers, as the new collection was first reported here way back in November 2012. Having now seen the full 1950s-inspired Clifton collection, I can say with confidence that it is poised to be an excellent new series in the Baume & Mercier lineup. Already having familiarized ourselves with the cornerstone of the collection (The Clifton 1830), it’s time now to take a look now at the very nice Clifton Complete Calendar, priced at $4,900 in your choice of colors.
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SIHH 2013 Preview…
Update: new details posted.
In 2013 Baume & Mercier is set to introduce an entirely new collection, the Clifton. Details are scant at the moment — I have not received any official communication from Baume & Mercier and thus I am still trying to piece together the full story based on my own sources. But worry not, as usual Perpetuelle readers will be treated to some advance details and pictures — on the jump.
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by Kyle Stults on September 10, 2012
Last week Baume & Mercier announced its first ever limited edition men’s timepiece for the US market, a gorgeous Capeland flyback chronograph with copper-colored dial. The Capeland Flyback Chrono Ref 10088 will hit select Tourneau locations this October, a 250 piece limited edition series. The 10088 LE joins the original Capeland Flyback Chrono production models which debuted in 2011 (steel case/Ref 10006-$7,500 and pink gold/Ref 10007-$19,500) and 2012 (black dial/steel case/Ref 10068-$7,500). Despite the meaningfully higher price point, Baume & Mercier seems to have winner on its hands here, and I think it is a wise decision to move forward with a limited edition piece, itself priced only modestly higher at $7,900).
A beautiful watch, yes, particularly with those blue hands and copper-colored dial. Though I do think the dial would look even better without a white date window in it. More importantly, however, is one small detail on the caseback — and for me it is enough to keep me from purchasing the watch. Why? I elaborate, below.
by Kyle Stults on November 30, 2011
Here’s a first look at the Baume & Mercier Capeland Flyback Chronograph that will be officially unveiled January 2012 in Geneva. Although this watch is merely a new color-variation on the same model introduced at SIHH 2011 (see the 2011, white dial Capeland Flyback Chrono here — itself a re-intepretation of a historic single-pusher chronograph produced by the brand in 1948), it is hard not to appreciate the new look. Though the dial is a bit busy, it is busy in a tasteful way, and the brown earth-toned dial markings and strap go very nicely with the black dial. The one con for this piece is the price — the 2011 model listed at $7,500, which puts it in competition with some Rolex, Omega and other brands with strong value propositions. This said, it looks like the watch is selling grey market for closer to $5,500, a bit more reasonable, but still too much for my tastes.
Baume & Mercier Capeland Flyback Chronograph
42mm stainless steel case, automatic mechanical movement, on dark brown alligator strap
by Kyle Stults on January 11, 2011
Baume & Mercier’s Best Piece of 2011…?
Did I mention how much I love this time of year? I love it! So let me now give you another first look at a new piece that will be officially unveiled in Geneva next week by Baume & Mercier. It is a real beauty. The watch is actually a re-intepretation of a historic single-pusher chronograph produced by the brand in 1948. They have maintained much of the 1948 look, giving it just the right amount of “retro” feel to it. The blue (or gold) “Breguet-style” hands, dark brown (or black) alligator strap and sapphire-crystal display back add to the overall aesthetic. Oh, and did I mention it is a flyback chronograph, too? Nice. All in all, a great watch. I far prefer this to new Classima Jumping Hour I previewed November 2010, and I suspect most watch fans will agree (but to each his own, of course!).
Side note: Keep an eye on Perpetuelle’s Official SIHH 2011 News Feed for all the latest and greatest from each of the 19 brands showing in Geneva next week - there’s plenty of action up already!
Baume & Mercier Capeland Flyback Chronograph
42mm red gold or stainless steel case, automatic mechanical movement, on a black or brown dark brown alligator strap
here’s the stainless steel case version:
Here’s a look at the beautiful backside:
Wait a minute…
This is 1 of 2 “pre-SIHH 2011″ releases from Baume & Mercier – the Classima Automatic Jumping Hour (Ref 10039). It is a sharp looking watch, but I must confess I am a bit confused. After all this watch looks eerily similar to the $19,900 Baume & Mercier William Baume Jumping Hour (Ref M0A08857) watch I wrote about this past August. While I’m pretty sure the Classima Jumping Hour watch you see here does not cost $19,900, I’m kinda wondering why the “William Baume Jumping Hour” version does! OK, sure one is steel and one is red gold, but what else? Did B&M ditch the “William Baume” concept in favor of this? Unfortunately the press release from the brand does nothing to clarify this matter. Further clarification is needed…please.
Baume & Mercier Automatic Jumping Hour (Ref 10039)
Limited Edition of 500 (numbered), available Fall 2011
42mm steel case, automatic mechanical Dubois Depraz 14400 movement, black alligator strap
close up of the nice dial
Baume & Mercier Intros a High-End Watch Line…
The William Baume collection is Baume & Mercier’s new and very respectable effort at offering a high-end “haute horlogerie” collection in addition to its regular entry- and mid-level luxury watches. The lineup will include limited edition models with high end functions & design such as “ultra-thin”, “retrograde seconds”, and “jumping hours”. The watch I want to show you today is the Jumping Hours.
The William Baume Jumping Hour displays minutes and seconds on the two subdials, while the “jumping hour” window is positioned at 12 o’clock (see below). Available in two color schemes (silver or black on a rose gold case), these watch dials are nicely adorned with a crossweave guilloché motif and sunburst satin-brushed finish on the subdials. Price is $19,900 per piece. Limited to 40 in each color. Available September 2010.
William Baume Jumping Hour (Ref M0A08857)
41mm red gold case (9.6mm thick), Dubois Depraz 14400 movement
The modestly-decorated automatic mechanical movement is featured through a sapphire crystal case-back:
And here’s a closer look at the black-dialed version. Note that the time is showing approximately 8:09. The way that a jumping hour watch works is that with the turning of each our, the hour numeral will jump ahead to the appropriate hour (as opposed to the gradual sweep of a hand if it were a normal watch).
Did You Know?
William Baume Collection – A tribute to 180 years of Baume & Mercier
It was in 1830 that the “Frères Baume” watch comptoir horloger (watch dealership) was founded in Les Bois, a village in the Swiss Jura region. In 1918, the firm was renamed Baume & Mercier and relocated to Geneva, under the leadership of William Baume, representing the third generation of one of the most important watchmaking Houses of the era.
Right from the time of its founding, the Baume brand distinguished itself by the excellence and innovation of its timepieces. It won six gold medals in the World Fairs of Paris, London, Philadelphia and Geneva with its complication watches – tourbillons, minute repeaters, perpetual calendars – along with a number of prizes in the timing competitions held by the Kew Teddington Observatory near London, the most renowned of the period. It was there that in 1892, a keyless chronometer with tourbillon escapement by Baume won the absolute precision record that was to remain unequaled for ten years. Such is the rich watchmaking history that the William Baume Collection now celebrates by offering a contemporary expression of the haute horlogerie models that are an integral part of the Baume & Mercier heritage.
William A. Baume (1885-1956)
William Baume shaped the modern destiny of the Baume & Mercier brand by resolutely leading the “Frères Baume” company, founded in 1830 by his grandfather Louis Victor Baume and his great-uncle Célestin Baume, into the 20th century.
An exceptionally talented watchmaker brimming with innovative ideas in the early 20th century, William Baume joined forces in 1918 with Paul Mercier to create the Baume & Mercier brand in Geneva. The new company brilliantly combined traditional and contemporary watchmaking, drawing inspiration from the latest technical and aesthetic trends that it interpreted in complete harmony with the rules of watchmaking craftsmanship.
Loyal to his forefathers’ determination to “create only watches of the highest quality”, William Baume perpetuated their expertise with passion and innovation, while giving a new dimension to their horological heritage through the contribution of Paul Mercier. The latter, a cosmopolitan aesthete and an astute businessman, admirably complemented William Baume’s watchmaking know-how. At the heart of the 1920s, a period of dramatic change characterized by major technical breakthroughs and unprecedented creative effervescence, William Baume and Paul Mercier defined a brand philosophy that is as modern as ever: mastering watchmaking and placing it the service of timeless design and elegance.
Collection – A Tribute to 180 Years
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Dear Friend and Member of the Media,
I’m very excited to let you know that the online multimedia press kit William Baume Collection – A tribute to 180 years of Baume & Mercier is available for your viewing at www.baume-et-mercier.com/WilliamBaume This site will tell you more about our newly launched 40-piece William Baume Jumping Hour limited editions (retail value $19,900), as well as the story behind the William Baume Collection. In the online Press Lounge (http://press-lounge.baume-et-mercier.com/user), you can download this press kit, as well as pictures of the watches and all the texts in word doc format. Unfortunately, due to the fact that these watches are all limited editions and in such small quantities, we do not have an prototypes or samples available for photoshootings. Should you require any additional information, please contact me. Thank you. Director of Marketing & Communications 2 attachments — Download all attachments View all images
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by Kyle Stults on December 18, 2009
Here is a sneak peak of a new 2010 release from Baume & Mercier. The watch is fairly “loaded” when it comes to functionality – in addition to the chronograph timers, the watch provides day, date, month and moon phase functions – or what Baume & Mercier calls a “Complete Calendar” (more on this below).
You may notice this watch is called a “complete calendar” rather than the “perpetual calendar”. I believe this is for good reason and probably indicates that, unlike higher end watches with “perpetual calendars” that can set you back $10,000-$100,000, this watch will require adjustment 5 times per year to account for the March, May, July, October and December to account for the prior month not having a full 31 days. The red gold date hand (marking the days of the month that are marked around the edge of the dial) is a nice touch, though.
Overall, I can’t decide if I like or dislike the look of this watch, which probably means I dislike it, but I guess I’d want to see it in person to fully decide. My preferences aside, this is probably going to be one of Baume & Mercier’s higher end pieces, and as I discussed above if you are looking for a calendar watch but don’t want to spend big bucks for a perpetual calendar this might be a pretty good alternative, depending on where it is priced.
Description
This traditionally and opulently finished chronograph is equipped with a high-end mechanical self-winding movement driving indications of a complete calendar (date with central pointer in 18-carat red gold, day and month through a window at 12 o’clock, moon phase at 6 o’clock) and 24h indicator at 9 o’clock. The silver-colored dial with a “grain d’orge” guilloché décor is graced with circular snailed and sun satin-finished counters. The case-back reveals an oscillating weight adorned with “Côtes de Genève”, as well as circular-grained bridges and blued steel screws. The crown proudly bears the Phi symbol.
Technical Specifications
Collection: Classima Executives
Reference: M0A08870
Movement: Automatic (ETA 7751)
Oscillating weight decorated with « Côtes de Genève », blued steel screws
Functions: Chronograph, moon phases at 6 o’clock, central hand date, weekdays and months at 12 o’clock, 24h indicator at 9 o’clock
Case: Diameter: 42mm, Thickness: 13.1mm, Polished steel, Crown adorned with a Phi symbol, Sapphire crystal case back
Dial: Silver-colored, “Grain d’orge” guilloché décor, alternating opaline, circular-snailed and sun satin-finished zones, Black indexes, 18 carat red gold date hand, Sapphire crystal,
Bracelet: Black alligator strap, Adjustable triple folding buckle
Water-resistance: 30m
by Kyle Stults on August 19, 2009
Tokyo Watch Fair Opens Aug 20th to Aug 25th, 2009
Several leading prestigious brands will be in attendance at the Tokyo Watch Fair which begins tomorrow (or today, depending on where you live), August 20th in Tokyo, Japan. The event will take place at the Tobu Department Store Ikebukuro, one of Tokyo’s largest department stores. Most brands will be using this show as an opportunity to show off their new models announced at Baselworld 2009, many of which are appearing in stores now. A sampling of the brands expected to be in attendance include: Audemars Piguet, Baume & Mercier, Blancpain, Boucheron, Bovet, Breitling, Bulgari, Carl F. Bucherer, Cartier, Girard Perregaux, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Omega, Oris, Perrelet, Piaget, Rolex, Vacheron Constantin and more!
Among the many, many fine watches sure to be on display at the show, here are a few of my favorites:
Glashütte Original Senator Sixties Square Chronograph
Patek Philippe 5960 Annual Calendar
(Shown: Platinum/Rose Gold)
A. Lange & Söhne 1815
Glashütte Original Senator Chronometer
Breguet Tradition 7027
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