As one of the longest running Swiss watch manufacturers in the world with a history that expands more than 190 years, Baume et Mercier is certainly no stranger to innovation. Their expertise is based entirely on the principle of “établissage” meaning “establishment” which ensures every step of creating a Baume et Mercier watch, from the assembling of components to the design of the dials and straps, is controlled in-house. When you explore the Baume et Mercier watch collections and spot their price points, you’ll understand just how rare this combination is. For 2021, they continue their remarkable heritage with the introduction of the Baume collection, a series of luxury timepieces centred around sustainable manufacturing processes.
Speaking of rare occurrences, the Baume collection was originally created from scratch by the Richemont Group, an establishment which more often than not acquires new names from outside. When it was launched in 2018, the Baume brand sparked plenty of curiosity for its sustainable approach and for its more obvious link to fellow Richemont brand Baume et Mercier. As you’ve guessed, the Baume collection took its name from its sibling Baume et Mercier but instead demanded to be regarded separate with its own independent designers, strategy, and goals. However, two years later, and the Baume name has been combined with Baume et Mercier and is now treated as an internal collection.
“Baume will join Baume & Mercier in a natural way, thus beginning a new chapter for our house.” – David Chaumet, CEO of Baume & Mercier
The Baume watch collection’s leading methodology is its sustainability and their commitment to use no precious metals, stones or animal materials in their designs. Where possible Baume watches will instead be engineered from upcycled and recycled materials. Their environmentally friendly methods are incredibly refreshing and a necessity in today’s world. At a glance, the Baume watches are resolutely contemporary and characterised almost entirely by their minimalistic dials, wired lugs, interchangeable straps and 12 o’clock crown. Their price points are also impressive, still leaning on the luxury side of the industry while tempting younger audiences who want to acknowledge their ethical choices.
There are currently three designs of the Baume watch to choose from: a series of 35mm quartz watches, some 41mm quartz watches and a duo of limited editions. Starting with the 35mm size, there are three designs in total, the first under reference 10602 engineered from gold PVD 5N steel with a crisp white dial, bold red accents and a white strap crafted in natural linen with red overstitching and lined in cork. Similar in style is reference 10603 with a gold PVD case but a nautical blue dial and blue cotton and cork-lined strap. Lastly, the Baume 35mm quartz watch under model number 10604 opts for a classic stainless steel case and a unique black and purple accented dial with a matching black cork and violet stitched strap. All three are powered by the Ronda 6004 D quartz movement with hours, minutes, small seconds and date and are protected by a 30m water resistance and scratch resistant sapphire crystal.
The Baume 41mm quartz watches follow almost all the same specifications hosting the same Ronda 6004 D quartz movement with small seconds and date complication and equipped with mobile horns, a 12 o’clock crown, a 30m water rating and sapphire crystal glass. Again, there are three models to choose from. The first is reference 10601 which opts for a 41mm stainless steel case, blue dial and blue cotton strap with sky blue overstitching. Next is a gold PVD piece under 10600 with a crisp white opaline dial, black dial hardware and a grey cotton strap. Lastly, reference 10599 stands out for its black PVD steel case, matching black dial and dark green detailing on the bezel ring and strap’s stitching. Alongside the Baume 35mm and 41mm watches, there is also a duo of Baume Ocean Limited Editions. If you’d like to learn more about these, we covered them in a separate review here.
As official stockists of Baume et Mercier, you can find all their latest releases and the new Baume collection on the Jura Watches website here. For any advice on the brand and to speak to one of our team, get in touch by calling 01335 45453 or send us a message at help@jurawatches.co.uk.
