Baume & Mercier releases its new Baume collection

Straps lined with cork for extra comfort, a 12 o’clock crown and an interchangeable strap with lugs that move, the new Baume watch collection by Baume & Mercier brings an innovative colour palette to the wrists of those that appreciate the convenience of a simple two-handed quartz watch.

Despite passing through several hands during the second half of the 20th century, Baume & Mercier is a brand that has always retained a very signature style and has preserved its strong brand presence within the Swiss luxury watch industry well. Doing so enables the company to release new watch collections with confidence - even relaunching iconic watches from its archives without any real guarantee that they’ll be met with the same resounding success. Why? Because Baume & Mercier’s innovative designs are backed by a provenance that stretches right back to its birth in 1830. This year alone we have seen the Swiss watchmaker re-release the Baume & Mercier Riviera watch collection - an instantly recognizable dodecagonal-shaped steel sports watch with an integrated link bracelet and a distinctly streamlined profile. The watchmaker even fitted it with one of its own in-house movements. To accompany this new release, Baume & Mercier has also released a whole new collection of dress watches named the Baume collection. The design is simplistic, modern and resolutely elegant, enabling it to be enjoyed as a piece for the office, an accompaniment for formal attire, or as a statement piece for pairing with an elegant evening ensemble by night. Even more refreshing is the fact that Baume & Mercier’s expert team of designers has focused on the design of the strap, lug and crown as opposed to its mechanics or dial. The sole focus behind the new Baume watch collection is to meet ideals of comfort and functionality all rolled into one. Let’s explore the details of the new Baume & Mercier Baume collection… 

Three distinct features of the new Baume watch collection

The new Baume watch collection is an extension of the Swiss watchmaker’s ongoing legacy. The brand is simply writing its story as we speak. This stylish and ergonomically refined design configures the colour of its small second hand, its strap decoration and its dial flange. The Baume watch focuses on three concepts in particular – all of which centre around comfort, efficiency and convenience. Although the collection appears to be looking into the future with a wholly modern, pure and clean design for the male and female wrist - these new Baume watches are in fact inspired by the spirit of the pocket watch, nodding to some of the company’s very earliest creations. To extend on this note, the case of the Baume watch features a crown in a rather unusual location at 12 o’clock. In particular, Lepine pocket watches used to have the crown located at 12 o’clock as did many of Baume & Mercier’s pocket watches. Pocket watches were designed in this way before the real need for a pair of lugs to attach to a strap was recognized. We have seen modern dive watches with the crown fixed at 12 o’clock – a design code that is intended to enhance wearer comfort and avoid the risk of the crown snagging when using the watch in environments where it may be exposed to impact, knocks or bumps. Secondly, the new Baume watches from Baume & Mercier feature lugs that move – another feature designed to enhance comfort. Thirdly, the strap of each new watch is interchangeable thanks to an innovative button design that enables the strap to unclip and be replaced with an alternative option. The lining of each cotton strap is also fitted with cork to further enhance comfort.

The members of the Baume watch family

The new Baume & Mercier Baume watches have been released in 6 new attention-grabbing colours: green, blue, red, violet or black. The watches are accented in these new striking colours, which coordinate the small second hand with the stripes that run vertically down the edges of the strap and the flange around the dial.

The two sun satin-finished blue dials measure 35mm and 41mm and are crafted from yellow gold PVD coated steel and stainless steel respectively. Both are quartz-powered, while the larger model features a minute scale that replaces an hour track with 5-minute increments marked out in white. The smaller sized Baume watch boasts a more minimalist dial with hour markers representing the 3 and 9 o’clock hour markers only. The dark blue material strap is completed with a light blue contrast stitching down the sides and secures with a traditional-style pin buckle. This lighter colour is echoed in the other two elements of the design as mentioned. 

The red-accented and black accented variations of the new Baume watch collection are showcased on white opaline dials and measure 35mm and 41mm diameters respectively. The red features a yellow gold PVD coated case fitted to a cream material band and red contrast stitching to match the flange, whilst the black-accented model, also crafted from gold PVD coated stainless steel, features a black flange. Both models, like the rest of the collection, feature a circular date window at 6 o’clock (this time filled in black) and the black model comes completed on a dark grey cotton strap with black contrast stitching to round off its modern look.

Lastly, the two models with sun satin-finished slate grey dials and contrasting green and violet elements are probably the most contemporary out of the whole line-up. Their vibrant flange, small second hand at 3 o’clock and detailed fabric straps certainly inject the wrist with some colour whilst remaining perfectly dress watch-like for all manner of sophisticated occasions. The smaller violet model in a 35mm case size, again, presenting just two Arabic numeral markers at 3 and 9 o’clock and is crafted from stainless steel, while the 41mm green accented slate grey Baume watch features the five-minute increments. The case is executed in a sleek anthracite-coloured PVD coated steel case with matching lugs that move to better sculpt the contours of the wrist.

A myriad of different coloured material straps can be switched and alternated using the Baume watch’s quick and easy interchangeable strap system, including those crafted in shades of red, green, burgundy, brown, black, blue and many more. For more information on any of the models we’ve covered in this article on the new quartz-powered Baume & Mercier Baume watches, you can call a member of our sales team here at Jura Watches today on 01335 453453 or explore the Baume watch range in more detail here.  It is also worth mentioning that Baume & Mercier has released a Baume Ocean limited edition automatic version to accompany these new models.