SpotlightRavishing Riviera: The Baume & Mercier Collection Expands With New Editions
Combining the opulence and extravagance of the French Riviera, the latest Riviera timepieces unveiled at Watches and Wonder 2024 cover a gamut of striking colours, materials and features. Offered in bewitching blue, rose gold, diamond-studded, open-worked, and a perpetual calendar, here’s a collection that beautifully balances elegance and sportiveness with equal panache
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Two hundred years of Swiss watchmaking know-how and the eternal glamour of the French Riviera come together in Baume & Mercier’s Riviera Collection that is now updated with six new pieces launched at Watches & Wonders 2024. Iconic like the destination, Baume & Mercier’s Riviera collection perfectly captures the joie de vivre associated with the French coastline.
Born in 1973, this brand boldly defied conventional watchmaking norms, and launched the Riviera timepiece distinguished by a dodecagonal bezel and a sleek metal strap. Best known for crafting classic and elegant timepieces, this design from Baume & Mercier quickly became an object of desire. Evoking the essence of the French Riviera’s paradisiacal natural beauty—from its breath-taking panorama, azure blue waters and tequila sunrises, to its glittering parties and the legendary art of living—the iconic Riviera continues to inspire the spectrum of colours and diverse features of the Riviera timepieces.
Each of the new Riviera models reflect the brand’s modern expression that translates to chic minimalism that remains perpetually in style and upholds high quality. Paying tribute to the many moods of the Riviera, these discreetly luxurious timepieces are meant for watch aficionados delightfully enjoying la dolce vita.
Prior to the opening of Watches and Wonders Geneva 2024, the brand unveiled their new Riviera Mareograph, with a tide indicator. Here, we take a closer look at the five other brand-new additions to the Riviera series.
Riviera Acier-Titane
Evocative of the legendary azure tones and textures of the Mediterranean, the bold blue timepiece marks the passage of time beautifully. In this recent addition to the collection, the Riviera exudes a bicolour design, seamlessly blending titanium with grey PVD. This subtle combination creates a striking aesthetic, adding a modern twist to the timeless elegance of the 42mm timepiece. With a striking smoky blue sapphire crystal dial that becomes the canvas for the emblematic transparent Riviera wave décor, the Roman numerals and riveted gold-tone indexes coated with white Super-LumiNova, this timepiece showcases graphic colour contrasts and precise time indications. Powered by a self-winding Baumatic manufacture movement, the Riviera Acier-Titane offers remarkable precision, a five-day power reserve (120 hours), and protection against daily magnetic fields.
Riviera Gold
The Riviera Gold is your perfect arm candy to a chic black-tie soirée in the Riviera. Exquisite and precious, this warm rose gold timepiece has all the makings of a chic classic. Within the 39mm signature dodecagonal case, the smoked grey sapphire crystal dial with a date aperture at three o’clock stands out with its transparent wave decoration. The juxtaposition of colours and textures—the satin-polished rose gold case, the grey dial, the gold-tone indexes and the black alligator strap, with all-square scales with a rose gold pin buckle is what encapsulates the beauty and opulence synonymous with the region. Not to forget the horological wonder, which is the finely crafted self-winding Baumatic movement adorned with côtes de Genève and snailed decoration. It delivers on precision and is visible through a transparent caseback.
Riviera Squelette
The Riviera Squelette watch stands as a testament to the brand’s mastery in both form and function. A fresh new take on the Riviera is the open-worked black dial, encased in the signature 42mm dodecagonal case in satin-polished stainless steel. It is powered by an exclusive semi-skeletonised calibre, which is designed exclusively for Baume & Mercier. The structure of the open-worked display evokes the architecture of Riviera.
Riviera Diamants
Here’s a chance to embrace the allure of Riviera’s resplendent spirit. The glamour and glitz of the French Riviera has to been witnessed first-hand to believe that only a diamond-studded watch can match its scintillating galas and cocktails. Set with 44 brilliant-cut diamonds, The Riviera Diamants in a dainty 33mm satin-finished stainless steel case adds just the right touch of sparkle, while the sun-satin lacquered midnight blue dial, with a transparent wave transfer decoration, enhanced by a midnight blue inner line makes it indeed captivating. A date window at three o’clock, a quartz movement, and an interchangeable stainless steel strap and white Roman numerals as indexes make this a must-have Riviera in your watch wardrobe.
Riviera Calendrier Perpétuel
A proud watchmaking complication sets this timepiece apart in the new Riviera line. The inclusion of a perpetual calendar function elevates this timepiece to celestial heights within the realm of watchmaking. It stands as a testament to precision engineering and modern technological prowess, showcasing a mastery of complexity. Capable of not only displaying hours, minutes, and seconds with utmost accuracy, but also seamlessly tracking the day, month, and year—including the intricacies of leap years—and the phases of the moon, it exemplifies the pinnacle of Baume & Mercier’s horological accomplishment. A perfect balance of complications, the 40mm grey sun-brushed dial showcases understated aesthetic and is complemented by a built-in strap in grey rubber and alligator leather, topped with tone-on-tone stitching. The watch comes along with an additional stainless steel strap.
