Famous Baume & Mercier Silver Watches, Fake Baume & Mercier Silver Watch

Baume & Mercier Classima Executives Open Balance (8689)

I ordered this Baume & Mercier Classima Executives Open Balance (8689) watch as a gift, when it arrived i was a bit disappointed. It doesn't look like a mans watch but rather it should be for a female. The face of the watch is very small and so is the watch band. The quality looks a little cheap but i guess i got what i paid for.

---- [Rating: 5 / 5 stars]

Review by Joseph Reeves, From Nepal Kathmandu

Baume et Mercier Classima Silver Dial Brown Leather Watch MOA10156

5 stars seller!

---- [Rating: 5 / 5 stars]

Review by Joseph Garner, From New Zealand Auckland/northshore

Baume et Mercier Clifton Automatic Silver Dial Brown Leather Watch MOA10205

I love this watch, it is a much better fit for my small wrist. I also looked at Michael Kors, this is a nicer quality watch, worth the price.

---- [Rating: 5 / 5 stars]

Review by Tina K, From Croatia Berek

In March, Baume & Mercier announced its partnership with Carroll Shelby International Inc. to create two exclusive, limited edition watches born from the DNA of Shelby's most revered creations. Following the success of this launch, Baume & Mercier announces a second installment in its collaboration: A one-of-a-kind Capeland Shelby® Cobra timepiece that will be auctioned at Antiquorum in New York City on December 9, 2015, with all proceeds going to the Carroll Shelby Foundation. Bids may be placed online, over the phone or in person.

"We are very proud to partner with the Carroll Shelby Foundation. Our agreement is nurtured by a similar philosophy. The elegance of the lines, the attention to high quality, and commitment to humanism are some of our common characteristics," stated Alain Zimmermann, CEO of Baume & Mercier.

"Shelby and Baume & Mercier have earned an international reputation for quality, precision and craftsmanship," said Neil Cummings, CEO of Carroll Shelby Licensing and co-CEO of Carroll Shelby International. "Our shared pursuit of perfection has made both companies legendary. We're honored that Baume & Mercier has created a one-of-a kind watch to benefit the Shelby Automotive Museum, which was designed to inspire a new generation of enthusiasts worldwide."

One-of-a-kind Capeland Shelby® Cobra 18K red gold Flyback Chronograph
In keeping with the design of the two Baume & Mercier Capeland Shelby® Cobra chronographs released earlier this year, Baume & Mercier has designed a truly unique version of this watch inspired by the graphic identity codes of the Shelby Cobra racecar. This precious and sporty one-off chronograph is distinguished by the extreme subtlety of its Haute Horlogerie finishes: an off-white dial with sky blue stripes picking up those on racing cars, blue accents on the dial and hands, a 44 mm polished/satin-finished 18K red gold case, a finely grained black calfskin strap with round-scale blue alligator lining and gray stitching, and an 18K red gold pin buckle. The inscription "Shelby Cobra 1965-2015, Unique Piece" is engraved on the case back, framing a sapphire crystal bearing Carroll Shelby's signature. In keeping with tradition and with the high-precision reputation of Baume & Mercier watches, this flyback chronograph is driven by a Swiss-made mechanical self-winding movement from the Manufacture La Joux-Perret. The exclusive presentation box will also house an additional black leather alligator strap with round-scale blue alligator lining and gray stitching.

"It is a pleasure for Antiquorum to offer Baume & Mercier's unique Capeland Shelby® Cobra Flyback Chronograph commemorating Carroll Shelby's most celebrated automotive creation, the legendary Shelby Cobra in our December auction," said Evan Zimmermann, President & CEO of Antiquorum. "We are honored to support the Carroll Shelby Foundation and help raise funds to assist families of children with major heart ailments."

Proceeds from the auction will go to the Carroll Shelby Foundation, an organization that raises funds to help families and children affected by heart diseases. It also provides schooling and education for underprivileged young people in the US.

Baume & Mercier is enriching its Riviera MAGNUM sports watch collection with two substantial new models: a limited-edition "all black" chronograph with flyback function and transparent dial; and an athletic three-pointer and date display model, both in a new XXL size measuring 45 mm in diameter (compared with 43 mm for previous versions).
In addition to their more generous size, these two new launches enrich the Riviera MAGNUM line with several advanced design features: a case redesigned with one side shaped like a car radiator grille; new hollowed hands; a larger crown; and a new rubber strap with pure lines, secured by an adjustable triple folding clasp.
Nonetheless, the new Riviera MAGNUM XXL watches retain the sporting, sophisticated attributes of the legendary Riviera line: the twelve-sided bezel characterizing the Riviera line since 1973, solidly secured to the case by four black PVD-coated screws; guaranteed water resistance to 200 meters thanks to the case construction with its screw-down back and crown; as well as scratch-resistant glareproofed sapphire crystals to ensure optimal sturdiness and readability. Not to mention the infinite care lavished on details, the high quality standards and the respect for the rules of fine craftsmanship upon which Baume & Mercier has built international reputation since 1830.
Modern-day adventurers combining sophisticated technology, contemporary aesthetic and impeccable functionality, the new Riviera MAGNUM XXL watches are more than ever cut out for action and performance.
 
Riviera Magnum XXL Flyback Chronograph

Issued in a limited edition, this new 45 mm-diameter Riviera chronograph asserts itself at first glance by its twelve-sided design accentuated by the intensity of its matt black look. The gaze is nonetheless immediately drawn to it transparent black-tinted sapphire dial, which reveals fascinating glimpses of the Côtes de Geneve motif adorning the mechanical movements and its gear wheels. This diaphanous dial with its luminescent Roman numerals exudes a sense of technical sophistication while remaining eminently legible.
At the heart of this rugged sand-blasted PVD-coated steel case beats a mechanical self-winding movement powering a Flyback chronograph function. The latter serves to stop and restart a measurement by a single press on a push-piece, thus ensuring high-performance timekeeping.
A sapphire crystal case back reveals the smooth running of the movement and the rotations of the oscillating weight. This model is issued in a limited edition of 1000 engraved and numbered watches.
 
Riviera MAGNUM XXL Automatic

 
As the first non-chronograph model in the Riviera MAGNUM sports collection, this athletic three-hand watch measuring 45 mm in diameter is distinguished by its noble air of understated distinction. Its solid steel case with an ergonomic design topped by the signature twelve-sided Riviera bezel frames a pure black dial with luminescent Roman numerals displaying central hour, minute and seconds hands, as well as the date appearing through a large vertical aperture at 3 o'clock. The entirely satin-finished case and bezel underscore its ruggedly virile sporting appeal. The screw-down crown is protected by two streamlined guards smoothly extending from the case. Like the bezel, the screw-down case back is secured by four powerful black PVD-coated screws, and frames a sapphire crystal opening revealing the mechanical self-winding movement and its oscillating weight adorned with Côtes de Geneve.
 
Finding out more
Flashback: Birth of a Legend
After the technical innovation of the Tronosonic in 1971, Baume & Mercier launched an aesthetic bombshell in 1973. The brand caused a double sensation with the Riviera, a model with an immediately identifiable design that would become its star model for the next 25 years. First of all, the twelve-sided shape of the bezel and case of the Riviera were entirely unprecedented. Nonetheless, this daring design stemmed from a stunningly simple idea: since the dial of a watch comprises 12 numerals, the Riviera would also have twelve sides. Moreover, this watch with its avant-garde design targeted a new type of clientele by offering an innovative new concept of sporting elegance. In an era when elegant watches were necessarily in gold, Baume & Mercier dared to introduce steel in a robust yet chic style, for a watch equally suited to urban life as to weekend activities, and bearing a world-famous name evoking the elegance and the relaxed mood of the Côte d'Azur in France. It was to enjoy tremendous commercial success during a period when the "leisure society" was beginning to take shape. Nonetheless, it almost never saw the light of day because it was deemed overly fanciful in relation to Baume & Mercier's relatively classic image at the time. With this new model, Baume & Mercier successfully imposed a new style, that of casual elegance.

Rightly considered a sports watch, it lived up to its promise during a real-life trial of its sturdiness: fixed to the wheel of a BMW M1 car during the Le Mans 24 Hours race, it withstood and emerged unscathed from the effects of speed, accelerations, centrifugal force in the bends, capricious weather and the heat from the brakes. After 24 hours on the track, it told the time as smoothly as if it had just spent an evening at a dinner party.
Initially equipped with a mechanical movement, the Riviera soon adopted tuning-fork and subsequently quartz movements in the mid-1970s. It was to experience two major renewals in 1979 and in 1985.
The second generation of Riviera watches, launched six years after the first Riviera in 1979, featured a slenderer case measuring just 6.5 mm thick, thanks to the development of thinner quartz movements. Its more flexible bracelet with two external links and a central link was equipped with a new clasp. And finally, the name Riviera was now displayed on its dial. From 1981 onwards, it became a diver's watch and indicated world time with a GMT function.
In 1985, Baume & Mercier launched a third generation of Riviera watches. The bezel became smoother and less angular. With its polished and brushed surfaces, the case and herringbone bracelet were also more rounded. Technically speaking, it took a new step towards enhanced sophistication and reliability with a miniaturized screw-down crown guaranteeing improved water resistance. It was equipped with new ultra-thin quartz movements and a more readable date indication. As before, it was available in four dimensions and in gold, steel & gold and all-steel versions. In 1987, it was issued with a complete calendar indicating the date, day, month and moon phases. For its 20th anniversary in 1993, it appeared in a chronograph version, but it was not until 2004 that the fourth generation emerged. The following year, the Baume & Mercier icon swapped its dressy exterior for a sports suit featuring a 4-screw design. Finally, in 2007, the Baume & Mercier Design Studio imagined an even more sophisticated look with the Riviera Magnum, a collection resolutely geared for action.

Tribune des Arts - No316 - November 2003

Watchmakers, restorers, case makers, and so forth; every skill is represented across an area of 1,200 m2. It also has "ZAC" (controlled atmosphere zone) workshops where special coats and shoes have to be worn to prevent the slightest grain of dust from penetrating the movements or dials.
A creative process based on trust
The creative work meanwhile is all carried out at the company's headquarters in Geneva by a team of designers working in close co-operation with their marketing and technology development colleagues to take into account the numerous technical and commercial constraints immediately. Indeed, the motto of the Baume brothers is still very much present today at each stage of the Baume & Mercier watchmaking process: "Overlook nothing, make watches only of the highest quality".
"Even if we don't manufacture each component part of our watches, we have managed to achieve total control of the entire process,explains Michel Nieto. "Partly by only ever approaching partners who are the best in their field and partly by working with them in a totally transparent and honest way, anticipating problems and being demanding, but loyal too. This reciprocal trust also gives us enormous flexibility which enables us to respond rapidly to different market reactions".
No room for compromise
At Baume & Mercier, design is by far the most important step in the manufacture of a watch: "We have to think of everything, analyse each detail, be constantly vigilant before embarking on production. A watch that is badly designed at the outset ultimately ends up costing very dear. I therefore prefer to stop a project once we realise that it's started off badly rather than release a model anyway that's the result of a bad compromise, technically or aesthetically. Consequently, we always compare several different avenues when investigating each new creation".

Despite drawerfuls of amazing projects, Baume & Mercier focuses on the three mainstays of the brand: "Linea", "Capeland" and "Hampton", with the necessary addition of course of the iconic "Riviera". Moreover, the brand only uses movements of proven reliability, whether automatic (35% to 40%) or quartz (60% to 65%), and only accepts the highest quality when it comes to watch exteriors. It has thus been able to offer its customers an optimum after-sales service.Indeed, although Baume & Mercier offers a very broad guarantee, assuring the availability of all spare parts for watches manufactured in the past 25 years, the possibility of repairing any Baume & Mercier watch, whatever its age (the firm was founded in 1830), and twelve repair centres across the world, the after-sales service is devoted above all to battery changes or the maintenance of mechanical movements. This goes to show the outstanding quality of its watches, always. The working method of Baume & Mercier is therefore akin to the great tradition of Genevan horologists of the 18th and 19th Centuries.

In the great Genevan tradition
At the time, most movement manufacturers were based in the Joux Valley. They would come several times a month, on foot, to deliver the fruits of their labour to the large Genevan firms which would adorn them in gold and enamel, precious stones or pearls, before selling them around the world. The Genevans would produce the design, do the drawings, analyse the market and then entrust the creation of their watches to specialists, outstanding enamelling artists such as Liotard, goldsmiths, jewellers, watchmakers - all self-employed - who formed the famous "Fabrique", made up of hundreds of cabinotiers. They would then set off for Russia, Europe, Turkey, and as far away as China, to sell their creations. Baume & Mercier does exactly the same today, still turning to the best sub-contractors to produce the impressive number of watches manufactured and sold by the firm each year. How many? The exact figure has not been disclosed but it is in the region of several tens or indeed hundreds of thousands.