Baume & Mercier Hampton Small Seconds (10048)

Baume & Mercier - Linea, perfect harmony of style and femininity

A new chapter opens for the Baume & Mercier Maison d'Horlogerie 180 years of history, and the best is yet to come

History as inheritance
Baume & Mercier's story begins all the way back in 1830 and reads like a true saga. From generation to generation, from family ties to friendship ties, from sophisticated complications to visionary innovations, the family dream continues to be fulfilled and Baume & Mercier watches continue to embody an ideal expressed for 180 years in the Maison d'Horlogerie's motto: "Accept only perfection, only manufacture watches of the highest quality."

The winds of change
The dawn of 2011 means the opening of a new chapter for Baume & Mercier, a brand which considers itself a privileged partner for all of life's precious moments. In an era of changing values, a Baume & Mercier watch is also a memory-keeper, an everlasting reminder of life's most cherished moments: weddings, births, anniversaries, graduations, family reunions. A reminder of a special event, a watch remains the souvenir of a celebrated moment and adds a little bit of soul to one's daily experience. The memory remains, immortalized forever by the timepiece.
The lifestyle era
Today, the Baume & Mercier universe is flawlessly represented by seaside living, a way of life which perfectly corresponds to the genuine values of conviviality, sharing, and durability which are promoted by the brand. This vision of lifestyle, redrawn around the brand's customers, expresses itself through family and friends, two halves forming a circle of loved ones, the essential circle with which each of life's precious moments becomes meaningful. The Hamptons - a natural seaside resort area of Long Island, New York are the ideal reflection of this vision. Between earth and sea, the art of living and personal luxury, this magical place has inspired the wisdom expressed in Baume & Mercier's new dictum: "Life is about moments."

Creating a stir
Bolstered by its new momentum, Baume & Mercier is offering a contemporary interpretation of two of its most celebrated collections, the Capeland and Linea, along with new and more stylish examples of Classima, and a new design policy signed seaside living. Each watch is engraved with the Greek letter Phi, a symbol of balance and perfection and a sign of recognition among Baume & Mercier connoisseurs, a "worldwide family" united by the same generous and relaxed vision of life.

Linea, the perfect harmony of style and femininity
Originally launched in the 1980s, Linea rapidly became an international bestseller. The watch's soft lines, sensual curves and confident luxury epitomizes femininity at the highest level. Its characteristic details, including the renowned bezel with its prominent numerals, make it one of the most easily identifiable of all women's watches. In 2000, the concept of the interchangeable bracelet gave this watch its highly characteristic aesthetic and made Linea the iconic watch of the Baume & Mercier Maison d'Horlogerie, thus establishing it among the brand's other decidedly charismatic watches such as Marquise, Galaxy, and Catwalk.

The object of our affection
Linea remains universally adored, always celebrated, and never forgotten. Today, its new interpretation constitutes an event in and of itself. A winning come-back with a line that remains loyal to the high standards of femininity: a domed crystal, a rounded shape and fluid lines highlighted in this new model by a continuous bevel on the case and the bracelet.Among the characteristics which differentiate the new Linea from its previous memorable incarnations is the charm of its enlarged size, its polished and satined finishes and a redesigned bracelet. Other upgrades: the addition of the date and the second as well as riveted indexes. Finally, Linea is guaranteed to be water-resistant up to 50 meters.
A bracelet with some tricks up its sleeve
Metal was selected as the material for the bracelet, which boasts a remarkably comfortable design in perfect harmony with the aesthetic of this unique watch. Otherwise, satin or black calfskin is available for the single strap, or elegant brown calfskin for the wrap around strap. Continuing with the principle of interchangeability, a true hallmark of this collection, the wearer may easily change the strap to suit her mood or her style.  On the new Linea, the clasp allows for an even easier opening, no tool required, and all the steel models are offered in a special packaging which contains a second bracelet for guaranteed pleasure!
A multiple choice collection
For the range, the options vary attractively: choose from 27 or 32 mm in case diameter; black, mother-of-pearl or silver-colored dial; plain or diamond-set bezel; and two types of movements: quartz with hours, minutes and seconds or quartz chronograph displaying minutes, seconds and tenths of seconds in three counters.

Spotlight on the emblematic pieces
The emblematic Linea watches are 32 mm models with a mother-of-pearl dial offered with an additional bracelet in satin or black calfskin, both understated and chic. The watches are available in two versions: mechanical self-winding with a sapphire crystal case back allowing the wearer to admire the oscillating weight decorated with the Phi symbol, or quartz chronograph with a bezel set with 42 diamonds and the bracelet attachment links set with 36 diamonds for a total of 1.4 carats…
A rich palette of options to skillfully seduce a woman whose portrait is both multicolored and vivacious.
Individual style

In a society where the individual is driven to stylize her existence, this trans-generational and self-expressive collection beckons the confident woman with the independence to create her own style. The collection is derived in the first-person, along the lines of "This is how I wear my Linea!"
Contemporary and as playful as always, Linea is the perfect watch to give or give oneself, for the beautiful celebration of a moment whose memory one wishes to keep close at hand.