Moments of joy

Baume & Mercier is one of those brands, whose messages are clearly stated and felt. Their pieces are made to customers they know and can describe, therefore their products seem to hit the target. Although their saga dates back to the early 1830s the company does not carry tradition as a lead weight. They are contemporary and fresh, which is also echoed by the brand’s appearance, the way they communicate just as in the timepieces they produce.

Baume & Mercier celebrates youth and carefree joy. Their watches are more like time capsules that capture the important personal moments and carry them through lifetimes and generations. In order to meet the audience, the brand has been very active in working together with prestigious educational establishments and challenging students’ intellect.
Novelties introduced at SIHH continue the journey on the same path and I can see them finding their way to graduations, feasts of accomplishments and being gifted as seals of friendships.

Baume & Mercier Petite Promesse

Petite Promesse, the little sister of the established women’s line Promesse, is a natural next step in the aforementioned direction. It is a lively model with long leather straps and a steel bracelet, which are all long enough to wrap around the wrist twice. Versatility for all occasions just like playfulness are guaranteed. The steel bracelet has a kind of snake scale motif which ensures equally comfortable wear. The dial is made of white mother-of-pearl and together with the case is adorned with Top Wesselton brilliant-cut diamonds.

Capeland Shelby® Cobra 1963

The spirit of competition rotates the wheels in Baume & Mercier’s Capeland Shelby® collection. Carroll Hall Shelby, once a racing driver, built one of the most iconic American muscle cars that was successful on the race track as well as in commercial sales, the Shelby Cobra 427. Backed up by Ford, the Shelby Cobra won the 1965 FIA championship ahead of Ferrari, making Carroll Shelby the only person to win it as a driver, team manager and manufacturer. One important step on this route was to win Ford for the project and for it to cross the checked line first at Sebring 12 hours in 1963 with the previous model, the Cobra 289 Roadster.

Baume & Mercier commemorates this victory with the automatic chronograph, coloured to that of the roadster in black and yellow. Beyond the colour other details were also inspired by the car – the dashboard greets back on the dial’s layout, the steering wheel on the hands, the emblem on the seconds hand, just as the number 15 (the number of the winning race car) on the oscillating weight.

The sizzling Capeland Shelby® Cobra 1963 comes in two references – one with black alligator strap with a yellow rubberized calfskin lining, the other in sporty vulcanized black rubber. The movement is the Valjoux 7753.

Clifton Chronograph Complete Calendar

For those evenings, when the Shelby stays in the stalls, something more elegant might be necessary. Perhaps the Clifton Chronograph Complete Calendar, which is a handsome and precise companion. The Roman numerals are made with the same beautiful typos we got used to on previous Clifton models and are rhodium-plated appliqués. The day of the week and the month is displayed in small apertures within the circle of the chronograph elapsed minute sub-dial at 12 o’clock. The date can be read on the periphery of the dial by the central red-tipped hand.

The timepiece is not a divisive item, but to even further broaden the group of sympathizers it comes with three different straps – one brown and one black alligator strap and one 7-row steel bracelet. The steel case of the last two changes to two-toned 18k red gold (bezel) and steel mix on the brown.

The timepiece is operated by the automatic Valjoux 7751.

 

Photo credits: Baume & Mercier, Loupiosity.com.
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