One of the many brands expanding their wares in honour of Geneva Watch Week is Baume & Mercier who are taking us to the heart of the Mediterranean as they unveil an impressive six new additions to their popular Riviera Collection.
The RIVIERA M0A10721 model: The RIVIERA SQUELETTE
Inspired by the minimalist lines and bold shapes of the modern villas clinging to the coastal rocks along the Mediterranean, the first model presented by Baume & Mercier is the Riviera Squelette. A somewhat complex timepiece, featuring visible geartrains, cogwheels and an expressive skeleton movement, the Squelette has been meticulously crafted and draws the mind to the fusion of art and technology that the Riviera is so well known for.
Riviera Squelette. Credit: Baume & Mercier.
The Squelette reveals its open-worked mechanism in a satin-polished 42mm stainless steel dodecagonal case with the help of the scratch-resistant sapphire crystal. The glass has undergone anti-glare treatment to ensure each individual element can be admired uninterrupted and the surrounding bezel seems to glow, with its polished and sun-satin stainless steel. The caseback is also protected by sapphire crystal for a clear view of the Squelette’s inner workings and is engravable upon request.
The faceted black dial is openworked and is topped with faceted, openworked oxidized hands which have been treated with white Super LumiNova and emit a blue glow in the dark for enhanced legibility. The Riviera Squelette is driven by a semi-skeleton caliber self-winding movement that was designed exclusively for use by Baume & Mercier and oscillates at a frequency of 4Hz (28,800 vph) with a 38-hour power reserve.
The RIVIERA M0A10761 model: The RIVIERA MARÉOGRAPHE
Riviera Mareographe. Credit: Baume & Mercier.
Dedicated to the ocean with a nautical touch, the Riviera Mareographe is presented with a nautical touch. Equipped with tide-measurement functionality to reflect the sailing spirit of the region, the Mareographe is available in a limited edition of just 500 pieces. The back of the satin-polished stainless steel dodecagonal case is inscribed as such with the special engraving “Special Edition One Out of 500”.
Riviera Mareographe. Credit: Baume & Mercier.
Featuring an octagonal screw-down crown, decorated with the brand’s eblem, the Phi logo, which has been embossed and delineated in black, and a push button at 4 o’clock that makes adjusting the tide disk possible. The dial is dotted with Roman numerals at 12 o’clock and rhodium plated riveted indexes at 3 o’clock and 9 o'clock, all of which have been treated with white Super LumiNova to offer a blue glow in low light.
Highly precise thanks to its self-winding Baumatic manufacture movement, the Mareographe is equipped with a 120-hour power reserve and protection against everyday magnetic fields.
The RIVIERA M0A10769 model: The RIVIERA ACIER-TITANE
Riviera Acier-Titane. Credit: Baume & Mercier.
This sturdy timepiece features a 42mm steel case and subtly combines titanium with grey PVD for a lightweight yet durable and corrosion-resistant finish. Its dial conjures images of warmer climates and the iconic azure blue associated with the Riviera’s location. A gold-tone PVD steel ring links the bezel with the caseband which makes for a sleek final look against the matching Roman numerals, riveted gold-tone indexes and hands, as well as the gold-tone PVD Phi logo which has been embossed at the centre of the free octagonal crown.
The Riviera Acier-Titane offers remarkable precision thanks to the self-winding Baumatic manufacture movement and is water resistant to approximately 100 metres. The model is offered on a built-in blue rubber strap with canvas pattern, aptly designed for days by the Mediterranean Sea.
The RIVIERA M0A10787 model: The RIVIERA GOLD
Riviera Gold. Credit: Baume & Mercier.
Moving on through the Riviera Collection to the Gold model. Featuring a 750/1000 rose gold case, the Riviera Gold captures the luxurious beauty of the region. Its dodecagonal case is topped with scratch-resistant sapphire crystal which has been treated with an anti-glare coating on both sides. With its sleeker 39mm case, the Riviera Gold model is offered on a timeless black alligator strap with square scales.
The RIVIERA M0A10765 model: The RIVIERA DIAMANTS
Riviera Diamants. Credit: Baume & Mercier.
Next up a dressier number, the Riviera Diamants, a diamond-studded model for women that perfectly captures the timeless glamour of the region. Featuring a trim 33mm sillouhette with a thickness of 9.5mm, the Diamants model’s case is crafted with stainless steel which has been satin-finished, as has the polished and sun-satin stainless-steel bezel.
Surrounded by 44 brilliant-cut diamonds, the bezel dazzles and is beautifully complemented by the sun-satin lacquered midnight blue dial with its transparent wave transfer decoration. The Roman numerals and rhodium-plated riveted indexes have had a generous coating of white Super LumiNova that glows blue in darkness, as have the faceted rhodium-plated hour and minute hands. Complete with an aperture at 3 o’clock through which the date is displayed, the Riviera Diamants is driven by a quartz movement and is offered on a built-in strap with three rows of polished satin-finished stainless steel links.
The RIVIERA M0A10786 model: The RIVIERA CALENDRIER PERPÉTUEL
Riviera Calendrier Perpetuel. Credit: Baume & Mercier.
Finally, the Riviera Calendrier Perpetuel. Capable of displaying not only hours, minutes and seconds, this timepiece is also equipped with perpetual calendar and can display the day, month and year whilst taking leap years into account as well as the moon’s phases. Allowing the wearer to feel truly aligned with the universe, the Calendrier Perpetuel follows the movement of the skies with precise calculations.
The manufacturer complication is a signature of Baume & Mercier and was previously used to power the Clifton model which was introduced to the Riviera Collection in 2023 in honour of its 50th anniversary. Following the success of that edition, the movement has once more been utilised within the 40mm dodecagonal case of the Calendrier Perpetuel.
Displaying a multitude of complex information whilst still retaining readability, the grey dial of the Calendrier Perpetuel is remarkably understated yet elegant with its vertical brushed finishes and three azure counters.
