About Baume & Mercier Watches

Baume & Mercier began as “Fréres Baume” in 1930 after Louis-Victor and Célestin Baume opened their watch dealership in the Swiss town Les Bois. The brothers soon gained international recognition after opening a branch in London in 1851, when their reputation spread throughout the British empire. Their expansion allowed the brand to be noticed around the world, although its currently most popular in France, Spain, and Italy.

It was in 1918, when William Baume and Paul Mercier founded their first company in Geneva, that the Fréres Baume became Baume & Mercier. The pair employed never-before-seen creativity with an eye for perfection, creating perfectly balanced yet uniquely shaped watches. Their focus on excellence made them the winners of the Geneva Seal, which was the highest honor a watchmaker could receive.

With the 1920s, new styles and freedoms emerged, particularly for women. While many brands made smaller versions of watches typically marketed towards men and sold them to women, Baume & Mercier created watched that were more distinctly feminine — creatively exquisite and refined pieces for their female customers. One of these timepieces was the Marquise, which was a jeweled, bangle-style bracelet with a watch sitting elegantly in the center. Watchmakers everywhere have adopted this style, and it remains popular throughout the world.

A few decades later, in the 1940s, the brand released the notable and still sought-after 2 Register Chronograph, followed by other timepieces equipped with triple date displays or functions showing the moon phase. The brand also took advantage of the art-deco style of the period with their Hampton collection, a rectangular timepiece both striking and elegant.

In the 1970s, the company continued on their path of creativity and released the Galaxie and the Stardust, followed by the Riviera, which is famous as one of the first steel sports watches. The first two embody the brand’s dedication to creativity and innovation, and the Riviera embodies the sophistication and elegance of the French Riviera for which it is named.

Baume & Mercier joined the acclaimed Richemont group in 1988, and there are currently five styles that still embody the brand’s creativity and innovation: There is the Hampton, which offers the elegant art-deco, rectangular shape of the 1940s original; the Capeland, a luxury sports watch with a symmetrical design; the Classima, which provides the wearer a classic, minimalist look and offers affordable luxury; the Clifton, pairing elegance with complexity; and the Linea, an elegant line designed with fashion-forward women in mind.

Baume & Mercier has situated itself as one of the world’s premier luxury watch brands. From its inception, the brand’s motto was “accept only perfection,” which stands true today. The Greek letter Phi has appeared in each of their dials since 1964 and is meant to symbolize “the Golden Ratio.” This ratio is present throughout nature, offering a perpetually pleasing symmetry to all those who see it. Much like Baume & Mercier seek to do in every piece that they create.