The big story for Baume & Mercier at last year’s SIHH was the Baumatic. The break-through in-house movement the brand introduced set benchmarks for accuracy, service intervals (five years), power reserve (five days) and anti-magnetism (up to 1,500 gauss). This year at SIHH, Baume & Mercier has upped its Baumatic game, introducing four new models, headed up by the Baumatic Perpetual Calendar.
“The Baumatic is the future of Baume & Mercier,” says Geoffroy Lefebvre, CEO, in an exclusive interview with Revolution.Watch. “I would like the Baumatic caliber to become the signature of our Maison. Not only a technical and aesthetic signature, but one that expresses our commitment to the highest expectations of our customers with zero compromises on quality.”
Clifton Baumatic Perpetual Calendar
The Clifton Baumatic Perpetual Calendar combines this revolutionary movement with a traditional complication. The new Clifton Baumatic Perpetual Calendar is both modern and timeless, its “warm white” porcelain dial finish and facetted riveted hour markers and gold-tone hour, minute and seconds hands speak to watchmaking traditions, as does the complication itself. Clearly displayed by three counters are the traditional perpetual calendar indications: the first at 9 o’clock for the day of the week, the second at 12 o’clock for the month and leap year cycle, and the third at 3 o’clock for the day of the month. These functions are indicated by blued hands, and a moon phase indication appears on the dial at 6 o’clock.
The Baumatic Perpetual Calendar comes in a thin (just 12.1 mm), 42 mm satin-finished 18K red gold case. Sapphire crystal protect both the front and the back, the back revealing the calibre’s finishes, such as the circular-grained bridges and the sand-blasted, snailed baseplate. Within the movement, the lyre is shaped like the Phi character, the Baume & Mercier symbol, representing the brand’s quest for perfection.
The Clifton Baumatic Perpetual Calendar comes on an easily interchangeable black alligator strap with an 18K red gold buckle.
Clifton Baumatic COSC — Two Versions
The Clifton Baumatic is offered in two COSC-certified versions. One in 39 mm satin-finished red gold with a “warm white” porcelain-effect dial, adorned with riveted gold hour markers like the perpetual calendar. A discreet anthracite grey pattern criss-crosses the dial, marking this as a COSC (Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute) certified timepiece. The seconds hand, also anthracite, is a nice contrast to the gold hour and minute hands.
The second COSC-certified version comes with a striking blue to black graduated sunburst dial, sporting a white minute track and rhodium-plated hands. The same cross pattern is in white, delineating this as a COSC timepiece. The stainless steel case is 40mm, and comes on either an interchangeable black alligator leather strap with a pin buckle or a five-row steel bracelet with a triple folding clasp and security push-pieces.
Clifton Baumatic Two-Tone
Finally, the Clifton Baumatic is available in a 40mm two-tone steel version featuring an 18-karat red gold bezel and a five-row steel and red gold bracelet. The face of this great-looking timepiece is a white dial with a porcelain-effect finish and rose gold hour, minute and second hands.
The Baumatic turned heads with its technical superiority and, thankfully, Baume & Mercier continues the Baumatic story with four great new timepieces.
