Baume et Mercier Clifton Baumatic Watch Review

Baume et Mercier Clifton Baumatic Watch Review

Baume et Mercier Clifton Baumatic Watch Review

For several years, Baume & Mercier had nurtured 

Baume et Mercier Clifton Baumatic Watch Review

A normal brand image made to stimulate the life-style and mood from the Hamptons, the affluent American beach resort that, for me, had little effect on the Swiss brand. More consistent with marketing for an organization like Patek Philippe, with perfect families running barefoot within the sand, Baume & Mercier has finally, and wisely, (almost) abandoned the Hamptons - you will find presently just 3 references from the Hampton around the website.

Rather of staging a make believe paradise in the SIHH stand this season, Baume & Mercier made the decision to obtain technical and introduce its BM12-1975A calibre having a stand meant to highlight the mechanical attributes and qualities of their new game-altering movement. Rather of whitewashed decking and artfully arranged seashells, there have been serious, gray didactic panels outlining the 4 primary qualities from the new movement: anti-magnetism, autonomy, chronometric precision and sturdiness.

Getting trusted ETA and Sellita-sourced movements previously, this latest chapter in Baume & Mercier’s history has been written with some help from its buddies the same shape as Richemont Group’s movement manufacturer, Horlogère ValFleurier. Because the supplier of certain movements for brands like Montblanc, IWC, Panerai as well as Vacheron Constantin’s entry-level calibre 1326 powering the FiftySix collection, the choice to involve ValFleurier in producing a computerized movement for Baume & Mercier makes lots of sense. Given Baume & Mercier’s position like a first rung around the luxury Richemont watch ladder, the expense involved with developing its very own manufacture could have been crazy and fly when confronted with the brand’s motto to create “affordable luxury watches”.  Within the spirit from the good reputation for Volkswagen (people’s vehicle), designed to give the public in particular an inexpensive, well-designed and reliable vehicle, the Clifton Baumatic is a perfect entry-level watch.

Housed in a stainless-steel situation calculating 40mm, how big the Clifton Baumatic is flexible and it is slim profile (height 10.3mm) wears well on just about any wrist. In addition, the look is well-thought having a domed caseback, which enables to have an even thinner caseband. This visual trick again makes all the watch slimmer than it truly is (though it may be already not too thick).

The round situation, such as the stainless bracelet

Features polished and satin-finished details for any contemporary, urban touch. The pristine, simple white-colored dial, that might help remind a number of you from the JLC Geophysic, evokes a rather 1950s mood and it has been sand-blasted and lacquered allow it an enamel-like finish. Unlike its brother, the COSC-certified chronometer model, this model doesn't feature the central mix or even the word CHRONOMETER printed on its dial.

The skinny elongated and polished hour markers add a little class just like the spear-formed rhodium-plated hands. The minute’s hands reaches completely to the black printed chapter ring for precision readings from the minutes. The date at 3 o’clock and all sorts of information printed around the dial is black for any look that's crisp, neat and legible simultaneously. The general design is clean, quite elegant and discreet (something you may expect from B&M), however, proportions are right and adding a steel bracelet gives more versatility, more casualness for this watch. In a nutshell, it is really an all-rounder, which may be worn in many conditions - business or leisure - or which will please individuals who reside in warmer areas around the globe. A significant contender within the one-watch collection.

Overturn side reveals the device-finished adornments from the movement - bridges with circular grained decor, an openworked oscillating weight adorned with “C?tes de Genève” and snailed adornments, etc… - and a few of the components accountable for its solid mechanical credentials.

Like its certified brother, the Clifton Baumatic five daysOrChronometer, this model maintains chronometer-level precision but hasn’t gone through the COSC tests - which makes it much more accessible although not compromising one iota of technical quality. Calibre BM12-1975A may be the first Richemont Group movement to mix a plastic balance spring along with a high-performance escapement. Resilience to magnetic fields continues to be countered with plastic technology and also the hairspring, plenty for everyday existence situations.

The ability reserve has additionally been addressed 

And also the Clifton Baumatic provides an impressive 5-day/120-hour degree of autonomy, around three occasions the ability reserve of the standard automatic watch (most ETA/Selitta movements possess a 38-hour or perhaps a 42-hour power reserve). Another reassuring feature from the movement is its precision rating (-4/ 6 seconds/day) on the componen with COSC chronometer standards.

Additionally towards the model with chronometer certification, all of the series production watches bearing the Baumatic? movement are adjusted towards the same exacting standards through the entire 120-hour power reserve. The 4th front is durability and Richemont’s Research & Innovation Teams allow us lubricants that keep going longer and lower the regularity of watch service and maintenance, between 5 to 7 years. Again, this really is evidence of pragmatism.