By Baume & Mercier a Riviera with perpetual calendar

The Riviera watch by Baume & Mercier turns 50. After the relaunch in 2021 with a fifth generation, the symbolic timepiece of the Maison arrived in two years with different versions (three hands, diving, chronograph, moon phase, GMT) proposed in different sizes (from 33 to 43 mm in diameter), always with 12-sided bezel. Baume & Mercier now presents a Riviera in a 40 mm diameter steel version in a limited edition of 50 pieces, equipped with a manufacture watchmaking complication considered among the most valuable of all: the perpetual calendar. A movement known for its performance and one of the most fascinating watchmaking complications, this Riviera Perpetual Calendar translates the modern and recognizable vision of the Maison’s savoir-faire.

The 50th anniversary marks half a century since the debut, in 1973, of the Baume & Mercier model: the Riviera. The steel case and twelve-sided bezel represent a different style from that of classic watchmaking. The watch appeals to those looking for casual originality and sporty elegance. At the time, the so-called classic watches were almost all made of gold, while Baume & Mercier chose steel, for a sporty and elegant style. That the name Riviera evokes the nautical activities of the French Riviera and its social life.

The model is the result of the work of watch designer Jean-Claude Gueit, a contemporary of Gérald Genta. Considered the first sporty-chic watch with a universal vocation, the Riviera has always challenged preconceptions. And with the Perpetual Calendar version, Baumatic indicates that fine watchmaking can marry style and informality. The new model has a steel case measuring 40 mm in diameter and just 11.8 mm thick. It is equipped with a Baumatic manufacture movement with Dubois-Dépraz module, five-day power reserve and the finest watchmaking finishes: bridges with perlage decoration, sandblasted mainplate finished with colimaçon motifs, golden oscillating weight perfectly matched to the color of the dial and perforated with Côtes de Genève decorations with colimaçon finish, exclusive Baume & Mercier engraving.

In 2023 for its 50th anniversary, the Maison reinterprets the Riviera Baumatic model with the launch of the Riviera 50th Anniversary Special Edition, limited to 273 pieces. The special edition stands out for discreet details, such as the date 1973 placed like a secret signature on the transparent blue sapphire crystal dial, the Maison’s Phi logo on the counterweight of the second hand and a blue ring in the center of the case that gives even more refinement to the timepiece.

The scratch-resistant sapphire crystal is subjected to an anti-reflective treatment on both sides and the bezel, in polished and sunray-brushed stainless steel, is secured by four polished screws. Each example also has a special engraving with the Limited Edition numbering. The flagship model of the collection, the Riviera Perpetual Calendar Baumatic recalls the historic timepiece from 1985, characterized then by a complete calendar with indication of the date, day, month and moon phases. While inspired by the past, it looks decisively to the future: the great harmony of the dial harks back to the golden times of the history of watchmaking. The golden color with a vertical satin finish and diamond edge around the counters, to underline the functions of the dial with vintage accents, creates a direct relationship between yesterday and today, laying the foundations for the future. The indexes are riveted and rhodium-plated. The skeletonized hour and minute hands, also rhodium-plated, are stylishly paired with a blued steel hand with a counterweight in the shape of the Phi symbol and polished and blued steel subdial hands. The moon phase disc is shiny gold and blue. Accompanied by a reworked three-row integrated steel bracelet with decorative bevels on the central link, this model is equipped with the exclusive and highly reliable strap interchangeability system that allows you to change style in a few seconds without special tools.

Riviera 10742
AUTOMATIC WATCH, PERPETUAL CALENDAR – 40 MM
MOVEMENT
Swiss Made
Automatic winding
Frequency 28800.0vph/4.0hz
Power reserve: 120 hours
Rubies 21
EARNINGS
Dodecagonal shape
Diameter: 40mm
Thickness 11.84 mm
Steel, satin polished
Closed caseback, Chassé
CLOCK FACE
Hands Grey, Dauphine
BRACELET
Polished satin steel
WATERPROOF
50 meters
PRICE
€19,500