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Baume & Mercier Classima 31.5mm Ladies Watch
Ref. BM0A10329
The Classima collection draws on the clean geometry of 1960s Swiss dress-watch design, and this reference stays close to that brief: a round case kept to 7.1mm thin, which is genuinely slender for a watch carrying two complications. The moonphase sits behind an arched crescent aperture at the centre of the dial, sharing the space with a date, without the dial feeling crowded — a consequence of the sun-satin silver finish, which gives the surface depth without visual noise. Roman numerals and eight brilliant-cut diamonds take the place of applied indices, pulling the whole thing quietly toward jewellery territory without abandoning legibility. The glossy blue alligator strap is the most characterful decision on the watch. Against the silver case and dial it reads as a deliberate accent rather than a neutral choice, and it sits well against both pale and dark clothing. The Ronda 788 beneath all of this is a compact Swiss quartz calibre with a reputation for accuracy and a very low service footprint — well suited to a watch that will spend years worn, not maintained.
- Reference
- BM0A10329
- Brand
- Baume & Mercier
- Case size
- 31mm
- Case thickness
- 7.1mm
- Lug width
- 15mm
- Case material
- Stainless steel
- Case shape
- Round
- Dial
- Silver
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Movement
- Quartz
- Calibre
- Ronda 788
- Functions
- Date, Moonphase
- Water resistance
- 50m
- Bracelet / strap
- Leather strap
- Strap colour
- Blue
- Clasp
- Buckle
- Lume
- Luminous
- Retailer
- Mappin & Webb
Additional specifications
- Origin
- Swiss made
- Gem set
- Yes
Learn more about Baume & Mercier
The Baume brothers opened a watchmaking business in Les Bois in the Swiss Jura in 1830, and built a substantial export operation through a London office. The company won significant honours at nineteenth-century observatory trials, including a record for a chronograph tourbillon at Kew that stood for years.
The modern company dates from 1918, when William Baume partnered with Paul Mercier in Geneva. Mercier brought design sensibility, and the house's Art Deco pieces of the 1920s — shaped cases, jewelled dials, and the Phi emblem representing the golden ratio — established a decorative direction it has largely kept.
Baume & Mercier was among the founding members of the Geneva Seal system and produced complications including minute repeaters and perpetual calendars in its earlier decades.
Its modern position is deliberately accessible: classical Swiss watchmaking at prices below the group's luxury tier, with the Clifton, Riviera, and Hampton collections covering round dress watches, integrated-bracelet sports watches, and rectangular Art Deco shapes respectively. The Riviera, introduced in 1973, was among the first steel luxury sports watches with an integrated bracelet, arriving a year after the Royal Oak.
The house has been part of Richemont since the group's formation, and produces around two hundred thousand watches annually.
- 1830
- The Baume brothers begin watchmaking in Les Bois.
- 1892
- A Kew observatory record is set with a chronograph tourbillon.
- 1918
- William Baume and Paul Mercier partner in Geneva.
- 1973
- The twelve-sided Riviera launches.
Also in 6 collections
This watch appears in Stainless Steel Watches (2,516), Watches Under 37mm (1,313), Women's Watches (1,220), Back in Stock (1,193), Leather Strap Watches (808) and Silver Dial Watches (558).
What the specifications mean
A slim watch on leather, made for wearing with a shirt.
Strengths
- 31mm wears small and slips under any cuff
- Sapphire crystal, which resists scratching
- Luminous hands and markers for low light
Worth knowing
- 50m suits rain and handwashing, not swimming
Compare alternatives
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| Specification | BM0A10329 | MWW06G000013 | R20140712 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £1,875 | £1,899 | £1,900 |
| Case size | 31mm | 31mm | 31mm |
| Water resistance | 50m | 50m | 30m |
| Movement | Quartz | Quartz | Quartz |
| Strap | Leather strap | Stainless steel bracelet | Ceramic bracelet |
| This watch | Closely matched |
|
Your new watch
Frequently asked questions, and things you should know about this watch
Can I swim with it?
Showering yes, swimming no. 50m covers splashes and brief immersion, but a swimming stroke generates well above the pressure that figure describes.
Will the glass scratch?
Unlikely. Sapphire is second only to diamond in hardness and shrugs off everyday marking.
Does it need a battery?
Yes. It is quartz, so expect a battery change every two to three years at a jeweller.
What size strap does it take?
15mm. Any strap of that width will fit, and on most modern watches quick-release bars make the swap a two-minute job with no tools.
Is it a men's or women's watch?
Listed as women's.
Cheapest place to buy
Mappin & Webb is the only UK retailer we track stocking this reference new, at £1,875. There is nothing to compare it against today.
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