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Baume & Mercier Riviera 42mm Mens Watch Black
Ref. BM0A10617
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Stepping up in the same dial colour
The Riviera shape dates to 1973, when Baume & Mercier introduced a twelve-sided case at a moment when the industry was learning that sport watches could carry genuine design ambition. This version updates that geometry in stainless steel finished with an amorphous diamond-like carbon coating — a process that produces the matte, near-black surface without the softness of conventional PVD, meaning it resists daily contact far better than the colour alone suggests. The smoked grey dial is translucent enough that the date ring beneath it reads as part of the architecture rather than an interruption, and at 10.66mm the case sits lower on the wrist than the 42mm width implies. The rubber strap is integrated into the case design and changes without tools, which matters more than it sounds on a watch this dressed-down — it means the pairing is considered rather than convenient. The Baumatic BM13-1975A running inside is built in-house, certified to chronometer tolerances, resistant to magnetic fields that would trouble most lever escapements, and winds to a five-day reserve, so Monday morning is rarely a concern.
- Reference
- BM0A10617
- Brand
- Baume & Mercier
- Collection
- Riviera
- Case size
- 42mm
- Case thickness
- 10.66mm
- Lug width
- 20mm
- Case material
- Black PVD
- Case shape
- Octagonal
- Dial
- Grey
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Movement
- Automatic
- Calibre
- BM13-1975A
- Functions
- Date
- Water resistance
- 100m
- Bracelet / strap
- Rubber strap
- Strap colour
- Black
- Clasp
- Deployant clasp
- Lume
- Luminous
- Retailer
- Mappin & Webb
Additional specifications
- Power reserve
- 120 hours
- Strap
- Interchangeable
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 4 collections
This watch appears in the Baume & Mercier Riviera range (14), Stainless Steel Watches (2,624), Automatic Watches (1,472) and Grey Dial Watches (217).
What the specifications mean
A mechanical watch for everyday wear.
Strengths
- 100m water resistance covers swimming and watersports
- Sapphire crystal, which resists scratching
- 120-hour reserve survives a weekend off the wrist
- Luminous hands and markers for low light
Baume & Mercier Riviera alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | BM0A10617 | 129766 | L38204736 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £3,160 | £3,035 | £3,000 |
| Case size | 42mm | 42mm | 42mm |
| Water resistance | 100m | 100m | 100m |
| Movement | Automatic | Automatic | Automatic |
| Strap | Rubber strap | Rubber strap | Stainless steel bracelet |
| Power reserve | 120 hours | — | 66 hours |
| This watch | Closely matched | Closely matched |
Your new watch
Frequently asked questions, and things you should know about this watch
Can I swim with it?
Yes. At 100m it is rated for swimming and snorkelling, though not for diving.
Will the glass scratch?
Unlikely. Sapphire is second only to diamond in hardness and shrugs off everyday marking.
Does it need a battery?
No. It is automatic — the motion of your wrist winds it, and there is no cell to replace.
How long does it run for when it's not worn?
About 120 hours fully wound — enough to sit off the wrist over a weekend and still be running.
What size strap does it take?
20mm. 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 men's.
Cheapest place to buy
Mappin & Webb is the only UK retailer we track stocking this reference new, at £3,160. There is nothing to compare it against today.
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