Tap the image to enlarge
Baume & Mercier Clifton 40mm Mens Watch Black
Ref. BM0A10692
See more premium optionsHide
Stepping up in Baume & Mercier's range
The Clifton line exists to carry Baume & Mercier's most serious watchmaking in a case that reads as a dress watch first. The movement here is the reason to pay attention: the in-house BM13-1975A is COSC-certified as a chronometer and deliberately engineered for strong anti-magnetic resistance, and its 120-hour power reserve means five days unworn before it needs winding — a practical figure for anyone who rotates between watches. At 40mm and 11.3mm thick, the case disappears under a shirt cuff without the strap bunching, which is less common than it ought to be for a watch at this water resistance. The black lacquered dial carries a white crosshair pattern at its centre — a quiet reference to navigation instruments that gives the dial something to look at without disturbing the dress-watch register. Rhodium-plated trapezoid indices and faceted alpha hands reward a second look; neither element shouts, but both are more considered than the format requires. The alligator strap fits flush at the lugs and releases without tools, which matters when you own more than one strap. The push-button deployant makes it secure enough for daily wear without the fuss of a buckle each morning.
- Reference
- BM0A10692
- Brand
- Baume & Mercier
- Collection
- Clifton
- Case size
- 40mm
- Case thickness
- 11.3mm
- Lug width
- 20mm
- Case material
- Stainless steel
- Case shape
- Round
- Dial
- Black
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Movement
- Automatic
- Calibre
- BM13-1975A
- Functions
- Date
- Water resistance
- 50m
- Bracelet / strap
- Leather strap
- Strap colour
- Black
- Clasp
- Deployant clasp
- Lume
- Luminous
- Retailer
- Mappin & Webb
Additional specifications
- Power reserve
- 120 hours
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 the Baume & Mercier Clifton range (5), Stainless Steel Watches (3,465), Back in Stock (3,377), Automatic Watches (1,791), Leather Strap Watches (1,142) and Dress Watches (590).
What the specifications mean
A mechanical watch for everyday wear.
Strengths
- 40mm suits most wrists
- Sapphire crystal, which resists scratching
- 120-hour reserve survives a weekend off the wrist
- Luminous hands and markers for low light
Worth knowing
- 50m suits rain and handwashing, not swimming
Baume & Mercier Clifton alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | BM0A10692 | R27107172 | L16504026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £2,560 | £2,350 | £2,800 |
| Case size | 40mm | 40mm | 40mm |
| Water resistance | 50m | 50m | 50m |
| Movement | Automatic | Automatic | Automatic |
| Strap | Leather strap | Ceramic bracelet | Stainless steel bracelet |
| Power reserve | 120 hours | 80 hours | 72 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?
Showering yes, swimming no. 50m covers splashes and brief immersion, but a swimming stroke generates well above the pressure that figure describes.
Water resistance explainedWill the glass scratch?
Unlikely. Sapphire is second only to diamond in hardness and shrugs off everyday marking.
Sapphire, mineral and acrylic comparedDoes it need a battery?
No. It is automatic — the motion of your wrist winds it, and there is no cell to replace.
Quartz, automatic and solar comparedHow 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, though at 40mm it sits in the range that suits anyone.
Cheapest place to buy
Mappin & Webb is the only UK retailer we track stocking this reference, so there is nothing to compare it against today.
More Baume & Mercier watches like the Clifton
In stock, and close on style and price
