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Baume & Mercier Riviera 42mm Mens Watch Black
Ref. BMM0A10621
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Stepping up in Baume & Mercier's range
The Riviera name goes back to 1973, when Baume & Mercier introduced a case with twelve sides — a shape that referenced the geometry of the French Riviera's coastline without reproducing it literally. This reference is a direct continuation of that original, keeping the dodecagonal bezel with its four corner screws and the textured dial whose relief pattern abstracts mountains meeting water. At 42mm with a case only 10.66mm deep, it wears closer to the wrist than that diameter might suggest, and the integrated bracelet keeps the proportions coherent rather than letting the case float above the links. The dial repays attention in changing light: the relief texture shifts between flat and dimensional depending on the angle, which gives a black surface considerably more life than a simple lacquered finish. The bracelet fastens with a push-button double deployant and can be swapped without tools using Baume & Mercier's own quick-release system — useful if the owner later wants a strap. Inside sits a Sellita SW200, a Swiss automatic with a 38-hour power reserve that is straightforward to service and has no notable weaknesses; it is not a manufacture movement, but it is a genuinely good one, chosen here for dependability rather than as a shortcut.
- Reference
- BMM0A10621
- Brand
- Baume & Mercier
- Collection
- Riviera
- Case size
- 42mm
- Case thickness
- 10.66mm
- Case material
- Stainless steel
- Case shape
- Octagonal
- Dial
- Black
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Movement
- Automatic
- Calibre
- Sellita SW200
- Functions
- Date
- Water resistance
- 100m
- Bracelet / strap
- Stainless steel bracelet
- Strap colour
- Silver
- Clasp
- Deployant clasp
- Lume
- Luminous
- Retailer
- Mappin & Webb
Additional specifications
- Power reserve
- 38 hours
- Origin
- Swiss made
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), Back in Stock (1,916) and Automatic Watches (1,472).
What the specifications mean
A mechanical watch for everyday wear.
Strengths
- 100m water resistance covers swimming and watersports
- Sapphire crystal, which resists scratching
- Luminous hands and markers for low light
Worth knowing
- 38-hour reserve means winding it after a day off
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 | BMM0A10621 | L38124532 | 01 733 7802 8766-07 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £2,675 | £2,850 | £2,700 |
| Case size | 42mm | 42mm | 41mm |
| Water resistance | 100m | 100m | 100m |
| Movement | Automatic | Automatic | Automatic |
| Strap | Stainless steel bracelet | Leather strap | Fabric strap |
| Power reserve | 38 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?
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 38 hours fully wound — so it will usually stop if you leave it off overnight.
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 £2,675. There is nothing to compare it against today.
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