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Baume & Mercier Riviera 42mm Mens Watch Blue
Ref. BMM0A10659
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Stepping up in Baume & Mercier's range
The Riviera line dates to 1973, when Baume & Mercier gave it a twelve-sided bezel held by four exposed screws — a shape that read as distinctly architectural at the time and has remained the collection's signature ever since. This GMT variant carries that same case into travel-watch territory, using a red-tipped fourth hand that sweeps a 24-hour scale to track a second time zone without displacing the main time display. At just under 11mm thick, it sits flatter than most watches doing this job, and the 42mm width keeps it proportional without becoming conspicuous under a cuff. The sun-satin blue dial develops a wave motif intended to evoke the Riviera coastline, and the texture shifts noticeably as the light changes angle — the dauphine hands and Roman numerals sit above it clearly, loaded with Super-LumiNova that glows blue in the dark. The integrated rubber strap has a canvas-like grain and is built around Baume & Mercier's tool-free quick-change system, so swapping to another strap or bracelet takes seconds rather than a trip to a watchmaker.
- Reference
- BMM0A10659
- Brand
- Baume & Mercier
- Collection
- Riviera
- Case size
- 42mm
- Case thickness
- 10.96mm
- Case material
- Stainless steel
- Case shape
- Octagonal
- Dial
- Blue
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Movement
- Automatic
- Calibre
- ETA 2893
- Functions
- GMT, Date
- Water resistance
- 100m
- Bracelet / strap
- Rubber strap
- Strap colour
- Blue
- Clasp
- Deployant clasp
- Lume
- Super-LumiNova
- Retailer
- Mappin & Webb
Additional specifications
- Power reserve
- 42 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 5 collections
This watch appears in the Baume & Mercier Riviera range (19), Stainless Steel Watches (3,465), Automatic Watches (1,791), Blue Dial Watches (944) and GMT Watches (257).
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
- Second time zone for travelling
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 | BMM0A10659 | L38124636 | 129766 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £2,900 | £2,950 | £3,035 |
| Case size | 42mm | 42mm | 42mm |
| Water resistance | 100m | 100m | 100m |
| Movement | Automatic | Automatic | Automatic |
| Strap | Rubber strap | Stainless steel bracelet | Rubber strap |
| Power reserve | 42 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.
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 42 hours fully wound — enough to survive a night off the wrist, but not a full weekend.
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, so there is nothing to compare it against today.
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