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Baume & Mercier Riviera 42mm Mens Watch Silver
Ref. BMM0A10829
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Stepping up in Baume & Mercier's range
The Riviera line dates to 1973, when Baume & Mercier introduced one of the first luxury sports watches built around a distinctive geometric bezel — the twelve-sided dodecagonal case surround that remains its signature half a century on. That bezel, alternating polished and satin planes, does the same work here that it always has: it catches light at angles a round bezel never would, giving the watch a different character indoors than it has in sunlight. The white dial is busier than it first appears. A wave motif runs across the surface, a black flange frames the minute track, and Roman numerals sit alongside riveted indexes — details that should compete but are held together by rhodium-plated hands whose faceting picks up the same contrast the bezel sets. At 10.66mm thick, the case sits closer to the wrist than the 100m rating might suggest, which keeps it comfortable under a shirt cuff despite the 24mm lug width. The bracelet integrates with the case rather than attaching to it, and Baume & Mercier's tool-free Fast Strap system means the metal can be swapped for a strap without a visit to a watchmaker. Through the exhibition caseback, the SW200 movement is visible — a Sellita calibre that is broadly similar in specification to an ETA 2824, well regarded for reliability and straightforward to service anywhere.
- Reference
- BMM0A10829
- Brand
- Baume & Mercier
- Collection
- Riviera
- Case size
- 42mm
- Case thickness
- 10.66mm
- Lug width
- 24mm
- Case material
- Stainless steel
- Case shape
- Octagonal
- Dial
- White
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Movement
- Automatic
- Calibre
- SW200
- Functions
- Chronograph, Date
- Water resistance
- 100m
- Bracelet / strap
- Stainless steel bracelet
- Strap colour
- Silver
- Clasp
- Deployant clasp
- Lume
- Super-LumiNova
- 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 5 collections
This watch appears in the Baume & Mercier Riviera range (14), Stainless Steel Watches (2,624), Back in Stock (1,916), Automatic Watches (1,472) and Chronograph Watches (1,010).
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 | BMM0A10829 | 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.
What size strap does it take?
24mm. 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 £2,675. There is nothing to compare it against today.
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