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Baume & Mercier Classima 40mm Mens Watch Silver
Ref. BMM0A10853
The Classima has long been Baume & Mercier's answer to the question of what a Swiss dress watch looks like when it resists the urge to be clever. This iteration keeps faith with that brief: a round polished case, a silver opaline dial worked with a barleycorn grain, and 4N gold-tone Roman numerals and leaf hands that bring warmth without gilding anything unnecessarily. At 9mm thick, 40mm wide, it disappears under a cuff in the way a formal watch should, and the proportions read as balanced rather than cautious for a wrist that suits that diameter. The dial's sun-satin finishing shifts as the light moves across it — the grain d'orge texture giving it something to do other than simply reflect. Through the exhibition caseback, the SW200 is visible: a movement built for reliable daily service and straightforward servicing when the time comes, which for a watch worn this regularly matters more than it might in a safe-queen. The dark brown alligator-patterned calfskin strap connects via a quick-release spring bar, so swapping it for something darker or more formal takes seconds and no tools.
- Reference
- BMM0A10853
- Brand
- Baume & Mercier
- Case size
- 40mm
- Case thickness
- 9mm
- Case material
- Stainless steel
- Case shape
- Round
- Dial
- Silver
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Movement
- Automatic
- Calibre
- Sellita SW200
- Functions
- Date
- Water resistance
- 50m
- Bracelet / strap
- Leather strap
- Strap colour
- Brown
- Clasp
- Buckle
- Lume
- Luminous
- Retailer
- Mappin & Webb
Additional specifications
- Power reserve
- 38 hours
- Origin
- Swiss made
- Warranty
- 2 years
- 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 6 collections
This watch appears in Stainless Steel Watches (2,516), Automatic Watches (1,407), Back in Stock (1,193), Leather Strap Watches (808), Silver Dial Watches (558) and Dress Watches (419).
What the specifications mean
A slim watch on leather, made for wearing with a shirt.
Strengths
- 40mm suits most wrists
- 9mm is unusually slim for a 40mm case
- Sapphire crystal, which resists scratching
- Luminous hands and markers for low light
Worth knowing
- 50m suits rain and handwashing, not swimming
- 38-hour reserve means winding it after a day off
Compare alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | BMM0A10853 | R27056162 | 01 754 7798 4065-07 8 20 06 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £1,690 | £1,700 | £1,750 |
| Case size | 40mm | 40mm | 40mm |
| Water resistance | 50m | 50m | 50m |
| Movement | Automatic | Automatic | Automatic |
| Strap | Leather strap | Ceramic bracelet | Stainless steel bracelet |
| Power reserve | 38 hours | 80 hours | 41 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.
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, 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 new, at £1,690. There is nothing to compare it against today.
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