NEW Watches & Wonders 2024 Release – The Baume et Mercier Riviera Tideograph Limited Edition Watch

Set sail with the new Baume et Mercier Riviera Tideograph Limited Edition watch and utilise its innovative tide-measuring complication to track the tide wherever you are in the world.

Back to the 1970s…

Back in the 1970s, the Baume et Mercier Riviera was the watch to own. It was already a classic and didn’t need to prove itself. Released in 1973, the Riviera occupied that niche space in the market that everyone wanted a piece of – the sports watch sector. It conveyed the right character, the perfect proportions and a striking aesthetic that ticked all the right boxes. It spoke the right language and sat on all the right wrists. Men of style and charisma wore the Riviera watch by Baume et Mercier and I’m pleased to report that since then, not much has changed. In comparison to more modern versions, the older Riviera watches of yesteryear look significantly more classic than the modern versions we see here before us today. That’s because the Swiss brand has evolved and moved with the times, honing into the needs of the modern wearer and transforming the Riviera into a watch that is just as stylish today as it once was back then.

Baume et Mercier had always intended the Riviera to be worn as a sports watch. The watch was even tied to the rim of a sports car to prove its toughness. Today, the Baume et Mercier watch expresses a balance of elegance and sportiness. And the same goes for the most recent models to be launched by the brand at this year’s Watches and Wonders 2024 event.

The Foundations of the Legendary Riviera Watch

Baume et Mercier has been striking the perfect balance between pertinent creativity and Swiss excellence since 1830. As one of the oldest watchmakers still in manufacture, its values in quality craftsmanship and superior accuracy are shared with those looking for a daily beater, a sports watch or a statement piece to show off. The beginnings of the brand date back to a time before the Richemont Group it now belongs to. Since the 1920s, the brand has been developing high-quality wristwatches for every type of collector. Its earliest timepieces garnered interest with their striking rectangular-shaped cases. Since the early 20th Century, ladies' watches have also been playing an integral role in Baume et Mercier’s success. Then, during the 1950s, the brand adopted a Greek letter for its logo, symbolising the “pursuit of balance”. Ever since then, Baume et Mercier has been striving to offer a balanced catalogue of designs, with models like the Hampton, Classima and Riviera all offering something a little different.

The Baume et Mercier Riviera has always been loved for its retro 1970s aesthetics. The line was designed by Jean-Claude Gueit and introduced in 1973, featuring an integrated bracelet and a 12-sided bezel. Four prominent decorative screws also characterised the exterior of the case, achieving a design that was reminiscent of the models developed by Gerlad Genta. Still to this day, the Baume et Mercier Riviera watch collection is a diversified range of dial colours and styles. There are GMT complications, chronograph versions and even moon phase iterations to be found. Today, the brand continues the story of the Riviera watch design, with a selection of new models that are inspired by the peaceful and serene sea resort it takes its name.

The New Baume et Mercier Riviera Tideograph 10761

Capturing the inimitable atmosphere, the emotion, and the contrasts of the coastline from which it takes its inspiration, the new Baume et Mercier Riviera Tideograph is part of a much bigger series that celebrates the infinitely charming spot, along with the sea element that inspires this new model. The essence of the sailing experience is personified in the model’s deep blue dial, punctuated by silvery tones that create highly contrasting elements when telling the time. The famous dodecagonal bezel, crafted from stainless steel features in the new Watches and Wonders 2024 Rivier watch release, retaining its sporty charm and elegant character. The watch has been produced in a limited run of just 500 pieces and promises tide measurement capabilities. This useful tideograph function sits at 6 o’clock, where you would normally see a small seconds subsidiary counter or a date window. The tide disc bar enables you to track the ocean’s 12-hour tide cycle and can be adjusted by the 4 o’clock crown. It’s the biggest change to the Riviera watch collection so far, donating a technical edge to the dial and featuring four quadrants and two 12-hour indicators. Essentially, you will use the pusher to set the point you are at, according to the tide cycle of your location.

This niche complication is joined by a marine-blue dial with a segmented main display featuring a minute track around the edge, a second section for the hours, and an inner circle where the hands sit. The central second hand, adorned with the Baumer et Mercier logo as a counterweight, is joined by faceted, Super-LumiNova-coated hour and minute hands and a set of 12 baton markers that are also luminous in the dark. This new Baume et Mercier Riviera Tideograph watch is 300-meter water-resistant and measures 43mm in diameter. This measures larger than the standard Riviera watches (39mm and 42mm sizes). It can also be differentiated from other models thanks to the addition of the black ADLC-coated screws on the bezel, as opposed to the usual unadorned steel ones. The dial itself is also finished in a beautiful sunray finish rather than a coloured crystal dial.

Fitted inside the case and beautifully exhibited behind a sapphire crystal glass caseback is an automatic Baume et Mercier movement that provides an autonomy of 120 hours once fully wound. The limited-to-500-piece watch is also fitted on a matching blue integrated rubber strap that can be easily swapped for a stainless steel bracelet or a leather band, courtesy of a quick-change system.

Get the New Baume et Mercier Riviera Tideograph Limited Edition Watch at Jura Watches

If you’d like to place an order for one of the 500 limited edition Baume et Mercier Riviera Tideograph watches, you can call and speak to a member of our Jura Watches sales team today on 01335 45345 or email us a question at help@jurawatches.co.uk