Baume & Mercier is delighted that Watches & Wonders returned as a physical event in Geneva this year. Whether we are talking about celebrity gossip, fitness advice or watch brands, the internet and social media are dominated by the loudest and largest.
In contrast, Watches and Wonders, which is organised by a committee dominated by Richemont, gave Baume & Mercier the sort of equal billing within the hallowed halls of Geneva Palexpo that the digital world denies it.
Baume & Mercier even managed to secure poll position, the first brand you saw after entering the show, and used it to draw attention to its game-changing Riviera collection.
The pandemic may have made it tougher for Baume & Mercier to be heard above the din of larger brands, but the business used the time wisely to rethink the way it does business, redesign its best-selling collections and position itself to capitalise on new opportunities, according to CEO David Chaumet.
Speaking to WATCHPRO in August, he said that Baume & Mercier’s sales had been impacted by the pandemic, but not as much as its competitors.
Richemont does not publish a breakdown of turnover by each of its maisons, but Morgan Stanley’s annual report confirms Mr Chaumet’s assertion.
Sales dropped from CHF 89 million in 2019 to CHF 62 million in 2020, but had already bounced back to CHF 68 million last year and — thanks in part to the return of Watches and Wonders — should be back above pre-pandemic levels in 2022.
“Watches and Wonders was fantastic for us. We had a great response from press and partners,” Mr Chaumet shares.
Along with presenting the latest versions of its blockbuster Riviera collection, Baume & Mercier also unveiled a new retail concept for shop-in-shops and boutiques. It is an important development, and part of a broader strategy to deepen relationships with existing and new partners.
Baume & Mercier boutiques are in the works around the world. There is already one in Paris, run by local partner Harrison, and plans are well advanced to open an additional monobrand store in the Hainan province in China.
In the UK, the focus is on working with the best retail partners, and helping them to sell Baume & Mercier watches.
“We want to work with partners that are proud to be representing Baume & Mercier and want to put our watches in front of customers,” Mr Chaumet says.
Central to those retail partnerships is AFH, which is responsible for distribution in the UK.
Keith Sheppard and Steve Brydon, who worked together successfully at SWICO for many years, have recently been reunited to drive the Baume & Mercier business forward.
They will build on strong online sales, described by Mr Chaumet as “higher than average”, compared to other Western markets, with a focus on nurturing the right partners in major cities.
Independent retailers and major multiples are both welcome if they bring the right mix of location, enthusiasm and customer profile for watches in the £1,500 to £3,000 price range.
Baume & Mercier delivers some of the most attractive, high quality watches in this price range, and the revival of the Riviera collection has given the brand a platform watch with instant appeal.
Parent company Richemont expects Baume & Mercier to be attractive to people buying their first Swiss watch; a 21st birthday treat, graduation gift or a first piece bought with a bonus, perhaps.
The styling is right in the sweet spot for today: sporty, elegant, and wearable all day and every day from the gym to the gala or beach to boardroom.
Riviera watches were first launched in 1973 and inspired, as the name suggests, by the lifestyle of the emerging jet set spending their summer on the Mediterranean.
That history has fed into the current bestselling collection, which combines avant-garde ‘70s design with modern watchmaking’s quality, reliability and precision.
There are 36mm, 42mm and 43mm sizes in the collection, which has options for both men and women and the choice of quartz or automatic movements.
Top of the line is the Riviera Baumatic edition, housing the in-house Baumatic movement launched by Baume & Mercier in 2018.
The automatic movement, with a silicon balance spring, has five-day power reserve, a daily precision of -4 s / +6 s, and a magnetic resistance of 1500 Gauss.
The Baumatic Riviera is available with a smoky blue decorated sapphire dial on an integrated steel bracelet, or with a gray dial in combination with a black leather strap.
In the 42mm range there are automatic watches with textured dials that will make some think of mountain tops and others think it looks like a choppy ocean.
They have bold applied hour markets with Roman numerals at 6 and 12 o’clock. Swiss made quartz or automatic movements are available in 36mm models with blue or silver dials.
New for 2022 is the 42mm grey-hued Riviera 10660 with a steel case, titanium bezel and a slate dial that can be worn on interchangeable steel or grey rubber straps. It retails for £2,550.
Also revealed at Watches and Wonders in March was the Riviera 10702 with a smoky grey sapphire dial, offering a view of the gear trains of the Baumatic manufacture movement, and an integrated steel bracelet. It is on sale for £3,190.
The Riviera collection, like its Mediterranean namesake, is irresistible to ladies as well as men.
One of the most eye-catching watches launched this year is the Riviera 10677 Coastline, a 33mm model decorated with 63 diamonds set in a representation of the French Riviera seaboard around Monaco and Saint Tropez that sparkles next to a deep blue sunray dial representing the sea.
