Baume & Mercier Add a Moonphase Complication to the Clifton Collection

This year’s Watches & Wonders was full of the highest of high horology, watches that exist purely to prove that they can exist. Some of the watches that are shown at Watches & Wonders, formerly SIHH, are about as far removed from the traditional mass market as you can get, and the marquee brands that show their latest and greatest pieces there, while certainly commercial, just live at a price point beyond that which we typically cover on Worn & Wound. But Baume & Mercier is an exception. Of all the Richemont brands, Baume is by far the most affordable, but that doesn’t mean that they get short shrift next to Panerai and Cartier. In fact, Baume & Mercier watches frequently incorporate much of the same high end movement features that those brands employ, but in a much more affordable package. The benefits of being part of a big luxury group. This year, Baume introduced a series of updates to their Clifton line, which we’ll take you through below.

Baume & Mercier Clifton Moon-Phase Date

• Case Material: Stainless steel
• Dial: White
• Dimensions: 42mm
• Crystal: Sapphire       
• Water Resistance: 50 meters  
• Crown: Push/pull                      
• Movement: BAUMATIC BM14 1975 AC1
• Strap/bracelet: Leather strap, stainless steel bracelet 
• Price: ~ $3,900
• Reference Number: M0A10552
• Expected Release: October

Baume & Mercier Clifton Day-Date Moon-Phase

• Case Material: Stainless steel
• Dial: Gray
• Dimensions: 42mm
• Crystal: Sapphire       
• Water Resistance: 50 meters  
• Crown: Push/pull                      
• Movement: BAUMATIC BM14 1975 AC2
• Strap/bracelet: Leather strap
• Price: ~ $4,100
• Reference Number: M0A10548
• Expected Release: October

The Clifton is a mainstay of the Baume & Mercier collection, and is as close as the brand gets to a simple, everyday watch. The Clifton is available in a variety of flavors on either side of the sporty/dressy line, and often features useful calendar complications. The line encompasses everything from sporty Clifton Clubs starting at around $2,000, all the way up to a pink gold perpetual calendar that sits just shy of $25,000. The new Moon-Phase Date and Day-Date Moon-Phase are decidedly more on the entry level point of the spectrum, but offer a ton of refinement for the money (and, if you want to go luxe, the Day-Date Moonphase has a pink gold variant in the $14,000 range).

The Moon-Phase Date can be thought of as a classic, modern dress watch. By that I mean that its style is mid 20th century to the core, but in terms of proportions and watchmaking tech, it’s very much of the current time. At 42mm, the Moon-Phase Date is sized like watches that are much sportier by comparison, but it’s obvious that Baume is going after a modern customer here who isn’t thinking about heritage watch sizing when deciding on a new timepiece. On the optional bracelet, the sizing makes a little more sense than a leather strap, as it lends the watch just a touch of sportiness. The dial is spare and allows the moonphase complication at 6:00 to be the star of the show. It’s a classic implementation of the old-school astronomical complication, with the moonphase encircled by a date indicator.

The Day-Date Moon-Phase is, naturally, very similar to the Moon-Phase Date, but adds a day of the week complication in a circular ring at 12:00. This adds a great deal of balance to the dial, and feels a bit more modern in design than the ultra traditional Moon-Phase Date. The more complicated watch also features a dial with a bit more drama, being gray with a subtle gradient effect. The cases of each appear exactly the same – the Day-Date Moon-Phase is still 42mm and retains the gently twisted lugs of the Moon-Phase Date. Both watches also feature automatic movements with a five day power reserve and silicon hairspring. 

Both of the new moonphase enabled watches from Baume & Mercier will be available in October. The Moon-Phase Date will retail for CHF 3,800, with the Day-Date Moon-Phase selling for 4,000 CHF in steel. Baume & Mercier