Jamie Weiss
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Baume & Mercier tweak the Clifton, introducing three new steel 39mm Baumatic-powered models with groovy crosshair dials, alongside a solid gold variant.The steel models feature tasteful dials in blue and salmon, with the white dial featuring in both the steel and gold cases.The big difference is that the watches are no longer COSC-certified, though the price has come down as well.Named after the ritzy beachside Cape Town suburb that’s home to some of the most beautiful beaches (and most expensive real estate) in South Africa, the Baume & Mercier Clifton is a watch that has always exuded quiet confidence. Charming but unflashy, it’s an ideal everyday watch that can take you from boardwalk to boardroom and back. Watches and Wonders 2025 sees Baume tweak the Clifton line, refining its value proposition further.There’s four new models in the range – three steel, one gold – all of which feature 39mm cases, which represents a 1mm shrink-down from previous time-and-date-only Cliftons. They also sport tasteful, ’50s-inspired sector (or perhaps more accurately, crosshair) dials, with a single Arabic 12 at the top, a date window at 6 o’clock, and riveted baton indices for the other hours. Moving the date window to 6 will please those who love visual symmetry.All three are powered by the Baumatic BM13-1975 A, which has an impressive five-day power reserve and is finished to an impressive level for this price point, with c?tes de Geneve, perlage and, in the gold model’s case, a gold rotor.First up, we have a steel model, the ref. 10771, which features a dark blue lacquered fume dial of a style we’re used to seeing from Baume, but that’s no bad thing. Slightly more interesting is the ref. 10778, a limited edition with an opaline salmon dial that feels particularly ’50s. But the most classic-looking of the three is the 18k pink gold ref. 10802, which has a grained off-white dial that makes the watch look like it’s straight from a vintage auction. This model shares a dial with the steel, bracelet-equipped ref. 10793, though Baume & Mercier’s imagery suggests that all the steel variants will be available on a bracelet, too.One notable difference between these Cliftons and the last generation of time-and-date-only Clifton references is that these new models are no longer COSC-certified. However, they haven’t changed the movement – so perhaps they’re just sparing the cost of having to submit these pieces to COSC. On that, they’ve also dropped the price by A$250 – a rarity in an industry where some brands bullishly push multiple price rises a year and virtually no brand lowers their prices – and the gold model is exceptionally keenly priced for a solid gold watch.Baume & Mercier Clifton 39mm pricing & availabilityThe Baume & Mercier Clifton 39m is available now. The salmon ref. 10778 is a limited edition of 350 pieces. Price: US$3,450, A$5,250 (steel, strap), US$3,600, A$5,400 (steel, bracelet), A$14,000 (gold)BrandBaume & MercierModelCliftonReference Number10771107781079310802Case Dimensions39mm (D) x 11.2mm (T) (steel)39mm (D) x 11.54mm (T) (gold)Case MaterialStainless steel18k pink goldWater Resistance50 metresCrystal(s)Sapphire front and backDialDark blue lacquered fume (10771)Opaline salmon (10778)Grained off-white (10793, 10802)StrapBlue alligator (10771)Black calfskin, additional beige calfskin (10778)Steel bracelet (all steel models, optional)Brown alligator (10802)MovementBaumatic BM13-1975 A, automaticPower Reserve120 hoursFunctionsHours, minutes, seconds, dateAvailabilityAvailable now, 10778 limited edition of 350 piecesPriceUS$3,450, A$5,250 (steel, strap)US$3,600, A$5,400 (steel, bracelet)A$14,000 (gold)
03.04.25