Baume et Mercier launched the new Riviera Azur 300 (10716 and 10717), a diver’s watch that expands the current Riviera collection. Price €/$ 4,150
Half a century has passed since the creation of the Riviera, a name that Baume et Mercier chose as a reference to the casually elegant lifestyle of the French Riviera.
The link with the sea world is even more evident in the new Riviera Azur 300, a visually compelling diver’s watch that expands the current Riviera collection.
Unveiled by Baume et Mercier on the occasion of the Watches and Wonders 2023 exhibition in Geneva, the Riviera Azur 300 maintains the distinctive design codes of the line, including the renowned twelve-sided bezel, while developing a more rugged, athletic look.
Presented in blue (ref. M0A10716) or black (M0A10717), the new model comes in a 42 mm x 11.97 mm stainless steel case with satin-brushed surfaces and polished edges to highlight the dynamic lines.
The unidirectional rotating bezel features a 60-minute scale that allows the wearer to calculate diving time. To mark the portion most often used for timing decompression stops, a blue or black lacquered treatment marks the gradation of the first fifteen minutes. A blue or black anodized aluminum ring with notches improves the handling.
The octogonal crown with Phi logo embossed and a blue or black line is protected from impacts by two guards and screwed down in order to guarantee water-resistance up to a pressure of 30 ATM (300 meters / 984 feet).
Protected by a sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment on both sides, the dial is characterised by a smoky blue or black decorated sapphire that, thanks to its transparency, offers glimpses of the gear trains of the Baumatic mechanical movement.
The tips of the specially shaped rhodium-plated hours/minutes hands and the blue seconds hand with Phi logo on counterweight are enhanced by beige or grey Super-LumiNova that glows in blue in darker environments. White Super-LumiNova (with blue emission too) is used for the riveted Roman numerals and indexes. An enlarged date aperture between 4 and 5 o’clock completes the dial indications.
Secured with 4 screws, the sapphire crystal caseback showcases the manufacture Baumatic BM13-1975A calibre and its oscillating weight.
This 4 Hz (28,800 vibrations per hour) self-winding movement offers outstanding performances: a five-day power reserve, a daily precision of -4 s / +6 s, and a magnetic resistance up to 1500 Gauss, which provides solid protection against magnetic fields on an everyday basis.
Thanks to its 120-hour power reserve, the Riviera Azur 300 watch can be left from Thursday evening until Tuesday morning and still run.
These multi-purpose models may be mounted on a a rubber strap or a stainless steel bracelet for a variety of looks. They feature Baume et Mercier’s own user-friendly “Fast Strap” interchangeability system that makes it possible to change straps without the need for tools.
Available from June 2023, the new Baume et Mercier Riviera Azur 300 has a suggested retail price of Euro 4,150 with rubber strap or Euro 4,350 with steel bracelet.
Baume et Mercier offers a comprehensive eight-year warranty for any model equipped with a Baumatic caliber: Two regulatory years and a six-year extension are made available to watch owners simply by registering on the website of the brand when activating the warranty. baume-et-mercier.com
How it feels in hand and wears on the wrist needs to be discovered. Were you able to handle it in the flesh at W&W? It certainly is a great looking dive watch, especially the version with the black smoked glass dial on a black rubber strap w/blue lume, as pictured. TAG Aquaracer-esque in design, which is a good thing, imho.
ReplyDeleteYes, one of our team handled it at W&W (first two pictures were taken at the exhibition) and enjoyed it. We are planning one of our in-depth reviews with a lot of detailed pictures so stay tuned.
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