Watches & Wonders 2026: Baume & Mercier releases a new Riviera 39mm collection that takes inspiration from the first model released in 1973.
Baume & Mercier is one of those brands that tends to sit just outside the spotlight, although more recently, with its sale from the Richemont group, it’s been in it a little more. Baume & Mercier has been around longer than most realise. Founded in 1830, it’s built on a straightforward idea: make well-made watches that balance quality and accessibility. Over time, that’s translated into a consistent approach focused on solid watchmaking, clean design, and pieces that feel considered without trying too hard.
That balance really comes through in collections like the Riviera, which has been part of the brand’s lineup since 1973. With its distinctive twelve-sided bezel and integrated design, it offers something a bit different without overcomplicating things. Alongside more classic pieces and newer Baumatic-powered models, it highlights what Baume & Mercier does well in my mind – practical, good-looking watches that quietly make a case for themselves and are still relatively good value for money when it comes to luxury Swiss watches.
A Short Trip Back To The ’70s
This year, Baume & Mercier is taking a trip back in time, revisiting the iconic Riviera released in 1973. It was a time when integrated bracelet watches were the rage. In 1972, the now-famous Gerald Genta turned the watch world on its head with the inception of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, and again in 1976 with the Patek Philippe Nautilus and the IWC Ingenieur. Baume & Mercier’s Riviera sat in the middle of these creations thanks to Jean-Claude Gueit, father of current watch designer Emmanuel Gueit.
The Riviera From 1973.
You can see the design codes of the original Riviera here – the dodecagonal (12-sided) case, integrated steel bracelet with vertical brushing, and slimline design. These cues all flow through into the modern Riviera today.
Image courtesy of Time And Watches
The very first version of the Baume & Mercier Riviera (pictured above) was a quartz watch with smaller proportions, as was the trend in the 1970s. This is where the current Riviera takes its design cues from, with the 12-sided bezel, integrated-style bracelet, and clean dial. Baume & Mercier built upon this in the second generation of Riviera in 1980, with new colours and Riviera this time written on the dial. Then in 1983, an ultra-thin quartz, with a movement that was just 2.5 mm thick, came onto the scene.
Since then, we have seen another three generations of Riviera, the last being the fifth generation that was released in 2021, which has seen multiple size variants, ranging from 36 mm, to 39 mm through to 42 mm models, and even more complications, like the 41 mm chronograph released last year. And today, we see the next iteration of the Riviera in the form of three 39 mm quartz models, at 7.7 mm thick, blending parts of the modern-day watch, with aspects of its ancestor.
The New Collection
For Watches & Wonders 2026, Baume & Mercier has brought forth three new models that pay tribute to the 1973 quartz models. Each measures 39 mm in diameter x 7.7 mm thick and comes in three variants – two blue dials, one with an integrated steel bracelet, the other with a blue integrated leather strap. The third is a white dial on the steel bracelet.
The dials on each are done in Baume & Mercier’s wave pattern, which takes it inspriation from the Mediterranean seafloor as the currents move the sand around. I said when I reviewed the Riviera GMT back in 2023, it makes you think of holidaying on the Cote d’Azur, the white dial especially somehow takes you there with places along the Mediterranean having white Stucco walls. The blue dial really places you on the coast, looking at the ocean waves.
Where these differ from the current modern collection is the lack of a central seconds hand and luminous materials on the hands, numerals and indices. This cleans the dial up more and gives it a more minimalistic aesthetic, without losing the design codes that make the Riviera what it is.
Each is equipped with a quick-change bracelet or leather strap, making it easy to switch from one look to the other. Unfortunately, you do need to choose one or the other at this stage, and purchase the other if you want to have the option of both on any given day.
A Return To Quartz
With its return to its roots, Baume & Mercier has decided to give each of the new Riviera 73 pieces a quartz movement. This harkens back to the original in 1973, and has the benefit of being super accurate, like all quartz watches are, but also, allows the watches to be slim at just 7.7 mm thick.
Inside is the ETA F06.115 quartz movement, which has an extra-long 5-year battery life compared to standard quartz movements, most being about 2 years. The movement is housed in the stainless steel case, and hidden behind the caseback, which is adorned with vertical stripes, similar to what you would see on the deck of a boat, and typography inspired by the 1970s, echoing the collection’s origins.
Initial Thoughts
Having spent considerable time with several Riviera models over the past few years, from the 41 mm GMT, to the 39 mm Baumatic models and the 42 mm ADLC green dial, I have an appreciation for what Baume & Mercier stands for, and the watches and how they sit in today’s plethora of Swiss watches. To me, they represent a value proposition that is now getting rarer these days, with the time only, and GMT models still sitting under A$5,000 and the chronographs under A$6,000.
With the introduction of the new 39 mm quartz 73 collection, I can see these being a hit with those who want a good-looking, integrated steel sports watch and don’t want to pay an arm and a leg for it. The added bonus is the battery life at 5 years, which means these will keep running long after other conventional quartz watches would have run flat, twice!
Overall, priced below A$3,000, these offer the same sort of value proposition as the mechanical cousins, and really take a shot at all other Swiss quartz watches on the market, with many now sitting around or over A$4,000.
Reference & Specifications
| Feature | Specification |
|---|---|
| Reference | M0A10844 (Blue on steel) / M0A10846 (Blue on leather) / M0A10845 (White on steel) |
| Dimensions | 39 mm x 7.7 mm thick |
| Case Material | Brushed and polished stainless steel, with sun-satin and polished stainless steel bezel |
| Case Back | Steel with 73 motif |
| Dial | White opaline or blue sun-satin wave design dial with Roman numerals and ruthenium riveted indexes. Ruthenium hour & minute hands with date aperture at 3 o’clock |
| Crystal | Scratch-resistant, anti-glare sapphire crystal |
| Movement | ETA F06.115 Quartz |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, date |
| Power Reserve | Battery life up to 5 years |
| Water Resistance | 50 meters (5 bar) |
| Bracelet/Strap | Integrated three-row bracelet in satin-polished stainless steel & Interchangeable spring-bar system / midnight blue calfskin strap with contrasting light blue overstitching |