Baume & Mercier

Who are Baume & Mercier?

Baume & Mercier is a Swiss watchmaker based in Geneva. Its roots go back to 1830, when the Baume brothers set up in the Swiss Jura, and the present name dates from a Geneva partnership in 1918 (Wikipedia). It was part of Richemont from 1988 until 1 July 2026, when the Italian jeweller Damiani Group completed its purchase of the company (Richemont). This page covers its history, collections and ownership, then what to check when buying a second-hand Baume & Mercier in the UK.

Richemont described the business as a specialist watchmaker with “accessible luxury positioning”, sold mainly through multi-brand retailers (Richemont). Its range today covers quartz and automatic watches, including its own Baumatic movement.

The history of Baume & Mercier

Baume & Mercier’s history runs from a family watch business in the Jura, through a Geneva partnership in 1918, to nearly four decades inside Richemont and a sale to Damiani in 2026. The key dates are 1830, 1918, the Riviera (1973), Richemont (1988) and Damiani (2026).

Frères Baume. In 1830 the brothers Louis-Victor and Célestin Baume founded Frères Baume in Les Bois, a village in the Swiss Jura, and in 1851 they opened a London branch, Baume Brothers (Wikipedia). Fashion Week Daily, publishing the brand’s own timeline in 2013, says the next generation also opened offices in Geneva and Philadelphia.

Baume & Mercier. William Baume, grandson of Louis-Victor, ran the family firm from 1910. In 1918 he moved to Geneva and went into partnership with Paul Mercier, who had worked for a Geneva firm; Mercier looked after the business side (Wikipedia, William Baume). Sources give different dates for the start: Horlogerie-Suisse dates the partnership to 26 November 1918 and the “Baume & Mercier Genève” trademark to 27 August 1920. The brand’s timeline says its watches received the Geneva Seal (Poinçon de Genève) in 1919 (Fashion Week Daily); Wikipedia marks that claim as needing a citation.

New owners. William Baume retired through ill health in 1935, and in 1937 Mercier sold his stake to Ernesto Ponti, a businessman from Piedmont (Wikipedia, William Baume). The brand’s timeline says it bought the C.H. Meylan chronograph factory in Le Brassus in 1952 (Fashion Week Daily). Horlogerie-Suisse says the company joined PBM International in 1963, and adopted the Greek letter phi as its emblem in 1964.

Riviera and Richemont. The Riviera, with a twelve-sided bezel, followed in 1973 (Baume & Mercier). Richemont bought the business in 1988; the brand’s timeline says it came with Piaget (Fashion Week Daily; Horlogerie-Suisse). The rectangular Hampton followed in 1994 (Baume & Mercier), workshops in Les Brenets in 2002, and the Clifton in 2013 (Fashion Week Daily).

Own movement. In 2018 the brand presented the Baumatic, which Senatus called “the first-ever Baume & Mercier movement”, developed with Richemont’s ValFleurier manufacture.

Sale to Damiani. On 22 January 2026 Richemont and the Damiani Group agreed that Damiani would buy 100% of Baume & Mercier. The deal completed on 1 July 2026; the price was not disclosed (Richemont).

What is Baume & Mercier known for?

Baume & Mercier is known for the Riviera, the rectangular Hampton, the Clifton and its Baumatic movement, and for the phi symbol on its dials.

The Riviera. Wikipedia describes the 1973 Riviera as one of the first steel sports watches. Its twelve-sided bezel, which the brand says reflects the twelve hours, carries four screws on the 2021 versions (Baume & Mercier).

The Baumatic. Calibre BM12-1975A is an automatic movement with a 120-hour (five-day) power reserve, a silicon hairspring, and resistance to magnetic fields of 1,500 gauss (Senatus). The brand states an accuracy of −4/+6 seconds a day for the Clifton version (Senatus) and −5/+10 seconds a day for the Riviera version (Baume & Mercier). Our guide to in-house and outsourced movements explains why the distinction matters.

Quartz and automatic. Many models come in both: the 2021 Riviera was offered with quartz and self-winding movements (Baume & Mercier), and the revised Classima of 2026 has quartz and automatic versions (WatchTime).

Which Baume & Mercier collections are there?

Baume & Mercier’s current range includes the Riviera, Clifton, Hampton and Classima, plus Joia, a women’s collection launched in 2026 (Esquire India; WatchTime).

The collections table on this page gives a line on each. A few points help when you read listings:

• Same name, different movement. A Riviera or Classima may be quartz, a supplier automatic or a Baumatic. The movement decides how the watch is serviced, so read the full reference. Our guide to mechanical and quartz watches explains the difference.
• Riviera generations. The 2021 model is the fifth generation of the Riviera (Baume & Mercier), so older Rivieras on the second-hand market can look quite different.
• Older names. Wikipedia also lists Capeland, Linea and Promesse among the brand’s collections.

Who owns Baume & Mercier?

The Damiani Group, an Italian jewellery group founded in Valenza in 1924 and run by the Damiani family, has owned 100% of Baume & Mercier since 1 July 2026 (Richemont). Before that it was part of Richemont from 1988 (Horlogerie-Suisse).

The Damiani Group’s other brands include the jewellers Damiani, Salvini, Bliss and Calderoni, the Murano glassmaker Venini, and Rocca, a watch and jewellery retailer in Italy. Richemont says Damiani was already a partner, running some of its boutiques and selling its watches in Rocca stores, and that Richemont will provide operational services to Baume & Mercier for an interim period (Richemont). Richemont’s other watchmakers, sold mainly through multi-brand retailers at a similar accessible-luxury level, include Cartier. Rapaport, reporting the January announcement, said that period would last at least one year after completion.

Buying a Baume & Mercier watch second-hand in the UK: what to check

Check which movement the watch has, that the serial number matches the papers, how the warranty and servicing work now the brand has changed owner, and that the watch is not stolen.

1. Movement. Ask whether the watch is quartz, automatic or Baumatic, and check it against the reference. A quartz watch needs a battery and different servicing from an automatic. See our quartz and mechanical guide.

2. Papers and the full set. Ask which items come with the watch and whether they are originals, including the warranty card. Our guide to what “full set” means explains what each item proves.

3. Warranty after the change of owner. Baume & Mercier’s warranty length could not be confirmed. Because the brand moved from Richemont to Damiani in July 2026 and Richemont is providing services for an interim period (Richemont), ask the seller or an authorised retailer where a warranty claim or service would go. See watch warranties explained.

4. Servicing. Ask when an automatic was last serviced, by whom, and for the paperwork. Our guide on how to care for a mechanical watch covers what a service involves.

5. Authenticity and theft. Buy from a seller who will put authenticity in writing and accept returns. Our guide on how to spot a fake watch covers what a watchmaker looks at, and our stolen-watch check guide lists the UK registers to search before you pay.

For the full process from setting a budget to collecting the watch, see the guide to buying a luxury watch.

Frequently asked questions

Who owns Baume & Mercier?

The Damiani Group of Italy, which completed its purchase of 100% of the company from Richemont on 1 July 2026 (Richemont).

Is Baume & Mercier still part of Richemont?

No. Richemont owned it from 1988 and sold it to the Damiani Group in 2026, though Richemont is providing operational services for an interim period (Richemont).

When was Baume & Mercier founded?

The Baume family business, Frères Baume, was founded in 1830 in Les Bois; Baume & Mercier itself dates from a Geneva partnership in 1918 (Wikipedia).

Where is Baume & Mercier based?

In Geneva, Switzerland (Wikipedia).

Does Baume & Mercier make its own movements?

It has one: the Baumatic, presented in 2018 and developed with Richemont’s ValFleurier manufacture (Senatus). Many models use quartz or other automatic movements.

What is the Baumatic?

Baume & Mercier’s automatic calibre BM12-1975A, with a five-day power reserve and resistance to magnetic fields of 1,500 gauss (Senatus).

What does the symbol on a Baume & Mercier dial mean?

It is the Greek letter phi, the brand’s emblem since 1964 (Horlogerie-Suisse).

When was the Riviera launched?

In 1973. A fifth generation was launched in 2021 (Baume & Mercier).

This page is general information. Watch60 is independent and has no commercial relationship with Baume & Mercier.

We check the facts on this page against the sources listed, and it is correct to the best of our knowledge as of October 2026. Brands change their warranty, servicing and sales terms, so confirm them with the brand or the seller before you buy.