Baume & Mercier has launched their latest model – a 42mm Riviera with a dark green dial, black ADLC bezel and accompanying rubber strap. We’ve had a first look at the new model, and here is what we think…
Here at Watch Advice, we’ve covered Baume & Mercier a bit. They’re a brand with a history that dates back to 1830, and even though over the years has changed substantially from the days of Baume & Co, one thing remains the same – their spirit and ability to create solid watches at an affordable price point. And perhaps one of their most well-known models now is the Riviera. With some serious design credentials going back to the 1970s when integrated bracelets became all the rage (it was designed by Jean-Claude Gueit, the father of Emmanuel Gueit who designed the Royal Oak Offshore), today it is a good-looking everyday piece that can be paired with almost anything, the primary intent of Baume & Mercier.
RELATED READING: An Introduction Into Baume & Mercier
This year, Baume & Mercier has built upon the Riviera collection, continuing on from 2023’s 50th anniversary year, and with several variants making their debut this year, one of which is the new Baume & Mercier Riviera 10763. What’s new about it? They’ve gone slightly stealth and given the Riviera a black ADLC bezel, matching black rubber strap, and dark green lacquer dial, almost khaki in shade. Personally, it’s a good-looking piece that can function in a range of scenarios and styles.
Baume & Mercier has a winner on their hands with their new style of dial design. The angular ‘wave’ pattern that can now be found on a majority of the range helps to elevate them style-wise and give them a bit of depth – something always welcomed on modern watches. With this particular Riviera, Baume & Mercier has chosen to do the dial in a lacquered dark green with the wave pattern. It’s a good choice as it can be super subtle when not in direct sunlight, almost looking like a shade of grey, to being a little more lively when in direct sun.
Baume & Mercier adds even more depth to the dial with the applied indices on the dial. In this instance, Roman numerals are at 12 and 6, and hour markers are in between. All of which are filled with Super-LumiNova, and all raised so you can truly see the three-dimensional shapes. This is a nice touch and gives the dial character, which is always nice when glancing down at the piece.
The black ADLC on the bezel breaks up the brushed steel nicely and helps to make this watch a little less formal, so to speak, and puts it into the sports realm 100%. Against the black, the satin-brushed steel case has a nice sheen to it, and with the angles across the side of the case, the faceting and beveling help offset the potential starkness of the black ADLC bezel and screws, softening the overall look of the watch ever so slightly.
The black rubber strap is textured, so that it resembles fabric, and helps elevate the sporty look of the Riviera. Don’t like the strap? Then you have Baume & Mercier’s fast change system to easily swap it out for a bracelet. The one small downside is the proprietary system and lug design, which means that you will need to go through Baume & Mercier to do this.
Inside the Baume & Mercier Riveria 10763 is an automatic SW200 movement, which can be seen through the display caseback. Interestingly, Baume & Mercier has not gone for their in-house Baumatic movement for this piece, as they have inside the new 39mm green dial Riviera, but that being said, the SW200 is a workhorse movement and is tried and tested. It does lack a decent power reserve however, being only 38 hours, but saying this, this is a piece that is designed for everyday wear, so really, the power reserve should never be an issue. The movement beats at 4Hz / 28,800 VpH and pivots on 26 jewels.
Final Thoughts
Having reviewed a few Baume & Mercier watches over the past couple of years, I’ve come to understand both the brand and the individual watches a lot more, especially the Riviera and the value proposition it has. If you want a good-looking watch that has some design providence and roots back to the integrated sports look of the mid-’70s, and at a price point that will not break the bank, not to mention a range of sizes and colour variants, the Riviera collection may just fit the bill.
Looking at the new Riviera 10763 42mm, for under A$5,000 you get some good bang for buck here. An integrated sports watch with a black ADLC bezel, interchangeable rubber strap with a fabric-styled motif, 100m water resistance and a dial that has colour, depth and character. It is both a watch that you can add to a collection as a daily wearer, or add a steel bracelet, or differing rubber strap and it becomes more versatile.
Reference: MOA10763
Specification
- Dimensions: 42mm, 10.66mm thick & lug-to-lug ~48mm
- Case: Polished and brushed finished stainless steel with black ADLC Bezel
- Dial: Sun satined-finished lacquered dark green with tone-on-tone waves decor
- Hands/Indices: Riveted and faceted applied Roman numerals and indices with Rhodium-plated hands
- Crystal: Scratch-resistant sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment on both sides
- Water resistance: 100m (10BAR)
- Movement: SW200 beating at 4Hz/ 28,800 VpH & 26 jewels
- Power reserve: 38 hours
- Strap: Integrated black rubber with canvas decor & fast strap interchangeability system. Double folding push button steel clasp
