Sameera Gamage 
Golden elegance meets Swiss precision with Baume & Mercier’s latest timepiece dedicated to the Chinese Lunar Year of the Snake.
While Chinese New Year hasn’t started just yet, the world of horology is already celebrating the Year of the Snake with brand’s releasing their own unique take on the upcoming Chinese Zodiac. Baume & Mercier have joined the party as well, with the iconic Riviera being the base to create an impressive Year of the Snake timepiece. Baume & Mercier’s Riviera Chinese New Year Limited Edition pays tribute to the transformation and vitality in the never-ending cycle of life!
Limited to just 200 timepeices worldwide, the Riviera Chinese New Year Limited Edition transforms the signature design of the Riviera to give us a timepiece that, for me, stands out as one of the more interesting Year of the Snake designs. A subtle yet vivacious snake can be seen on the dial, blending in with the signature waves of the Riviera design. The zodiac snake is said to “spark golden beams of luck, ” bringing about change and growth with a dose of confidence.
The overall design of the Riviera remains unchanged, bar, of course, the tweaks to the dial. The timepiece comes with a sandblasted titanium bezel, which mimics the texture of natural rock. This refers to the Riviera collection’s mountain and ocean waves. The sandblasted bezel also matches the colour of the waves and snake motif on the dial nicely, giving a more balanced and uniform look. The signature steel 39mm dodecagonal case of the Riviera represents the 12-hour clock format, which also incidentally references the 12 earthly branches of the Chinese lunar calendar. The “belt”, which is the middle section of the sandwich-type construction of the case and the bezel, is done in gold, livening the case with a touch of colour.
Personally, the dial of the Riviera Chinese New Year Limited Edition is one of my favourite “Snake Week” releases so far. While the design seems subtle, it works perfectly well with the existing transparent waves decor on the dial of the Riviera. The black snake begins in the southeastern direction, which is the traditional position of the snake in the Chinese zodiac, and its head extends toward the 9 o’clock position. Baume & Mercier states that “In Chinese culture, the appearance of a snake during the ‘Chen’(辰时, refers to 7 – 9 a.m.), is considered as an auspicious sign!”. What I like about this design is that the snake beautifully blends in with the water/waves motif, like it’s gliding through it seamlessly.
Baume & Mercier have emphasised the colour gold on this timepiece, as the majestic golden snake symbolises wealth and prosperity. The riveted golden-plated hour indices made up of Roman numerals (12 o’clock and 6 o’clock) and rectangular markers appear to be floating on the water in which the black snake swims through! The golden hour and minute hands are joined by the golden second hand, designed to mimic the body shape of the snake. Another notable feature of the dial is the date window at 3 o’clock. Again, a big fan of this date window design. Replacing the 3 o’clock hour marker gives a more “balanced” view on the dial. Then, by making the date wheel black, it blends into the dial background, giving it a noticeable yet overall subtle appearance.
The movement inside the Riviera Chinese New Year Limited Edition is the Manufacture self-winding Baumatic BM14-1975A movement. One of the standout features of this movement is that it offers a magnetic resistance that is 25 times higher than a traditional movement. This is thanks to the use of silicon and non-ferromagnetic elements in two of the sensitive components of the movement – the regulating organ and the escapement system. The Baumatic BM14-1975A movement is also a high-performing movement that operates at a frequency of 4hz (28,800 VpH) and gives out an impressive 5-day (120-hour) power reserve.
The case back of the timepiece features a sapphire crystal in which the Baumatic BM14-1975A movement can be seen. The sapphire crystal also has a majestic gold-plated snake motif. The snake was purposely depicted to coil in this posture, which represents resilience, wisdom, and protection. Combined with a concealed auspicious red circle, it conveys wishes for peace and prosperity in the new year.
My Thoughts
Baume-Mercier’s take on this year’s Chinese New Year Zodiac is one that stands out due to its meticulous execution. The Riviera timepiece serves as the perfect template to create a watch dedicated to the Year of the Snake. As subtle as it is, the snake blends in beautifully with the signature transparent wave motif on the Riviera that hides beneath the smoked sapphire dial.
One detail that could’ve made the dial stand out, even more, is to have gold lines on the snake itself. As the snake is broken up into different parts through lines, which matches the transparent waver pattern on the dial, if these “lines” were done in gold, it would turn the snake into an even more artistic and aesthetic detail! However, this would defeat the purpose behind Baume & Mercier keeping the snake as a subtle image. Regardless, with a hefty movement that offers high accuracy and an impressive power reserve, Baume & Mercier’s Riviera Chinese New Year Limited Edition is a timepiece that exemplifies both craftsmanship and cultural significance.
Reference: Riviera 10785
Specifications:
- Dimensions: 39mm case diameter x 10.31mm thickness
- Case Material: Stainless Steel with sandblasted titanium bezel
- Crystal: Antiglare (2 faces) scratch-resistant sapphire crystal
- Dial: Grey smoked sapphire dial with transparent wave pattern and Chinese Zodiac snake design.
- Movement: Automatic Baumatic BM14-1975A operating at 4Hz (28,800 VpH)
- Power Reserve: 120h (5 days)
- Water Resistance: 50m (5bar)
- Strap: Black alligator with stainless steel pin buckle
