Richemont’s Fashion Watch, Baume
Once Richemont announced it had been entering the inexpensive luxury or “fashion watch” segment with Baume (sans Mercier) it was a surprise for several factors. Not only may be the market share of this section rapidly closing because of the social media savvy of brands such as Daniel Wellington but smartwatches are rapidly impeding on terrain that was typical with the quartz-buying, design-friendly viewers that Baume is definitely targeting. And, that which was most surprising to get watch enthusiasts is that Richemont was quitting its Swiss-made status and utilizing Miyota movements (quartz and mechanical) purchased by Japan’s Citizen Group.
Looking at it via Richemont’s perspective the little more sense. I will imagine a Richemont executive saying some thing along the lines of: “There will be millions of people wearing wrist watches in the sub-$1, 500 range that would by no means think of spending $8k on a [insert Richemont brand of choice]; why not bring them in to the Richemont fold therefore when they’re old they’re fully indoctrinated. Why are we not positively pursuing those prospective customers? ”
A large a part of Baume’s appeal is founded on two factors that differentiate itself from all other “fashion watch” makes: sustainability and customization. All unused parts are recycled, you will find no animal-based items or precious components involved in the production, and extra items, such as the compatible straps, are made from up-cycled fabrics such as sustainably sourced cork, natural cotton, and linen.
Baume also offers a watch builder on the website where you can personalize a watch off basics of your choice. There are above 2, 000 totally in accordance with numerous structure options so that variation will be key once targeting a more youthful demographic.
With all that in mind, it’s crucial to note that while Vitesse shares a first name with Baume & Mercier and the two are technically related, the companies will be individually managed and will not share similar styles or concepts. A couple of executives from IT is now at Baume but that is in which the similarities end.
Following the announcement went friendly, we reached out to Baume to see if we're able to get some models within our office to review. Whilst we had requested the mechanical option (priced at $1, 100) we ended up getting two quartz versions, one with a moon-phase and day/date and one with tiny seconds.
Both of timepieces we received were 35 mm, most likely intended for the female market (Baume offers sizes ranging from 35 millimeter to 41 mm). The models had been surprisingly compact plus the straps felt top quality. Although the button hold on the back of the strap didn’t always feel like the most secure way to keep a wrist watch on your wrist, it may be there for the quick-change strap program Baume is featuring.
The wire lugs are an intriguing addition that provides easy access towards the crown at doze o’clock. On that note, the crown’s location can be an interesting concept and one that carries over through the entirety on the Baume lineup. I am able to imagine it becoming atypical to the potential audience and is definitely something which differentiates the watch from the DWs and MVMTs of the world.
In gray, the proportion of the dial apertures makes the watch experience attractive enough, whilst in the white, small mere seconds model, I feel it is very almost minimalist into a fault. The numbers are hard to find out but , again, that probably won’t become an issue for the prospective audience. The day window in the small seconds is once again, very small, but seems engaging enough suspended by its forlorn at 6 o’clock. The small seconds is very large and occupies almost a quarter of this dial.
While I have not spent any time playing with the configurator on Baume’s website, I can suppose it will be a significant supply of the brand’s organization. Time will inform if this is a successful endeavor for Richemont and the Baume team yet there’s little question that they’ve been successful at creating a geniune “fashion watch” pertaining to the mass marketplace. Over the next couple of months, it will be interesting to view how Baume combines with the rest of Richemont. Will the brand get a booth or some method to exhibit its products in SIHH? And, how can the eventual brand recognition of Vitesse impact Baume & Mercier’s market?
The little seconds and moon-phase models we examined in the office are priced at $560 and $630, correspondingly. We’re hoping to get the mechanical version quickly for a closer appearance as well. Stay tuned.
Looking at it via Richemont’s perspective the little more sense. I will imagine a Richemont executive saying some thing along the lines of: “There will be millions of people wearing wrist watches in the sub-$1, 500 range that would by no means think of spending $8k on a [insert Richemont brand of choice]; why not bring them in to the Richemont fold therefore when they’re old they’re fully indoctrinated. Why are we not positively pursuing those prospective customers? ”
A large a part of Baume’s appeal is founded on two factors that differentiate itself from all other “fashion watch” makes: sustainability and customization. All unused parts are recycled, you will find no animal-based items or precious components involved in the production, and extra items, such as the compatible straps, are made from up-cycled fabrics such as sustainably sourced cork, natural cotton, and linen.
Baume also offers a watch builder on the website where you can personalize a watch off basics of your choice. There are above 2, 000 totally in accordance with numerous structure options so that variation will be key once targeting a more youthful demographic.
With all that in mind, it’s crucial to note that while Vitesse shares a first name with Baume & Mercier and the two are technically related, the companies will be individually managed and will not share similar styles or concepts. A couple of executives from IT is now at Baume but that is in which the similarities end.
Following the announcement went friendly, we reached out to Baume to see if we're able to get some models within our office to review. Whilst we had requested the mechanical option (priced at $1, 100) we ended up getting two quartz versions, one with a moon-phase and day/date and one with tiny seconds.
Both of timepieces we received were 35 mm, most likely intended for the female market (Baume offers sizes ranging from 35 millimeter to 41 mm). The models had been surprisingly compact plus the straps felt top quality. Although the button hold on the back of the strap didn’t always feel like the most secure way to keep a wrist watch on your wrist, it may be there for the quick-change strap program Baume is featuring.
The wire lugs are an intriguing addition that provides easy access towards the crown at doze o’clock. On that note, the crown’s location can be an interesting concept and one that carries over through the entirety on the Baume lineup. I am able to imagine it becoming atypical to the potential audience and is definitely something which differentiates the watch from the DWs and MVMTs of the world.
In gray, the proportion of the dial apertures makes the watch experience attractive enough, whilst in the white, small mere seconds model, I feel it is very almost minimalist into a fault. The numbers are hard to find out but , again, that probably won’t become an issue for the prospective audience. The day window in the small seconds is once again, very small, but seems engaging enough suspended by its forlorn at 6 o’clock. The small seconds is very large and occupies almost a quarter of this dial.
While I have not spent any time playing with the configurator on Baume’s website, I can suppose it will be a significant supply of the brand’s organization. Time will inform if this is a successful endeavor for Richemont and the Baume team yet there’s little question that they’ve been successful at creating a geniune “fashion watch” pertaining to the mass marketplace. Over the next couple of months, it will be interesting to view how Baume combines with the rest of Richemont. Will the brand get a booth or some method to exhibit its products in SIHH? And, how can the eventual brand recognition of Vitesse impact Baume & Mercier’s market?
The little seconds and moon-phase models we examined in the office are priced at $560 and $630, correspondingly. We’re hoping to get the mechanical version quickly for a closer appearance as well. Stay tuned.
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