Industry Watchmaking, Jewellery Founder William Baume Headquarters Geneva | Products Watches, Jewellery Founded 1830 Type of business Subsidiary of Richemont | |
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Key people William Baume & Paul Mercier (Founders)
Alain Zimmermann (CEO) Website www.baume-et-mercier.com CEO Alain Zimmermann (Sep 2009–) Profiles | ||
Discover the new baume et mercier classima watches for women
Baume & Mercier ([bɔm ˈe mer-sjej]) is a Swiss luxury watchmaker founded in 1830. It is a subsidiary of the Swiss luxury conglomerate Richemont.
Contents
Baume et mercier presents the my classima watches
History
Baume & Mercier was founded as "Frères Baume" in 1830 by brothers Louis-Victor and Célestin Baume, who opened the watch dealership in Les Bois, a village in the Swiss Jura. The Swiss watch manufacturer expanded internationally by establishing a branch in London in 1921 under the name "Baume Brothers", which led to expansion throughout the British Empire. By the late 19th century, the company had an established international reputation, and its timepieces had set accuracy records and won a number of timekeeping competitions.
In 1918, company director William Baume partnered with Paul Mercier to found "Baume & Mercier" in Geneva. The firm became specialized in manufacturing wristwatches, particularly unconventional "shaped" models that did not possess the traditional round form. In 1919, Baume & Mercier was awarded the Geneva Seal, the highest international distinction of the time for watchmaking excellence.
During the Roaring Twenties, the brand embraced women's emancipation. In the 1940s, Baume & Mercier launched a number of modern watch collections, most notably the 2 Register Chronograph. Early examples of this model with the double case backs are rare and highly sought after, often fetching more than double the price of a later model.
In the 1970s, Baume & Mercier introduced shaped timepieces such as the Galaxie and Stardust models. In 1973, Baume & Mercier presented the Riviera, one of the world's first steel sports watches.
Recent history
In 1988, the Swiss watchmaker joined the Richemont group. Currently, the brand offers the Clifton, Classima, Hampton, and Capeland collections for men, and the Hampton and Linea collections for women.
Ambassadors
Baume & Mercier celebrity ambassadors have included Gwyneth Paltrow, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Andy Garcia, Gary Sinise, Ashton Kutcher, David Duchovny, Teri Hatcher, Kim Basinger, Evangeline Lily, Kiefer Sutherland and James Hunt. The "Baume & Mercier & Me" celebrity endorsement campaign has been used to raise money for charity.
Former collections
Current collection
The current models in the Baume & Mercier collection:
Pricing
With an average selling price of between US$$2,000 and US$5,000, Baume & Mercier watches are in the mid-range luxury watch market segment.