UPPER ECHELON

BAUME & MERCIER enhances its Clifton Baumatic line with a perpetual calendar

In 2018, Baume & Mercier unveiled the Clifton Baumatic collection, which paired the familiar case of the Clifton line with a new movement, the Baumatic. This was a major step forward for the brand. For one, the new calibre was proprietary to Baume & Mercier, which had previously relied on third‑party movements. Exclusivity aside, the Baumatic was also well sized for its 40mm case and boasted impressive performance with specifications such as a five-day power reserve. For all that it offered, however, the watch was accessibly priced; most references of the new timepiece came in below US$3,000, and COSC- certified variants were priced just US$200 higher.

Baume & Mercier has expanded the Baumatic collection this year by jumping straight into the high complications segment and adding one to the fledgling line.

The new Clifton Baumatic Perpetual Calendar is equipped with the same Baumatic calibre unveiled last year, but it comes enhanced with a Dubois Dépraz perpetual calendar module to account for the differing lengths of the months, as well as the extra day in February during a leap year.

The timepiece clocks in at 42mm – a modest upsize over the time‑only variant’s 40mm diameter – but looks well balanced, with its displays spaced out evenly across the dial. The simple design for the dial indications further bolsters its aesthetic appeal, while also maintaining legibility.

What’s equally important here is the watch’s general performance; because the same Baumatic base movement powers the new timepiece, the technical features from last year remain unchanged. Expect the Clifton Baumatic Perpetual Calendar to have the same five-day power reserve, as well as a longer service interval – according to Baume & Mercier, the Baumatic movement requires a maintenance just every seven years instead of the usual three to five years of a traditional mechanical movement.