BAUME & MERCIER

Introduced last year, the Clifton Baumatic line now gets a perpetual calendar

Last year, Baume & Mercier unveiled the Clifton Baumatic collection, which paired the familiar case of the Clifton line with a new Baumatic proprietary calibre. The movement was a major step forward for the brand, which had previously relied on third‑party calibres, and its impressive specifications included a fiveday power reserve. It was also accessibly priced, with most references of the new timepiece priced below US$3,000, and COSC-certified variants just US$200 higher.

For 2019 Baume & Mercier has expanded the Baumatic collection and jumped straight into the high‑complications segment with the Clifton Baumatic Perpetual Calendar. Again, this new watch is equipped with the Baumatic calibre, only here it’s enhanced with a Dubois Dépraz perpetual‑calendar module, which accounts for the differing lengths of the months, as well as the extra February day during leap years. It measures 42mm, slightly larger than the time‑only variant’s 40mm, but is well balanced, with its displays spaced out evenly across the dial; the simple dial indications further bolster its aesthetic appeal, while also maintaining legibility.

As the Clifton Baumatic Perpetual Calendar is powered by the Baumatic base movement, it not only offers a power reserve of five days but also much longer service intervals than normal mechanical watches – according to Baume & Mercier, it requires maintenance every seven years instead of the usual three to five.