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Baltic dial up the with new gold takes on the HMS 002, Bicompax 002 & MR01 Baltic dial up the with new gold takes on the HMS 002, Bicompax 002 & MR01
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Baltic dial up the class with new gold takes on the HMS 002, Bicompax 002 & MR01

Kieran Robson
  • Baltic closes 2023 by unveiling a new aesthetic not seen in their current range. 
  • The HMS 002, Bicompax 002 and MR01 have been reimagined with gold PVD coatings. 
  • With only a minor price increase, Baltic’s trio is still competing at the more affordable end of the spectrum.

Baltic has been busy in 2023, with notable moments including its second trip to Only Watch with an exquisite purple Perpetual Calendar and the release of the new Hermetique Tourer field watch. But now, Baltic has surprised us all with a new look for its classic range: black and gold. Is anyone else getting John Player Special livery vibes or is it just me? Let’s go through the trio.

Baltic MR01 PVD Gold

baltic pvd gold mr01

It is a fair argument to make that the MR01 is Baltic’s most prolific piece, particularly in that gorgeous salmon dial and blue leather strap colourway. It’s a small watch with a big offering, sizing in at 36mm and only 9.9mm thick. The steel case houses the Hangzhou CAL5000a micro-rotor movement, a rarity in an affordable watch, offering a 42-hour power reserve and visible through the open caseback.

baltic pvd gold mr01 caseback

The MR01’s value proposition has been enhanced with this new gold take, which features gold PVD coating over the stainless steel case. The dial has also had the same treatment: the applied Breguet numerals, seconds sub-dial and leaf hands all now have a gold finish, too. The aforementioned subdial has an azurage finish, a subtle touch that helps it stand out from the gloss-finished black dial.

Baltic HMS 002 PVD Gold

baltic pvd gold hms 002

The HMS 002 model is highly touted within the team here at Time+Tide, making it to numerous “best of” lists. It pays homage to 1940s style, with Art Deco influences. The new gold coating compliments the accents on the sector dial, hour markers and hands. The dial itself has a beautiful, brushed finish on the sector elements of the dial featuring the numerals, with the remainder sporting a gloss finish which works nicely in tandem with the case.

baltic pvd gold hms 002 caseback

The specs remain the same, 38mm diameter, 13mm thick, with a 47mm lug-to-lug, as well as the Miyota 8315. This automatic movement sports a 60-hour power reserve, and is on full display through the open caseback. With 50 metres of water resistance and a domed hesalite crystal, it wouldn’t class as an everyday tool watch per se (especially in gold) but if you did spill some form of bubbly liquid on this watch at a formal event, I’m sure it would be okay.

Baltic Bicompax 002 PVD Gold

baltic pvd gold bicompax 002

The Art Deco influence continues with the Bicompax 002, a classy chronograph aimed at the entry-level watch collector with its competitive price point. Sharing the case with the HMS 002, the new PVD coating compliments the finishing on the dial, with the same brushed finish on the sector elements of the dial using the numerals and sub-dials, with the remaining elements of the dial having a gloss finish.

baltic pvd gold bicompax 002 caseback

The case diameter remains at 38mm and sits at 13mm thick. The case glass is hesalite crystal and the movement powering the Bicompax 002 is the faithful Seagull ST1901, a column wheel chronograph with a 42-hour power reserve that has been the champion of affordable mechanical chronos.

It is worth noting the interesting choice made by Baltic to use the Bicompax 002 and HMS 002, despite having released 003 variants earlier in the year. Both models received style updates, most notably the reduction in the numerals on the dial and size down for Bicompax, moving from 38mm to 36.5mm. The really interesting thing is that these gold models are uniformly only A$25 more than their plain stainless steel siblings – a very reasonable pricing move. All three come on black stitched Saffiano leather straps, which are supple and complement their gold colour schemes.

Baltic PVD Gold Collection pricing & availability

The new Baltic PVD Gold Collection is available for pre-orders from the Time+Tide Shop. The MR01 and Bicompax models are slated to ship in December, while the HMS will take a little longer, fulfilled at the end of January 2024. Price: A$750 (HMS), A$1,025 (MR01, Bicompax)

Brand Baltic
Model MR01 Gold PVD
Bicompax 002 Gold PVD
HMS 002 Gold PVD
Case Dimensions 36mm (D) x 9.9mm (T) x 44mm (LTL) (MR01)
38mm (D) x 13mm (T) x 47mm (LTL) (Bicompax, HMS)
Case Material Stainless steel with gold PVD coating
Water Resistance 30 metres (MR01)
50 metres (Bicompax, HMS)
Crystal(s) Domed hesalite
Dial Glossy black with gold accents
Lug Width 20mm
Bracelet Black calf leather strap, PVD gold steel pin buckle, quick release
Movement Hangzhou CAL5000a, micro-rotor automatic (MR01)
Seagull ST1901, manual winding, column wheel chronograph (Bicompax)
Miyota 8315, automatic (HMS)
Power Reserve 42 hours (MR01, Bicompax)
60 hours (HMS)
Functions Hours, minutes, small seconds (MR01)
Hours, minutes, small seconds, chronograph (Bicompax)
Hours, minutes, seconds (HMS)
Availability MR01, Bicompax shipping December 2023
HMS shipping January 2024
Price A$750 (HMS)
A$1,025 (MR01, Bicompax)