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Why you should pay more attention to the Baume & Mercier Riviera Why you should pay more attention to the Baume & Mercier Riviera

Why you should pay more attention to the Baume & Mercier Riviera

Borna Bošnjak

How does one of the older brands around stay relevant throughout the years, you may find yourself asking. Since their inception in 1830, Baume & Mercier have done it all – Art Deco, unique shapes, chronographs, and, in the 1970s, the Riviera – an integrated-bracelet sports watch. Today, as part of the Richemont group, they’ve been integrating a vintage ethos into much of their contemporary collection. The modern Baume & Mercier Riviera 10660 leans on inspiration of the original, with updated details and refinements.

Detailed case finish

baume & mercier riviera 10660

The case of the Riviera 10660 is a combination of materials and finishes. With the bezel crafted from titanium, while the rest of the case is a mix of PVD-coated and bare stainless steel, there’s plenty of visual interest at first glance. Look closer, and you’ll notice just how impressive the finishing is – it certainly surprised me. The bead-blasting of the dodecagonal (will never not mention how much I like that word) titanium bezel makes for a smooth, completely matte finish that’s echoed in the horizontally brushed case. A ring of PVD-gold coloured stainless steel connects those two surfaces, and is one of the few rose-gold accents on this particular Riviera.

baume & mercier riviera 10660

On-wrist, the 42mm diameter and 51.6mm lug-to-lug suggest that the Riviera will be better suited for average and larger wrists, and this is also true in person. The large proportions are emphasised by the slim 10.8mm height, as it makes the watch wear flat across the wrist. The rubber strap is soft and pliable, though it does jut straight out of the case, and with no curvature to the lugs, is prone to leaving some room between it and the wrist. It’s secured by a minimal folding clasp, but must be cut to length – I would’ve preferred a pin buckle for better versatility.

Patterned dial

baume & mercier riviera 10660

Looking at the dial, there are more rose-gold notes present. Both the semi-skeletonised sword hands and applied indices are rendered in the colour, which helps tie in the dial as well. Serving as a base to the broad-arrow like pattern, possibly reminiscent of sea waves, is a backdrop of slate-brown goodness. It’s an exceedingly pleasant colour, especially in person, and is one of the rare examples of a well-executed brown dial.

No-nonsense movement

Sellita SW200 in a smaller 36mm Riviera

This one will be familiar to most. A tried-and-true calibre from a well-known manufacturer is a safe choice in the Riviera. Apart from the custom rotor, there is little in the way of customisation or decoration, which is a little disappointing given the price point. With a 38-hour power reserve, the accuracy of standard-grade movements ranges between +/-12 seconds per day and +/-30 seconds per day.

The verdict

baume & mercier riviera 10660

The Riviera 10660 is all about the materials and design, and less so its internals. What it lacks in movement specs it makes up for with the lovely combination of finishes, and their integration with each other. For those with average and larger-than-average wrists, this is a genuine proposition should your focus align with the form-first nature of the Riviera.

Baume & Mercier Riviera 10660 pricing and availability:

The Baume & Mercier Riviera 10660 is available now via Baume & Mercier. Price: A$4,550

Brand Baume & Mercier
Model Riviera
Reference Number Ref. 10660
Case Dimensions 42mm x 10.8mm x 51.6mm
Case Material Stainless steel and titanium
Water Resistance 10 bar
Dial Slate grey/brown
Crystal Sapphire
Strap Integrated rubber strap
Movement Sellita SW200, 38-hour power reserve
Price A$4,550