Yet another Watch Thread... Baume et Mercier

Yet another Watch Thread... Baume et Mercier

Author
Discussion

eyebeebe

Original Poster:

3,003 posts

234 months

Sunday 28th January 2007
quotequote all
I saw a stunning looking watch in Meadow Hall today. I can't find the exact one on their website as apparently there have only been 176 of this particular one made but it's very similar to the one below except the face is off white. I haven't heard of the watch maker before. Do they have a good reputation? The second hand had a sweep so I presume the movement is pretty good. Do they lose/gain time like a Rolex does? The watch in question was around £4500, does that seem a reasonable price for one. The bezel is 18ct rose gold.

Soft Top

1,465 posts

219 months

Sunday 28th January 2007
quotequote all
Certainly an established Swiss watch maker. I don't know where my watch makers book is at present so I can't give you any details but they are one of the original makers.

That's about all I can tell you. Sorry.

mybrainhurts

90,809 posts

256 months

Sunday 28th January 2007
quotequote all
eyebeebe said:
Meadow Hall


Don't tell me you came all the way from Herts to visit that dumphole..?

eyebeebe

Original Poster:

3,003 posts

234 months

Sunday 28th January 2007
quotequote all
mybrainhurts said:
eyebeebe said:
Meadow Hall


Don't tell me you came all the way from Herts to visit that dumphole..?


Fortunately not! Was visiting MOH in Nottingham. Only ended up in Sheffield because the Nottingham Decathlon didn't have the item I wanted so went up to Sheffield to get it (only to find the box was too big for the car grrr). Decided to have a wander round Meadowhall on the way back.

mybrainhurts

90,809 posts

256 months

Monday 29th January 2007
quotequote all
Ah...

If you do that again, use Junction 29, Chesterfield, for Sheffield both ways, unless it's rush hour.

Meadowhall junction is a long way round.

RobDickinson

31,343 posts

255 months

Monday 29th January 2007
quotequote all
£4500, jeeze thats two decent old MX5's, for a watch you dont know if it tells the time properly or not...


I sort of undertand jewelry, but not these hyper expensive watches when my phone keeps better time.

sstein

6,249 posts

255 months

Monday 29th January 2007
quotequote all
I guess you either like watches or you dont,

I would love to have a really nice watch if I could afford it!

If you were to give me £5-£10k to spend on whatever I wanted, I think I would get a watch before I would get a car.

-

Stuart


Edited by sstein on Monday 29th January 00:55

mybrainhurts

90,809 posts

256 months

Monday 29th January 2007
quotequote all
What...?

sstein

6,249 posts

255 months

Monday 29th January 2007
quotequote all
mybrainhurts said:
What...?


yes

This is on the list of stuff I have to buy when I win the lottery (ok, I don't play the lotto - but you never know!)

[url]www.blitzwatches.co.uk/productdetail.asp?productid=2656[/url]


-

Stuart


Edited by sstein on Monday 29th January 01:07

Benni

3,517 posts

212 months

Monday 29th January 2007
quotequote all
[quote=sstein
This is on the list of stuff I have to buy when I win the lottery
(ok, I don't play the lotto - but you never know!)
[url]www.blitzwatches.co.uk/productdetail.asp?productid=2656[/url]
Stuart
Edited by sstein on Monday 29th January 01:07
[/quote]

Never, even if I could afford it.
(I have a pocket watch with an absolute neutral face like a german railway station clock,
funny it says "Actros" on the back though..... )
Well, at least there is a "piston working" in that B&M you posted.
Cheers (and good luck with the lottery),
Benni


Edited by Benni on Monday 29th January 01:18

mybrainhurts

90,809 posts

256 months

Monday 29th January 2007
quotequote all
sstein said:
mybrainhurts said:
What...?


yes

This is on the list of stuff I have to buy when I win the lottery (ok, I don't play the lotto - but you never know!)

Stuart


HOW much...?

They really are taking the piss...no watch is worth that.

8Pack

5,182 posts

241 months

Monday 29th January 2007
quotequote all
Damn! ....Mickey Mouses' arm has dropped off!... irked

elster

17,517 posts

211 months

Monday 29th January 2007
quotequote all
If the lottery winnings were in my pocket

I would probably buy something like this

www.blitzwatches.co.uk/productdetail.asp?productid=10587

Why spend so much on a watch i will never understand, there are aeroplanes, gliders and cars to spend money on.

Well probably a few bits of art too.

CommanderJameson

22,096 posts

227 months

Monday 29th January 2007
quotequote all
sstein said:
mybrainhurts said:
What...?


yes

This is on the list of stuff I have to buy when I win the lottery (ok, I don't play the lotto - but you never know!)

[url]www.blitzwatches.co.uk/productdetail.asp?productid=2656[/url]


-

Stuart


Edited by sstein on Monday 29th January 01:07

What do you get for your twenty three thousand pounds?

Does it tell the time better? (no, it's mechanical - a £10 Casio digital will keep better time.)
Does it look better? (no, it's hideous.)
Does it have more features? (than the aforementioned £10 Casio? No.)
Does it say "look at me! I've got so much money I can afford to buy a substandard ugly timepiece for way, WAY over the odds!"? (ooh yeah baby)

Target market: The gullible rich.

At least with the Breitling explorer thingy you can pull a lever and get rescued by helicopters.

alexkp

16,484 posts

245 months

Monday 29th January 2007
quotequote all
eyebeebe said:
I saw a stunning looking watch in Meadow Hall today. I can't find the exact one on their website as apparently there have only been 176 of this particular one made but it's very similar to the one below except the face is off white. I haven't heard of the watch maker before. Do they have a good reputation? The second hand had a sweep so I presume the movement is pretty good. Do they lose/gain time like a Rolex does? The watch in question was around £4500, does that seem a reasonable price for one. The bezel is 18ct rose gold.




Irrespective of the usual rush of "Wow - look what else you could buy for that money" and "What a stupid waste of money" etc etc.....

Baume et Mercier are a quality manufacturer at the lower-mid range of the prestige market. I have owned one of their watches in the past, and a friend had a particularly nice chronograph style model they made a few years back.

They are not a high volume manufacturer like Rolex or Omega, so owning one has a certain cache to those who know about watches. Is the one you like worth it? Only you can answer that - do you like it enough to spend £4500 on it? If so, then yes, it is worth it. Expect a watch like that to lose around 40-50% of its value upon purchase though. However, it will then stablilise and slowly increaee, so if you keep it a long time you will get reasonable value.

As regards accuracy - if you need split second accuracy buy a quartz for £10. A Baume et Mercier will probably be no better or worse than the vast majority of prestige brands - expect accuracy of within about a minute or so per week - and lets be honest, who really needs greater accuracy than this?

If you want to know more, drop me an email and I'll have a look in some of my books this evening to see if it is a bespoke movement, or a generic swiss ETA one for example...

Hope that helps.

Freddie von Rost

1,978 posts

213 months

Monday 29th January 2007
quotequote all
eyebeebe said:
I saw a stunning looking watch in Meadow Hall today. I can't find the exact one on their website as apparently there have only been 176 of this particular one made but it's very similar to the one below except the face is off white. I haven't heard of the watch maker before. Do they have a good reputation? The second hand had a sweep so I presume the movement is pretty good. Do they lose/gain time like a Rolex does? The watch in question was around £4500, does that seem a reasonable price for one. The bezel is 18ct rose gold.



Eyeeebe,

If you really like it that much I suggest you forget about it for a few weeks and make up you mind then. Nothing worse than your horological dream turning into a nightmare. Do the research as there is plenty of information - forums are particularly good for this - on intermawebbie and see if you can find a "previously enjoyed" example from a good second hand dealer.

Did the same with my Speedmaster and the best watch I have ever owned.

Good luck.

MK4 Slowride

10,028 posts

209 months

Monday 29th January 2007
quotequote all
This reminds me of a meeting I went to. Before it all started & people were chatting one bloke is going on about his Rolex being one of only a few dozen made blah blah. He proudly shows it to people when someone sais oh it's just like mine, & indeed they both had the same watch and as it happended there was a third man with exactly the same watch in the room! Oh the humiliation.

Howitzer

2,836 posts

217 months

Monday 29th January 2007
quotequote all
I have a Baume and Mercier Riviera...

www.watchesonnet.com/MOA08594.html?fromCollection=true

and it has been great. Probably the only annoying thig is that it needs winding every few days and I don't wear it a lot.

I looked at loads of watches and had never heard of them before, but put it on and liked how it felt, looked etc.

Life is about wants, not needs, I say go for it !

Dave!

eyebeebe

Original Poster:

3,003 posts

234 months

Monday 29th January 2007
quotequote all
Thanks for the replies. Unfortunately I don't have that kind of cash hanging about that I can justify spending on a watch at the moment. A nice watch is going to be my 30th birthday present so am getting ideas at the moment. So no need for you to dig any books out at the moment thanks Alex.

For those saying that they don't get the whole watch thing I see where you are coming from, but the same could be leveled at some peoples cars. It's not (always) a head led decision. a Micra will get you from A to B just as a TVR will (and with less chance of breaking down ) but I'd take the TVR everytime. The same can be said for Art, Wine, Beer, Pens, Yachts, Suits etc etc etc

Hereward

4,201 posts

231 months

Monday 29th January 2007
quotequote all
My wife has an entry-level b&m.

After about one year of ownership one of the hour markers fell off.