Introducing Baume & Mercier Unveils The Hampton Polyptyque Edition Musée Soulages

The narrative of Baume & Mercier commences in 1830, when siblings Louis-Victor and Célestin Baume launched a watch dealership in Les Bois, a village nestled in the Swiss Jura. In 1918, the company's trajectory took a new turn as William Baume, then director, united with Paul Mercier. This collaboration led to the establishment of Baume & Mercier in Genève, marking a new chapter in the company's history. 

Two years ago, the brand introduced the Baume & Mercier Hampton "Hommage à Pierre Soulages" Limited Edition, drawing inspiration from the artistry of Pierre Soulages. Expertly capturing the essence of Soulages' painting through craftsmanship, the brand transformed hues and textures into a beautiful watch dial. This year, the brand reveals its latest addition, the Baume & Mercier Hampton Polyptyque Edition – Musée Soulages 10th Anniversary Limited Edition. This timepiece features Soulages' renowned artwork "Peinture 324 x 362 cm, 1986, Polyptyque" prominently on its dial, commemorating the 10th anniversary of the Musée Soulages.

The latest iteration of the watch maintains a striking resemblance to its predecessor in terms of aesthetics, featuring a sapphire crystal on a rectangular case crafted from DLC-coated steel seamlessly blending into the black dial, creating an elegant and understated aesthetic. Similar to the previous release, this watch maintains a diameter of 31mm, but with a slightly increased thickness of 10mm, making it 0.2mm thicker than its predecessor.

On the black dial, sparse rose gold accents provide subtle pops of color, ensuring clarity for the brand name text and enhancing legibility for the hour and minute hands. The all-black appearance is a nod to the essence of Soulages' work, which predominantly featured black hues during the era of the painting referenced. The varied directions of lines and textures on the dial introduce depth, resulting in an appearance that isn't uniformly black to the naked eye but rather showcases different shades of darkness, particularly in varying lighting conditions, with rounded 18k rose gold tips of the hands.

The watch is powered by an ETA 2892 automatic movement, operating at 28,800 vph (4Hz) and offering a 42-hour power reserve. The black rotor can be observed through the transparent circular caseback. It comes with a black strap featuring an interchangeable system. Limited to 328 pieces, the price is CHF 6,360, equivalent to AED 26,500.

For more information please visit Baume & Mercier’s official website.