Baume & Mercier

The house began in 1830, when brothers Louis-Victor and Célestin Baume opened a watch business under the name Frères Baume in Les Bois, in the Swiss Jura; a London branch, Baume Brothers, followed in 1851 and built the family's reputation on the British market. In 1918 William Baume, a descendant of the founders, joined forces with the Geneva watchmaker Paul Mercier, and the present company, Baume & Mercier, was formed in Geneva, concentrating on wristwatches and unconventional case shapes.

The Riviera, a steel sports watch with a twelve-sided bezel, was introduced in 1973 and remains in the range alongside the Clifton, Classima and Hampton lines. In 2018 the brand presented the Baumatic, an automatic calibre with a five-day power reserve. Baume & Mercier belonged to the Richemont group from 1988 until 2026, when its sale to the Italian jeweller Damiani Group, agreed in January, was completed in July.