Richemont’s most accessible watch brand, Baume & Mercier, just released a preview of one of their new timepieces that will be released at SIHH 2016 next month.
The Clifton Chronograph Complete Calendar, as its name suggests has a “Complete” or “Full” calendar. Similar to an Annual calendar, a Complete calendar displays the day, date, and month. And in this case, the moon phase as well. However, unlike an Annual calendar that only needs to be manually adjusted in February to account for the short number of days, and once every four years to account for leap year – a Complete calendar needs to be adjusted any month there are less than 31 days.
Baume & Mercier’s new complete calendar will come in a stainless steel case that measures 43 mm x 12 mm and has an alternating polished and satin finished case.
Inside, is a 25 jewel Valjoux 7751 automatic mechanical movement that beats at 4Hz, which is basically a Valjoux 7750 chronograph with a complete calendar and moon phase module added on. This particular execution is what is referred to as “top grade” meaning the mainplate and bridges have a perlage finish, and the screws have been blued. Additionally Baume & Mercier has engraved their logo on the oscillating weight, along with a Geneva stripes decoration. The rotor winds the watch to a maximum power reserve of 48-hours.
The silvered dial features a sun satin-finished surface with rhodium-plated Arabic hour numerals and indexes applied to the dial. The outer chapter ring has a printed 1 to 31 scale that coordinates with the rhodium-plated calendar hand with a red arrow-shaped tip to display the current date. Dauphine-shaped rhodium-plated hour and minute hands point to the hour applied markers and printed minute track, respectively.
Within the 30-minute chronograph subsidiary dial at 12 o’clock are two rectangular apertures that display the day of the week and the month. Blued steel hands indicate the chronograph seconds, minutes, and hours. The subsidiary dial at 9 o’clock has a gold-plated 24-hour hand, which indicates day/night, along with a rhodium plated continuous small seconds hand. At 6 o’clock is the moon phase indicator which also has a 12-hour chronograph counter designated by a blued steel hand.
The Clifton Chronograph Complete Calendar is paired with a square scales black alligator strap with an adjusting triple folding clasp with push-pieces. Water-resistance is 50 meters.
(Ref. M0A10278)
