Baume & Mercier Genève Sub Seconds Dress Watch, circa 1960s

Dealer description — Vintage Watch Specialist

Baume & Mercier traces its origins to 1830, when the Baume brothers established their watchmaking business in Switzerland. By the 20th century, the company had become particularly associated with elegant Swiss wristwatches, balancing traditional watchmaking with increasingly modern design. Its mid-century dress watches are a good illustration of this approach, often combining relatively restrained cases with more distinctive dial treatments and manually wound movements at a time when the classic mechanical dress watch remained an everyday choice. We are pleased to offer this characterful Baume & Mercier Genève manually wound dress watch , dating from approximately the 1960s–70s. Measuring 30.5mm across, the watch has a compact, traditionally proportioned nickel plated case with long, angular lugs. The case displays honest signs of age and wear throughout, giving it the wonderfully characterful appearance we like to see in a vintage watch of this period. The two tone sector dial is undoubtedly its most distinctive feature. A warm cream centre is surrounded by a contrasting chapter ring incorporating Roman numerals at 12, 3 and 9 o'clock , with elongated baton markers occupying the remaining hours. A separate outer minute track frames the dial and adds another layer to what is an unusually detailed design. The broad, lume-filled hands have developed a warm patina, complementing the natural ageing visible across the dial. Baume & Mercier Genève is printed neatly below 12 o'clock. At 6 o'clock sits a recessed subsidiary seconds dial with concentric detailing, its own chapter ring and a slender dark seconds hand. It is particularly well integrated into the main dial and gives the watch a pleasingly traditional mechanical appearance. The watch is manually wound and powered by a 15-jewel mechanical movement . With the precise calibre currently unknown, we have left it unidentified rather than speculate. The stainless steel caseback is engraved “Waterproof, Antimagnetic, Shock Absorber” , alongside its case number, reflecting the practical qualities incorporated into the watch. Completed by a brown leather strap, the watch is rated at 8/10 condition . It displays honest age-related wear together with attractive patination to the dial and hands, all of which contribute to its distinctive vintage character.