Even in the earliest days of civilization, humanity has been obsessed with time. And though a construct of the human mind it may be, its effects still permeate throughout our lives. Children are born, and those children eventually become adults, who in turn eventually begin to wither and grow old. We keep track of them in our history books and our family trees, which live on beyond those departed souls. And time marches on. Heavy stuff, right?
Well, with all the heediness surrounding such a concept, it can be difficult to keep a level head, especially when your brain is wracked by the weight of time. And as long as humanity has been obsessed with time, we have also been obsessed with keeping track of it.
Ladies, that is why you need a watch. And by the end of this review, you will know whether or not the Baume & Mercier Promesse is the watch for you. These nifty little devices – equally complex and elegant in their construction – are what you need to stay on top of things. You cannot beat time – but you can make it work for you. All heavy philosophical introductions aside, let us get into our review.
Dials
Your watch’s dial – along with the numbers 1 through 12 – is the one thing you definitely need to keep track of time. It is what allows you to watch time. You can have a case that is bright neon pink, or one that is bulky and purple – it will not matter if your watch cannot perform its primary function.
Being such a crucial and basic component of watch-design, it is almost fitting that the dials available from Baume & Mercier’s Promesse range are all the same – an elegant yet simple pair of hands. The dials are shaped like two small triangles, both with a thin base and even thinner tip. As mentioned, it is not overly fancy by any stretch, but it is classy. All the dials share the same visual language, with diamond-set silver-colored faces. This makes for a truly classy-looking collection of chronometers.
That being said, I would have liked to have seen a bit more variety. I understand that some wearers like customisability, the ability to personalize what they wear and that also includes their watch. So while the dial is elegant and simple, it comes at the expense of not being able to customise it any further.
Case
Now, here comes the fun part of picking out any watch – what does it look like? Your watch’s case (and its strap) is what is going to stand out the most, the thing that is going to make the biggest statement. Being a discerning reader, you want to know that there is a broad selection available to you, broad enough so that you may find the exact case that is perfect for you and all your fashion sensibilities.
Fortunately, the Baume & Mercier Promesse offers you a reasonably-sized collection of cases. They range from a few smaller models (22mm) to medium-sized offerings (30mm), to larger variants (34mm). The smaller models look more or less the same, with the main differentiating factor being the strap. If you want something a bit more petite – while still not sacrificing elegance – this one may be right for you.
These small models measure 22 mm in diameter and 7.68 mm in thickness. The upper glass is domed and sapphire, with an anti-glare one face. The case itself is made of polished steel.
The medium-sized models can come in a two-tone variation, a plain steel model, or a case inlaid with small diamonds. Offering the largest selection out of all the sizes, these medium models have the most potential to find a buyer in you. The medium sizes measure 30×7.4 mm, and like the smaller models, are made from polished steel.
Finally, the large 34mm models offer the same variations as the medium-sized cases, minus the option for a two-tone case. You can choose between plain steel or diamond studs. Like all sizes before it, larger smaller models have a round shape, measuring about 34 mm in diameter, and a thickness of 8.16 mm. They have non-rotating bezels, full, screwed case backs, and domed upper glasses of sapphire. You really cannot go wrong here.
Regardless of your choice, you will receive a neat-looking case which – while definitely on the larger side of things – does not seem to0 cumbersome, or – yes, indeed – ugly.
Wearability
Of course, while function and form may strike a perfect balance in terms of design, a watch still needs to be able to be worn. As it is likely to sit on your wrist for the majority of your day, if it is not comfortable, that is going to ruin the experience for you. You may even say “Sod it”, and forget about keeping track of time altogether.
Fortunately, the Promesse range offers you a selection of different strap materials. Each option comes with its own aesthetic pleasures, as well as different levels of comfort, depending on the wearer. For example, the alligator-skin strap provides you with a good balance between soft comfort and hard durability.
Meanwhile, other strap materials include calf-skin (which can only be taken with the smallest watch variants), two-toned steel, and your trusty-yet-plain old friend steel. These latter metallic options do not compromise your level of comfort and are among the most durable of materials. The exact wearability depends on the wearer, though we are confident when we say that even those with a more delicate touch to them will still be able to handle this.
As an added bonus, their watches are all water-resistant, though we still would not recommend going deep-sea diving while wearing them.
Price
Of course, nothing that we have previously spoken about will matter if these watches are not within an affordable (or at least, a reasonable) price range.
Baume & Mercier deliver a selection of some of the finest watches to ever grace the notion of time – it is, therefore, a wonder that they offer these at some incredibly reasonable prices (for watches, at least). These prices range from about £1,650 (or $2,050) and go no higher than £5,600 (or $6,950). For a great selection of watches, you get a great selection of price offers.
