I have worn and tested plenty of wristwatches in my lifetime, and I’ve been lucky enough to own a bunch of them: complicated or three-hands timepieces, sporting round, cushion, or extravagant case shapes, along with decorations, and a great variety of dial combinations. I believe, however, simplicity is synonymous with “timeless” and also think most women appreciate clean sleek and no-frills styles. I hope you also agree with me that purity is not synonimous with trivial, as most people think. “Essential” is the first term that comes to my mind when introducing the new Classima Lady by Baume & Mercier; it is by no means the main attribute that comes to my mind at first sight. Baume & Mercier has always kept women in significant consideration, their product offering is, in fact, second to none.

The current Baume & Mercier Classima collection draws inspiration from a 1965 original model and is a pillar of the Baume & Mercier global offering. The new Classima Lady landed in stores in 2019, after being officially unveiled at the SIHH (it is now Watches and Wonders) in a line-up featuring eight stainless steel models, powered by either an automatic or a quartz movement, showcasing new styles and different case sizes too, paired to a variety of dials. Follow me, and I will introduce you to last year’s additions: the already existing 31mm case size, is now complemented by two new ones: a smaller 27mm and a bigger 34mm, across. Yours is the choice when it comes to fit and comfort; there are, however, plenty of options.

Each Classima watch features a five-link steel bracelet with triple folding buckle and safety clasp, and offers a base layout displaying the date at three o’clock. The Classima Lady, powered by an automatic movement, has an even stronger personality to my eyes. The slim Roman numerals placed at the four cardinal points stand out on the silver dial and are paired to rhodium-plated hands. The variant embellished with a mother-of-pearl dial offers diamonds instead of applied indexes, but, as that’s often the case with top-end Baume & Mercier, the style keeps being super-discreet. Both automatic versions come with a see-through case back that lets you thoroughly enjoy the movement’s winding mechanism.

The 31mm sized Classima Lady is even more precious, with the bezel showcasing brilliant-cut diamonds, a white mother-of-pearl dial, and gracious tiny hands, which further highlight how this collection is specifically geared towards a female audience. In this case, Baume & Mercier offers two options: automatic or quartz movement. With such beauty and refinement across the board, hard is the choice. I would go for the 31mm case size since I’m taller than average and prefer reasonably sized watches. My all-time fave is, no doubt, the one sporting diamond hour markers. What about the movement instead? I’m old school and would pick the mechanical movement over quartz as I love seeing mechanics in action. What about you, instead? Which your choice?

(Photo credit: Marco Antinori for Horbiter®)

Mirella Codeghini