With Baume & Mercier and Indian Motorcycles at the Vairano racetrack

22 June 2018 | Baume & Mercier Watch Talk

How many of you know what the Vairano Automotive Safety Center is? A little hint - it is the racing track owned by Editoriale Domus, the publishing house of Quattroruote (Four Wheels) and also the seat of the racing circuit, where all the cars featured in the most-read car magazine in Italy are being tested, and since recent times also the motorcycles featured in the Due Ruote (Two Wheels) section.

This is where Baume & Mercier organized an event together with Indian Motorcycles, a partner they have been working with since 2017 and with whom they share an entire collection. I would actually call it a 'brand day', rather than an event dedicated to the launch of one or more collections, because it involved the participation of brand ambassadors, universities, the press and retailers too.

The formula.

Baume & Mercier organized a day that mixed together an inspirational content that aims to drive up the brand and bring it closer to new generations (the partnership with Indian Motorcycles is clearly going this way) and the future on which the brand invested and that is represented by the Clifton Baumatic collection that we talked about during the SIHH in January.

Based on my long work experience, I could say that this event was closer to the workshop and outdoor formula than to a classic press event. Combining two concepts as diverse as the Baume & Mercier for Indian Motorcycles and the Baumatic collection could sound a bit odd, but it didn't turn out so at all. The two contents - one was purely emotional, whereas the other was more reflective - perfectly complemented each other.

Massimiliano Rosolino - the coach.

Rosolino is Baume & Mercier's brand ambassador together with Luca Dotto - the ambassador of the Clifton Club. However, Massimiliano does not play the classic role of an ambassador, but, as a sportsman who no longer competes professionally, he plays a different role. He is a life coach and he was the coach of the Italian brand retailers team during the day that we spent at the racing track.

His career reached its peaks, when he became an Olympic champion at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and a world champion at the 2001 Fukuoka Games - to name just two of his achievements -, but he now plays the role of mentor. When he was still professionally competing he was unquestionably the leader of the Italian national team and he is now able to bring across the competitive approach of a professional sportsman to other life and business sectors.

Listening to him while he is busy motivating the audience, leads everyone to get more involved in their life and constantly raise the bar of their expectations - it is as if you were watching the scene of Death Crawl in Facing the Giants. I also found out that he is a big fan of watches and I remember well that it is not the first time that I have witnessed him wearing a watch for promotional reasons (it was the Omega Seamaster PloProf a few years ago), but in the past he played this role in a different way; as a simple sports ambassador.

Luca Dotto took part in the second part of the day, where the first limited edition bearing his name was presented.

From Baume & Mercier for Indian Motorcycles to Indian Motorcycles.

One of the most interesting pieces of news appearing on blogs these days confirms that Indian Motorcycles green lighted the manufacturing of the FTR1200 Scout. Actually, we had already sensed it, because of the enthusiastic launch of the first prototype at the 2017 Eicma, but there was still no official confirmation. From this point of view Harley Davidson will have to find a solution to the missed opportunity to launch a road version of their Flat Track bike, because this is something that fans from all over the world have been waiting for a long time.

The Japanese tentatively tried to tap the market with some special bikes, but none of these ever really made it to the production line. Kudos to the oldest US brand for its courage and for anticipating everyone else. In the meantime I enjoyed riding a Scout after three years of abstinence from a motorbike: - a great torque and an excellent manouverability, I was impressed considering that my last bike was a Triumph Street Triple 675; the queen of easy riding.

The Baumatic as explained by the university.

An Italian member of the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie and a university professor in Florence - explained to retailers and the press the distinctive features of the Baumatic, while the brand organized a workshop to explain all the functions of the new watch that revolutionized the world of Swiss watches, since Baume & Mercier originally entered the market with an extremely intelligent product and have been continuing this revolution in a different field with their new Baumewatches brand.

Basing their sales network on such an innovative product is essential for the end-customers, who can easily understand the advantages of a Baumatic and what makes them different from other automatic three-hands-watches. The sales network is fundamental in this process, because it is the point of contact with consumers. The first responses of a clinic test organized by the brand in Italy confirmed the interest in a watch that can boast an unbeatable quality/content ratio and that will awake the entire sector that, in some cases, is focusing on different technologies (for example: Longines and their VHP).

See you soon

See you at the next Baume & Mercier event and enjoy meanwhile our video coverage from the circuit. It is a year full of news at Baume & Mercier, including some organizational changes such as the appointment of the brand's new CEO. I hope very much that, with the launch of the new FTR 1200, expected in 2019, the brand will release a Limited Edition watch to celebrate the road legal version of the Indian Motorcycles Flat Track racing motorbike.