The emphasis throughout the Baume et Mercier presentation at SIHH 2014 was on ‘affordable luxury’, with ‘quality’ and ‘price’ being keywords. With this in mind, amongst the new additions to the Clifton line announced by Baume et Mercier at SIHH 2014 was this, the Clifton Retrograde Date.

In a 43mm stainless steel case (12.05mm thick) and with the Clifton sapphire case back revealing an automatic Soprod 9094 calibre, this is probably, aesthetically speaking, my favourite Clifton to date, as I have a particular liking for retrogrades. In this instance, it is a retrograde date function – for those who don’t know what it is, the blue hand advances each day until the end of the month, whereupon it will snap back to the beginning, to start the new month.

As well as time and the retrograde date, this new model also has a power reserve indicator on the dial. The dial itself is satin-finished silver, with the numerals, indices and hands gilt. It comes on a brown alligator strap.

The price may vary between markets, but the Swiss price is 4,800 CHF. As mentioned at the outset, Baume et Mercier are keen to emphasise that they are ‘affordable luxury’, and with the notable exception of the tourbillion, about which I blogged here, they have been sticking to this.

Categories: Baume & Mercier, Hands-on, SIHH 2014, Switzerland, Watch Profile, watches

Tags: retrograde