Baume & Mercier is a Swiss luxury watchmaker founded in 1830. Initially founded as Frères Baume" by brothers Louis-Victor and Célestin Baume in Les Bois, a village in the Swiss Jura. The Swiss watch manufacturer expanded internationally by establishing a branch in London in 1851 under the name "Baume Brothers".
At the end of the first world war in 1918, William Baume partnered with Paul Mercier to establish Baume & Mercier on the premise of producing high-quality and aesthetically pleasing timepieces. The firm became specialized in manufacturing wristwatches particularly unconventional "shaped" models that did not possess the traditional round form. Just a year later, they were awarded the Geneva Seal - the highest international distinction for watchmaking excellence at the time.
By the 1940s, the company was taken over by Constantin de Gorsky, concentrating the business on the development of the Ladies Dress Watches collection. During this time, the brand launched several modern watch collections, most notably the 2 Register Chronograph. They enjoyed commercial success largely due to their elegant and distinctive chronographs featuring complemente calendars as well as tachometric and telemetric scales.
Piaget acquired the company in 1964 breathing a new life to the company. The brand adopted the Greek letter Phi and its associated Golden Ratio as symbols for Baume & Mercier. Piaget also provided technical expertise in the form of ultra-slim movements. Under Piaget, Baume & Mercier introduced the Riviera in 1973, with its unique dodecahedral case now in production for more than 30 years and has been integral to the brand’s success.
Since 1988, the company has become a subsidiary of the Swiss luxury conglomerate Richemont.