Baume & Mercier - Formula S - MV04FO16 - Men - 2000-2010

Baume & Mercier is a Swiss watch brand with a rich history dating back to 1830, when brothers Louis-Victor and Célestin Baume opened their first watch shop in Les Bois, a village in the Jura region of Switzerland. The company grew quickly thanks to its reputation for precision and quality. In 1918 the brand entered into a collaboration with Paul Mercier, which led to the formation of Baume & Mercier as we know it today. The brand gained international recognition by producing elegant, high-quality watches, often focusing on aesthetics and refinement. In the 1970s Baume & Mercier became part of the Richemont Group, one of the largest luxury goods groups in the world. To this day the brand stays true to its motto: “Accept only perfection, only manufacture watches of the highest quality.”

This particular piece lives up to the Baume & Mercier motto as well. The watch is the diver’s model Formula S by Baume & Mercier, produced in the 1990s. The model carries the reference number MV04FO16. The model has been offered in several color combinations, with this neutral combination of a black dial and stainless steel case being the least common in numbers.

What stands out is the highly detailed finishing of the watch. This is evident in, among other things, the edge of the 60-click rotating bezel, the case back, and the details of the hour markers on the dial. The hour markers and hands are equipped with luminescent lume, which still works and has patinaed evenly over time. This contributes to the vintage character of the watch. In addition to the rotating bezel, the screw-down crown reveals that this is a diver’s watch. Despite its age, the watch remains a fully functional diver’s watch. The reason is the maintenance carried out in 2025, when it was ultrasonically cleaned by a professional watchmaker, the seals of both the case back and the crown were replaced, and the interior of the bezel was cleaned. The watch was then tested for water resistance to 70 meters.

The watch is powered by a battery-operated (quartz) movement and features a quickset date function. The movement functions well. The watch is also equipped with the original stainless steel bracelet from Baume & Mercier with a deployant clasp. The clasp bears the Baume & Mercier logo including the model designation. Two additional original spare links of the bracelet are included with the watch. It also comes with the original luxury wooden box.

The case measures 38 millimeters in diameter excluding the crown and 40 millimeters including the crown. The case thickness is only 7 millimeters. All in all, this is a beautiful vintage piece that deserves to be part of the collection of its next enthusiast.