BAUME SKATE AURELIEN GIRAUD SPECIAL EDITION & BAUME MOONPHASE
The Baume collection continues its story under the principles of sustainability, a circular economy and environmental protection by the launch of a new special edition of its upcycled timepiece. Following the success of a first Baume Skate – HRS edition timepiece in 2018, and the Baume Ski – Zag Editions in 2019, the Maison is gearing up to unveil a new “swiss made” Baume Skate timepiece in collaboration with the young and talented French skateboarder Aurelien Giraud.
« We are really happy and proud to collaborate with Aurelien and to welcome him in Baume & Mercier. We would like to thank him for his strong contribution for the design of this Baume special edition. He has been a real source of inspiration for our team. We wish him the best of success for all the coming competitions, and the great recognition he deserved for his talent and engagement in his lifetime passion. We look forward to our next activities together.” says David Chaumet, the CEO of Baume Mercier.
Aurelien Giraud, one of the best skater of its generation
Born in Lyon, Aurelien Giraud started to practice skateboard when he was 4 years old with his father. From the start, Aurelien has one aim, be as good as older boys he could see in the different skateparks of Lyon. Afraid of nothing, he started to build its own path to be one the best French skateboarder worldwide. At 6y old, Aurelien won its first title – the V7 Teenage Tour – one of its first success but not the last one. In 2015, Aurelien won one of the most important competition of its young and promising career: the Tampa AM in Florida. The day after, its renomee started to make noise overseas and marked the beginning of its international career. Since then, Aurélien has been participating to the most prestigious competitions such as Street League, X-Games and Dew Tour – that he won in 2019 facing many major pro-riders coming from everywhere. In 2020, Aurelien is endorsed by the famous brand PLAN B and become one the rare European skaters to be part of the renown American label. In 2021, Aurelien will be participate as one the crew member of the French selection to the Tokyo Olympics Game – featuring for the first time in their history skateboard as an Olympic disciplinary, proof that skateboarding is now more than ever a sport that counts.
When skateboard meets watchmaking: The Baume Skate Special Edition
The new Baume Skate – Aurelien Giraud Special Edition, featuring an automatic SW200 movement, has a 42mm casing made using used skate decks from Aurélien and production excesses that were plan to be destroyed making the Baume Skate a new symbol of the concept of upcycling. A blue anodized aluminium container encapsulates the movement and clips onto the casing to protect the movement from any external damage and ensures water-resistance.
The shape of the casing was made using a machine to make several discs in the skate decks, which were then treated using water-based resin to strengthen the wood, whilst ensuring it remained 100% airtight. The processing and finishing of the cases were completed in Switzerland using a combination of traditional man operated processes and digital machines. Keeping in line with Baume & Mercier watchmaking roots, the Baume Skate – Aurelien Giraud Special Edition cases were finished off with a “handmade” feel.
Loyal to the Maison design audacity and creative spirit, the timepiece is featuring a dial made out of original grip tape that you can find on every skate deck… A subtle element creating a luminous yet completely new effect on the dial and paying tribute to one the key material of the skate culture. This grip tape centred disk is rotating based on a 12h rhythm illustrating the will of the Baume collection to introduce out-of-the-box time display. The hour hand being symbolized by the Baume logo and giving the impression to the owner that he is wearing a mono-hand timepiece. It’s not about making time stand still, it’s about making time move differently.
Aurelien Giraud comments: “I am thrilled to work with a prestigious Maison like Baume & Mercier. From the start, I found the idea of reusing my used decks to a watchcase just amazing and so new! The usage of the grip on the dial is also very cool to me as we have the two main elements of the skate into the watch… It feels a bit like if I was taking a strall with part of my skate onto my wrist as if it is were always on my side!”
The dial is mixing red and blue tones echoing Aurelien’s favourite colours giving to the timepiece a masculine yet stylish aesthetic. The back engraving has been made possible by the use of an athermal laser for a high-quality look and the back sapphire glass is displaying Aurelien’s signature.
The Baume Skate – Aurelien Giraud Special Edition is mounted on a cotton strap that is fixed to steel black PVD lugs thanks to the unique Baume’s collection interchangeable strap button system. The black cotton strap is built with multiple applications such as lining or a red tag merged with Aurelien’s initials into the strap and is featuring a black cork back lining for even more comfort on wrist.
The BAUME collection unveils three new timepieces reaching for the “moooooon”
Alongside of the new Baume Skate – Aurelien Giraud Special Edition, Baume & Mercier is unveiling three new “swiss-made” quartz featuring a new, redesigned and poetic moonphase display.
The Baume moonphase timepieces comes in two sizes to match all tastes.
Firstly,a 41mm watch featuring a steel case with black “microbillé” black lugs . This timepiece is displaying a sun-satin finished blue lacquered dial with white touches adorned by a central moon-phase indicator revealing two moons for the “pleasure” of one - yet moon cycle should be read with the counter at 6 o’clock
Two 35mm timepieces in 5N gold PVD or steel case equipped with blue coton or natural linen straps are complementing the collection. Whether you choose the blue dial and gold hands combination or the mat white dial with its rhodium-plated hands, one thing remains sure, you will never stop to admire the sky full of stars it displays at the center…
As all other Baume timepieces, the three novelties, mounted on coton straps, are onboarding the interchangeable system that will let you change your strap in a tick and is compatible with all Baume straps available on www.baume-et-mercier.com
