As part of their continued partnership with Shelby Cobra and in celebration of the 25th anniversary of McCall’s Annual Motorworks Revival, Baume & Mercier are releasing four limited edition “Legendary Driver” chronograph watches to honor four drivers who sat behind the wheel of the furiously powered Shelby Cobra CSX1228 over fifty years ago. An extension of the Baume & Mercier Capeland Shelby Cobra watches we covered here, these pieces are designed with specific drivers’ heritages in mind and deliver all of the super-charged aesthetics that we’ve seen so far from this team-up. Let’s take a moment to see what’s different this time around.
The McCall’s Annual Motorworks Revival serves to kick off the Monterey Car Week which sees thousands of motor enthusiasts gather every year for vintage automobile auctions and racing at the famed Laguna Seca Raceway. So what makes these models unique? Each of these four Baume & Mercier Legendary Driver Capeland Shelby Cobra watches feature a bold 44mm case size and there are two different material variances in either stainless steel or ADLC-steel for a smokier, sleeker finish. Still present under the sapphire crystal, of course, is the tachymeter around the dial, and naturally there is the cobra emblem forged directly into the seconds hand’s counterweight to remind you it means business. The small-seconds subdial on each of these pieces has been outfitted with a number representative of drivers of the Shelby Cobra CSX2118: No. 15 (Dan Gurney), No. 50 (Ken Miles), No. 97 (Dave MacDonald), and No. 96 (Allen Grant), respectively. In addition to the number, each of the four pieces have been dressed in similar aesthetics of their winning cars.
The tachymeter is stainless steel with number engravings on a fixed bezel with one of the number engravings being “184,” the speed where Burt Munro broke the land speed record. Breaking up that horizontal line is a yellow seconds sub-dial in 9 o’clock stamped with Burt’s lucky number “35.” The feel of this pre-production bit was solid, from its own buckle, straps, instance, and complete. I really liked the subject of this watch and the best part about it was that it seemed classic. Adding to this aesthetic warmth and depth to the overall look, Indian Motorcycle’s famous vermilion red is splashed and tanned on the chronograph hand, sub-dial palms, and USA-sourced leather strap with a pin buckle. Another nice touch is the chronograph hand’s counterweight, which is the Indian Motorcycle’s “I.” Finally, the caseback, while still not an exhibition caseback, is engraved with the Indian Motorcycle’s headdress emblem with all the limited version number softball, one from 1967.
No. 15 features a hot-yellow take on the tachymeter dial with a yellow-lined black alligator-leather strap and even the seconds hand is yellow for this model. Also, like the No. 15, the No. 50 receives the ADLC-steel treatment that still retains a sporty edge. No. 97 also features a yellow cobra seconds hand and pairs the watch with a slick black rubber strap. No. 97 and 96 feature the stainless steel casings with No. 96 getting the loudest of the straps, a vibrant yellow alligator leather strap with black stitching and lining. A little something for everyone’s tastes with these models.
The end result? In theory, a more even, predictably stable chronometric performance and greater long-term precision. Granted, we are going to have to withhold judgement until we’ve examined one in the actual world. But for now, it is interesting to watch as an increasing number of brands move from Nivarox (and by extension, the Swatch Group), rather deciding to create proprietary technologies as a means to compete. Despite being the oldest adage in the book, it is also the most intriguing saying to witness firsthand — innovate or die, right?n accession to the distinctive hairspring, the 18-jeweled, hand-cranked BM12-1975M motion itself hums along in a familiar 4Hz over the span of its generous power reserve of about 90 hours. The mention M0A10359 Baume & Mercier Clifton Manual 1830 is available today, even though it’s being produced in very limited quantities, apparently only sold in Europe, and is retailing for a price of $12,045. An extension of this Baume & Mercier Capeland Shelby Cobra watches we covered, these pieces were created with specific drivers’ heritages in your mind and deliver each of the super-charged aesthetics that we’ve seen so far from this team-up. Let’s take a moment to determine what’s different this time around.
The movement featured here is the durable Valjoux 7753 that offers a sufficient 48-hour power reserve. The 7753 is visible through the case back via another sapphire crystal and beats at 28,800vph. This is the same movement as was housed in the previous Baume & Mercier Capeland Shelby Cobra Limited Edition watches, and while the 7753 may not be the prettiest of movements, you aren’t necessarily buying this watch for the case-back. You’re buying this watch for the sporty design and racing legacy it is intended to honor.
Each of the four Baume & Mercier Legendary Driver Capeland Shelby Cobra watches is restricted to a 15-piece run and will be available exclusively in North America at the Feldmar Watch Company in Los Angeles, CA, and Ca D’Oro in Las Vegas, NV, beginning in October 2016. Pricing is $4,850. baume-et-mercier.com