Richemont is the world?s second largest luxury goods holding company. They own controlling shares of IWC, Cartier, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Montblanc, Vacheron Constantin, and many more. Is this mega-corporation now taking cues from the micro-brand scene" With the introduction of their latest brand, Baume, the answer seems to be an emphatic yes.
Large corporations have been subsuming grassroots ideas and practices (not to mention controlling percentages of stock) for decades, maybe even centuries, but Richemont?s formation of Baume is, as far as I know, the first blatant attempt by a mega-corporation to commandeer the market that today?s micro-brands have so successfully created and served. Small batch offerings from larger, mainstream firms certainly attempt to cater to a similar consumer interest, but Baume is the first ground-up watch brand to do this, and that?s a wholly different animal. The customizable range from Baume.
Before digging into Baume?s offerings, it?s important to clarify that Baume is not directly related to, or a part of, Baume & Mercier. I personally find that confusing, but Richemont seems to want to capitalize on the wide reach of the Baume & Mercier brand, one that has omnipresence in malls, airports, and jewelry stores around the world, and, of course, online. Apparently, some of Baume & Mercier?s management are migrating to Baume, too, but it is impossible to know everything that went into this branding decision.

Baume is blasti...