1973 doesn’t rank all too highly on my scale of “fun years in history.” The cold war was in full swing, Watergate became a household word, and the Yankees had a losing record. But all was not lost, because somewhere in Geneva, Switzerland, Baume and Mercier created the Riviera Luxury Watch… and alas, almost literally, time started anew, because the Riviera has since become one of Baume and Mercier’s all-time classics both in style and mechanics.

So here in 2009, at least one good part of ’73 is gracing the luxury watch world. I am looking at the RIVIERA XXL MAGNUM PVD RED GOLD … and I am a big fan.

This is a charismatic watch that somehow manages to combine a rugged, sturdiness with sophistication and prestige: It hits the former with its vulcanized black rubber band as well as with its massive 43mm diameter. But on the class and sophistication side, as the name suggests, it has a red gold bezel that surrounds a very sporty dial.

It also has a vertical porthole on the back of the case that shows the pulsating beat of its powerful and mesmerizing mechanics. (The Riviera is driven by a mechanical self-winding Valjoux 7750 movement).
What are the other main features…?
It is a chronograph with a date function at 3 o’clock. A twelve-sided case of black sandblasted PVD-coated steel and applied gilded Roman numeral hour markers.
Bottom line is that this watch was exceptional in 1973 and is even more so now.