Hello Sarah,
Thank for sending in your mom’s wristwatch to mearto.com for an appraisal.
TITLE
Ladies, vintage, 14k yellow gold, battery powered quartz movement with crown for setting the time, rectangular wristwatch with rounded corners and integrated with a 18k gold twisted mesh bracelet with steel pronged clasp, ref. 18424.9, S/N 1198522, made by Baume & Mercier, Geneva, Switzerland, circa 1960s.
PROVENANCE:
“Owned by my mother, worn frequently”
DESCRIPTION:
Case: Size not provided, but approximated at 18-22mm diameter. This is a 14k gold rectilinear watch case with rounded corners with a 18k gold twisted mesh bezel, fluted gold winding crown hidden in the mesh when viewed from the front. The back cover also surrounded by the gold mesh apparently has numerals engraved on it, 18424.9, S/N 1198522, and it appears there may be a hallmark (illegible) which may be the Swiss squirrel for 14k gold. A clear high-resolution photo would prove that one way or the other. The bracelet is the twisted rope gold mesh with a hook type clip at the end, the clasp also marked with a number and the hooks are not gold but steel in the clasp.
Dial: Rectangular silvered dial with rounded corners, has gold Cubist hours, gilt Dauphin hands. The dial is marked, “Baume & Mercier, Geneve, Quartz and Swiss Made” at the base. Their logo appears above the name in the upper dial. . .
Movement: Not shown but is commonly a six jewel, unadjusted, Swiss V8, powered by a button battery with a tubular copper wire transistor coil, i.e., a Swiss made quartz movement, with a label marked Baume and Mercier with number of the actual movement, e.g., OM7100. These movements first began to appear in the Swiss market during the mid-late 1960s.
Condition:
Case – Modest scratches on the back of the case and perhaps some damage to the two metal steel clips on the clasp of the watch since they are not covered in gold. A good deal of wear to the markings on the case and clasp of the bracelet. Overall, in good condition.
Dial – Although hard to see this dial appears to be very good to excellent.
Movement – Not seen and not evaluated, but assumed to be original to this case, genuine and with a new battery perhaps still functional.
COMPARABLES:
~https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/44117861_ladies-14k-gold-baume-and-mercier-watch (Passed at $500 in 2021)
~https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/110965420_baume-and-mercier-ladies-14k-go-white-gold-and-diamond (White gold with diamond bracelet ladies watch sold for $800 in 2021)
~https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/72990814_14k-yellow-gold-baume-and-mercier-geneve-wristwatch (14k gold bracelet watch with covered dial sold for $$750in fair condition, but with mechanical movement, not quartz)
~https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/25272820_ladies-14k-baume-and-mercier-gold-diamond-watch (With quartz movement this watch sold for $850 but back in 2014)
~https://www.ebay.com/itm/125110378381?hash=item1d2128df8d:g:YT4AAOSwuw9hrm0s (Quartz movement, offered on eBay with starting bid of $300 with no takers.)
~https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/baume-mercier-14-k-ladies-wrist-watch-45-c-ee846f8b55 (sold for $600 in 2022)
~https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/a-ladies-baume-mercier-18k-yellow-gold-quartz-wri-717-c-1e149f2abd
(Sold in 2021 for 150 British Pounds = $200)
HISTORY:
Baume & Mercier Recent History:::
Baume & Mercier was purchased in 1964 by jeweler and watch manufacturer Piaget. The Piaget ownership contributed to the brand by adopting the Greek letter Phi and its associated Golden Ratio as symbols for Baume & Mercier. Piaget also provided technical expertise in the form of ultra-slim movements. Watches from this period are often found with Piaget movements. Also under the Piaget leadership, in 1973 Baume & Mercier introduced the Riviera, with its unique dodecahedral case. In production for more than 30 years this style has been integral to the brand’s success. When Cartier launched their takeover of Piaget in 1988, control of Baume & Mercier came with it. Shortly thereafter, in 1993 all three brands were enveloped within the Vendôme Group, which was bought out by the Richemont group in 1998.
Shortly after being acquired by the Vendôme group, Baume & Mercier introduced their flagship Hampton line. The commercial success of the Hampton was rapidly followed by the Hampton Milleis, Hampton Spirit and Hampton City. During this tumultuous period Baume & Mercier wavered between moving up market and moving into the fashion sector. Recently the brand has begun to emerge with a clearer vision under the leadership of the new CEO Michel Nieto. Baume & Mercier opened a new manufacture in Brenets in 2004. At the same time the company has retained a good price to quality ratio that enables them to stay on the forward edge of style with new models such as the Diamant and the Vice Versa, as well as reinvented versions of the Classima and Riviera. The company intends to remain a brand of volume; recent estimates put their sales at more than 200,000 pieces per year.
PRICING:
The pricing of this bracelet wristwatch is based upon the watch case being 14k gold, and the bracelet is 18k gold, but since you have informed me of these factors I can remove the condition pricing. The fair market price of this vintage and well used wristwatch, if all in 14k and 18k gold would fall in the range of $600-$800 in today’s market place. The quartz watches bring a good deal less in today’s market than the mechanical watches. The rice is also determined by the condition of the watch which was used as an everyday watch by your mother.
Thank you for choosing mearto.com for your appraisal.
My best,
David
_______________________________________________________________
Dear Sarah,
Thank you for contacting Mearto with your appraisal inquiry. I just saw this and will get it done for you tomorrow. My problem is that I cannot read the dial. I know what it says there but in order to evaluate the condition I need a clear photo of the dial and the back of the case.
1 - Could you please try to take a better photo of those two areas for me.
2 - Also, what is "#18424.9, 1198522" and where on the watch did you find them.
3 - Do you know if the watch and the bracelet are solid gold ? Very important since I cannot see what is written inside the case or on the bracelet.
Look forward to hearing from you.
Thanks,
David