Watches are wonderful things, aren’t they? They are perhaps the ultimate conversation starter, even before opening one’s mouth. You can spot a fine-looking watch from across the room, and instantly know that you have some common ground to chat in detail about its unique movements or coarse materials. Of course, there are also those who own and wear watches simply because they like them and aren’t interested in the many nuisances of its production. Whichever one you are, watches have a way of conveying interest in the best possible way.
Baltic Watches fall directly in the middle of those two types of people, they are built with impeccable attention to detail, they use only the finest materials and yet are designed to be worn day in, day out, and are truly a joy to look at when on the wrist. The French-founded firm have enjoyed growing success over the years, and have now expanded into England’s capital with their new store in Margaret Street, quite literally a stone’s throw away from some of London’s most famous shopping destinations.
We popped down to their launch party to check out their space and of course, the watches, and were delighted to see the many photography and design books neatly stacked on well-placed mid-century furniture. The watches themselves were dotted around the large room which was bursting with interesting individuals, inviting you to not only take a closer look, but to feel the materials used and wear it as if it were your own.
Our standout pieces had to be the now-sold-out Tricompax, which we first saw at our Christmas Pit Stop event back in December, and fell in love with it all over again here. It’s design is familiar, and yet so refreshing to see. Elsewhere, Baltic’s Aquascaphe, particularly in the Black / Cream colour combination was another head turner, bringing that sweet 1950s toolwatch style into the modern day with a choice of hard-wearing fabric straps, or the dressier flat link strap.
Whether it’s a dive watch, chronograph, or something a little more classic, Baltic Watches understand the importance of quality over quantity when it comes to their models, which is usually why most are sold out within a few months of their release. They create watches that are created with purpose, not just to reference by-gone icons that can only be worn once or twice. These are watches intended to be passed down for future generations, and we can truly see that happening!
We’d like to thank the entire team at Baltic Watches for inviting us to join in their celebrations, and we have no doubt we’ll be seeing a lot more of these effortlessly slick watches in the near future, with 2023 promising to be a big year for them! Be sure to check out Baltic Watches in the CD Shop.
Photos: Elliot Newton for Classic Driver
