Polished leaf-style hands manage actual time-telling, and this combination of dial elements is clean and retains a reasonable level of legibility while also allowing a higher degree of finishing to come to the forefront. In terms of color, this watch is available with either salmon, dark navy, or this silver dial, each limited to 200 pieces and individually numbered. The MR01 breaks new ground again in bringing together some of Baltic’s first applied indices, in this case with highly polished Breguet Arabic numerals, a central surface with a finely granular texture, and an off-center small seconds register all set within a circular brushed railway minute track. While Baltic deserves - and has received - accolades for its dials in the past, they were, for the most part, relatively simple and understated in their execution, with most featuring neatly printed markings over straightforward dial finishes. And despite the smaller case, the narrow bezel means the dial gets plenty of real estate in which to shine, and shine it does, with Baltic’s most beautiful and refined design to date, in my eyes.īreguet Indices, a Range of Textures, and Haute Vibes I think the smaller case size adds an entirely new experience and pairs well with the level of refinement on offer here. Despite my love of hulking dive watches, which account for 99% of my personal collection, I don’t wear this watch and wish it were larger. Baltic also uses the term “unisex” repeatedly in press material for the MR01, so a broader reach in terms of traditional gender roles was also clearly at issue with this design. So to make it clear right upfront, this is a watch for either a smaller to medium-sized wrist, or someone with a great deal of comfort with old school dimensions like these. The unsigned push-pull crown is polished, as is the outer portion of the screw-down exhibition caseback, with the overall effect being refined and probably a bit much for truly casual settings, but not gaudy or ostentatious in the least. I am also happy to report the 20mm lug-width and general lug architecture was carried over from the rest of Baltic’s collection, meaning we have the option of using Baltic’s aforementioned bracelet - a combination that looks fantastic and gives the smaller case a bit more presence - though the included dark-green leather strap is also beautiful and a bit of a swerve compared to what you might expect from a dress watch with a silver dial.Ĭase finishing is a small step above other Baltic watches, as well, with a polished bezel and top surfaces across the case and brushing along the vertical case sides. Thickness is also restrained at under 10mm including the domed crystal, and a slender 8mm without. The new MR01 does away with this established set of metrics, leaning more heavily into a unisex, more mid-century set of measurements highlighted by a 36mm-wide by 44mm-long case that wears, well, small at first, even on my 6.25” wrist, and likely the majority of wrists out there. The cases are so similar in their architecture, in fact, that the same (excellent) beads-of-rice bracelet fits every watch Baltic produced thus far, a pleasing level of universality for a smaller brand. With the MR01 finally on the wrist, I am able to take up a discussion of what makes this watch so special and what it might mean for Baltic, as a whole.ĭigging into the wearing experience, thus far, Baltic has held fast to a set of dimensions defined by a 39mm diameter and around 47mm lug-to-lug measurement that combines a vintage influence with the aesthetic demands of the modern wrist. And even with my considerable confidence in Baltic’s design department, the announcement of the MR01, a considerably smaller, dressier addition to the Baltic collection with a movement I had never heard of, caused the slightest tinge of apprehension and surprise, as this model represents a shadowy Parisian side street the brand has yet to explore. I’ve even said in previous coverage of Baltic - including the impressive Aquascaphe Dual-Crown I reviewed back in May - that the brand has yet to make a misstep. Take, for example, the much-heralded Aquascaphe collection of vintage-inspired divers, as well as the refined HMS and Bicompax chronograph. Today, still operating in many respects as a microbrand, I see Baltic as one of a few smaller independents poised to make the leap into the mainstream watch industry, riding the wave of a number of charming and affordable releases. For anyone even remotely associated with the community of watch enthusiasm, Baltic, headquartered in Paris since its inception in 2017, has been hard to miss.
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