The Sensible & Stylish Baltic Hermétique Tourer (Incl. Video)

Baltic has long outgrown the status of microbrand. It is a genuine success story, and Baltic has become an established member of the accessible watchmaking scene. The brand is known for watches such as the MR01, Aquascaphe and Tricompax Panda. All watches come with mechanical movements and designs that have proven themselves over the past couple of years. That keen sense of style and accessibility is now employed to launch a new collection, the Hermétique Tourer. Let’s have a closer look.

Baltic, founded by Frenchman Etienne Malec, burst onto the scene in 2017 following a successful launch through Kickstarter. The designs are often inspired by some of the most beloved classical watches from the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s. Take the HMS, for instance, now in its third iteration. It has a neo-vintage stepped case, perfectly capturing the spirit of a bygone era. Following that initial success came multiple collections, including a retro diver called Aquascaphe and the brand’s biggest hit to date, the MR01.

The new Hermétique Tourer is a vintage-style field watch with a compact build and attention to detail invested in the dial. The case measures 37mm in diameter and tops out at 10.8mm in height, including the double-domed sapphire crystal. The case is brushed, while the polished bezel provides a strong contrast. Thanks to the humble size of the watch and the 46mm lug-to-lug size, it sits very well on the wrist. Even on my 18.5cm wrist, it’s a joy to wear. The crown is tucked into the caseband in line with classical field watches. Water-resistant to 150 meters, the Hermétique Tourer is certainly ready for adventure!

Four colours are available, all with the same layout: green, blue, beige and brown. All dials have a matte finish and a railroad-style minute track on the black chapter ring. Large 3D raised luminous markers are joined by luminous numerals at 3, 6, 9 and 12 o’clock. The clever use of multiple levels and colours gives the dial a tremendous sense of depth. Playing around with it in the light throws shadows and streaks of light across the dial, giving it quite a bit of life. The syringe-style hour and minute hands, as well as the lollipop central seconds hand, are luminous, too.

Hiding underneath the closed caseback is the automatic Miyota 9039 we know from the Aquascaphe, for instance. It runs at a 4Hz frequency, or 28,800vph and boasts a power reserve of 42 hours. The movement comes with hacking seconds, so you can set your field watch precisely to the second if needed. While it might not be the most complex or esteemed movement, it is very reliable and part of the reason Baltic can offer it at a very sensible price.

The new Baltic Hermétique Tourer collection is available on a tropic-style rubber strap matching the dial or a beads-of-rice or flat link stainless steel bracelet. All four colours will be available for sale from the 10th of October at 4 pm CET, with deliveries scheduled for early November. The prices range from EUR 550 for the tropic strap to EUR 630 for the steel bracelets (excl. taxes).

The style and affordability of the Hermétique Tourer are in line with previous collections. The size is excellent, the look is great, and the price is great, so Baltic once again delivers on all fronts. For more information, please visit Baltic-Watches.com.