Baume & Mercier Introduces the Joia in Two-Tone: Steel Meets 4N Gold

Baume & Mercier has introduced a new two-tone version of its Joia de Baume & Mercier, pairing polished stainless steel with 4N gold-tone PVD in the new Ref. M0A10896. The change is small, and it does a lot: a warm ring of gold around the dial and, for the first time, gold-toned links running through the collection’s integrated bracelet. It adds a note of contrast to a watch the Maison has always framed as a jewel that tells the time.

Joia was conceived as a bijou first and a timepiece second, and the new reference keeps the proportions that make that idea work. The round case measures a delicate 28mm across and just 7.2mm thick, and it has no lugs at all.

Instead, the bracelet flows directly out of the case, so the watch sits on the wrist more like a bangle than a conventional ladies’ watch. The case itself is polished stainless steel, while the bezel is polished steel finished in 4N gold-tone PVD, the warm, slightly rosy shade that gives the watch its new personality.

The Baume & Mercier Joia Goes Two-Tone

The dial carries the gold theme inward. A silvery sunray surface catches the light as the wrist moves, and it is marked with 4N gilded Roman numerals and matching 4N gilded leaf hands. The display is limited to hours and minutes, which keeps the face clean and lets the numerals do the decorative work. Above it sits an antiglare, scratch-resistant sapphire crystal, and at the side is a polished, domed steel crown set with a black agate, a small jeweler’s touch most people will only notice up close.

The bracelet is where this reference is new for the collection. Joia’s integrated three-row, H-shaped bracelet is made of polished and satin-finished stainless steel, and on the M0A10896 the five central links on each side are coated in 4N gold-tone PVD. It is the first time the bracelet has been offered in two tones, and the alternating finishes give it a rhythm that a single metal could not.

In my view, this is the smartest decision in the release, because it carries the gold beyond the bezel and makes the whole piece read as jewelry rather than a steel watch with a gold accent.

None of this costs the watch any practicality. An interchangeable bar system lets the wearer swap the bracelet without any tools, so the watch can change character from day to evening. The bracelet closes with a polished and satin-finished stainless steel triple folding buckle, and the case back is fully polished steel that can be engraved, an obvious detail for anyone buying it as a gift.

Quartz Ease, Everyday Wear

Inside is a Ronda 751 quartz movement with a five-year autonomy, meaning the watch can be picked up and worn without the setting and winding rituals that mechanical pieces demand. Water resistance is rated to 50 meters (approximately 5 ATM), enough for the splashes and handwashing of daily life. For a watch designed to be worn as freely as a bracelet, the low-maintenance approach makes sense.

Two-tone watches have shed their old reputation in recent years, and the Joia shows why the mix suits a small, jewelry-led design. The gold warms the silver dial, the steel keeps it versatile, and the lug-free case keeps the whole piece feeling light. The Joia de Baume & Mercier M0A10896 joins the collection now, with full details on the Baume & Mercier press site.

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Adrienne Faurote

Editor in Chief · Haute Time

As a former New Yorker, now a “Miamian,” Adrienne Faurote joined Haute Living in August of 2021. She currently serves as the Haute Media Group Editor-in-Chief, overseeing all editorial platforms within the Haute Media Group while also maintaining her role as Fashion, Jewelry & Watch Director. Prior to her position at Haute Living, Faurote was the Market Editor at Marie Claire Magazine US, amassing over ten years in the industry, becoming an authoritative voice in all things fashion, jewelry, and watches.