Watches are a lasting way to mark a special moment and Baume & Mercier, the 181 year old Swiss watch house, has been adding extra sparkle to celebrations with its handsome range of timepieces. Special occasions call for special presents, with lasting values and enduring messages. A carefully chosen Baume & Mercier watch fits the bill nicely. It won't date, need an up-date nor upgrade and it will be used every day of the lucky person's life, reminding them of that happy moment. Baume & Mercier, the 181 year old Swiss watch house, prides itself on providing the ideal watches to give as gifts for those milestones in your life. And we can thank one very intrepid young lady way back in 1869 for setting Baume & Mercier on this path. Mélina Baume was given, on her request, a gold engraved pocket watch for her 14th birthday by her father Louis Victor Baume. Since then, celebrations have been at the centre of this company that values the importance of special moments and lasting family links. In fact, the house's slogan is "Life is about moments" that captures the fleeting joy of life and the importance of capturing those never-to-be repeated moments of coming together to celebrate, whether it is a birthday, graduation, anniversary or birth. A diamond-set Baume & Mercier Hampton for your bride or wife whispers 'you are special forever' while a handsome, grown-up chronograph clearly says to the graduate that they are now on the path to adulthood. A sleek Hampton on a black satin strap strikes the right balance between glamour and lasting style for an important birthday. And fathers who mark the birth of their child with a watch for the mother might be lucky enough to have the favour returned on Father's Day, even if it means waiting a few decades. A proud 21 year old recently rolled up her sleeve to show me her Baume & Mercier given to her on her 21st birthday. Listening to the ticking of the automatic movement was a reassuring sound, she told me, that reminds her of sitting in her grandfather's lap. Family is at the heart of Baume & Mercier and Madame Simone Gaudard, great grand daughter of the founder of Baume & Mercier and an elegant grandmother, very gamely launched a Facebook campaign to encourage others to tell the story of their Baume & Mercier and the special moment it marks. "Like me you probably received your Baume & Mercier as a special gift," she says in the video. Madame Gaudard goes on to tell how hers was a present from her husband on the birth of their first child, respecting the family tradition of commemorating each special moment with the gift of a watch. Her husband diligently hunted down a vintage watch like the one her mother had received from her father on her 20th birthday that was particularly touching. Madame Gaudard then opens up her treasure trove of watches and tells the story behind each one. She invites you to share the pleasant moments in your life that your watch has brought you. And the result is an outpouring of stories about how Baume & Mercier is a precious part of the lives of people across the world. If you ever want to be cheered up, a look at Baume & Mercier's Facebook page will show you that love and the family is alive and ticking around the world. From blurry snaps taken on camera phones of ecstatic teenagers showing off their birthday present to touching letters from people such as Mr Rafique Khan who treausers his restored vintage Baume & Mercier that was given to him 60 years ago by wife on the occasion of their wedding. It is clear that the gift of a watch is the most enduring and beautiful way mark that special day and capture that special moment.
