The must-have Macro Loupe for all watch lovers

This model from the famous French micro (not so much anymore, actually) brand has been catching my eye for a while.

The sector dial is a copper color that's really pleasant to look at. Less flashy than gold, but in my opinion, more vibrant than a black dial, this shade is perfect for me.

Its small size may seem daunting at first glance, but it's wonderfully easy to wear (even on my fairly large wrist).

The caseback lacks a bit of decoration, but all in all, it's not supposed to be the center of attention when wearing your watch.

It keeps time perfectly, with a drift of about 7 seconds per day.

In short, I love this dress watch because, although understated, thanks to its dial, it doesn't feel bland.

Classy and classic

Like many watch enthusiasts, when you start to really get interested you naturally go for a first automatic model at an affordable price. 

Seiko often came up in the forums, but because I didn't want to be too mainstream I went for Orient (although it belongs to the same group). 

Spending as much time as possible underwater I particularly look at their diver's models... and I come across this one: the Ray 2. 

An orange dial that reminds me of the first diver's watches, 200m waterproof, everything seems perfect. And when you count it... it's even better! Apart from the compressed steel clasp which is not exceptional, this tomato is ultra precise (+2s/d), resists everything, readable day and night (and underwater!). In short, it does more than the job, and I wear it almost daily without being afraid of scratching or damaging it. 

Little extra, on nato strap (goldeneye) or black rubber it radically changes "spirit".

Unbeatable

Yema, a French watch brand founded in 1948, has built a reputation for robust and innovative watches. Among them, the Yema Sous-Marine stands out for its atypical and bold character.

Its blue sunray dial captures the light with fascinating intensity, changing color depending on the viewing angle. But what makes it unique are its indexes inspired by a radar or a viewfinder, a visual signature that stands out from the ordinary while improving readability.

A bold design, a French heritage and a strong personality: that's why I appreciate my Yema Sous-Marine so much.

Right on target

Founded in 2017 by &Eacute;tienne Malec and his partners, Baltic is a French watch brand that quickly established itself on the international scene thanks to its neo-vintage inspired watches. Combining classic design and modern know-how, Baltic offers timepieces that appeal to both novices and experienced collectors.
<h3 dir="ltr">Origins and Foundation</h3>
The history of Baltic finds its roots in &Eacute;tienne Malec's passion for watchmaking, inherited from her father, photographer and watch collector. After the latter's premature death, &Eacute;tienne discovers a suitcase containing a hundred watches as well as a journal detailing each piece of his father's collection. This discovery awakened in him a deep interest in mechanical watches and encouraged him to create his own brand. The name "Baltic" pays homage to his family's Polish origins, evoking the Baltic Sea.
<h3 dir="ltr">Launch and Initial Success</h3>
In 2017, Baltic launched on the Kickstarter crowdfunding platform with two flagship models: the Baltic HMS 001, a three-hand watch, and the Baltic Bicompax 001, a chronograph with two counters. These watches, inspired by designs from the 1940s, are distinguished by their refined aesthetic and contemporary dimensions. The campaign was a resounding success, allowing the young brand to make a place for itself in the world of watchmaking.
<h3 dir="ltr">Philosophy and Design</h3>
Baltic takes a "neo-vintage" approach, combining classic aesthetic elements with modern manufacturing techniques. The watches are designed in Paris and assembled in Besan&ccedil;on, the cradle of French watchmaking. The brand focuses on transparency regarding the origin of its components: the pieces are mainly made in Hong Kong, while the bracelets come from Italy. This organization allows Baltic to offer high quality watches at affordable prices.
<h3 dir="ltr">Main Collections</h3>
Notable Baltic collections include:
Baltic Aquascape: Launched in 2018, this diver's watch is inspired by models from the 1960s. Water-resistant up to 200 meters, it combines robustness and elegance, with details such as a unidirectional bezel and a double-domed sapphire crystal.
Baltic MR01: Presented in 2021, the MR01 is a manual-winding watch with a micro-rotor movement. Its refined design, with a grained dial and applied Breguet numerals, gives it a sophisticated look. This model quickly won over the public and found itself out of stock shortly after its launch.
Baltic Prismic: This collection is distinguished by its semi-precious stone dials, offering unique variations to each piece. The models feature stones such as green jade, red agate or blue lapis lazuli, paying homage to big cities like New York, London and Paris.
Baltic Hermetic: Launching in 2023, this versatile watch is ideal for everyday wear. Its 37mm diameter case is made of 316L stainless steel with water resistance up to 150m. Its integrated crown offers comfort and style, allowing the watch to be worn on the left or right wrist, as desired. The diversity of dial colors makes this collection attractive to the greatest number of people.
<h3 dir="ltr">Engagement et Perspectives</h3>
Baltic is committed to offering quality watches, combining vintage aesthetics and contemporary watchmaking techniques. The brand favors direct distribution via its website and showrooms, particularly in Paris, London and New York, allowing a privileged relationship with its customers. This approach allows it to offer timepieces with attractive value for money, while remaining attentive to the feedback and expectations of watch enthusiasts.
In less than a decade, Baltic has forged a strong identity in the watchmaking landscape, seducing with its authentic creations and its respect for watchmaking traditions, while integrating modern innovations. The brand continues to expand its range, exploring new designs and complications, while remaining true to its neo-vintage DNA.
Baltic is part of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/top/the_best_french_watch_brands">ranking of the most popular French watch brands</a>.
Get inspired by Dialicious owners reviews to choose the Baltic watch that suits you and find out <a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/baltic/why_customers_choose_baltic">why watch enthusiasts choose Baltic</a>?
(Updated March 2025)

The HMS 003 is a range released in 2023 from Baltic, following the HMS 001 and 002 (surprising right?), the 003 reduces the watch to 36.5mm. So is it too small? No for my 17cm wrist, which is within the norm... The watch comes with a superbly crafted dial for the price of 400 euros. The dial links path, sector dial and a grained central part, oh yes... the indexes are applied and not painted.

In short... the dial plays a central role on the watch and shows in natural light its complexity but also its success.

Note that the flat link bracelet goes very well with this watch.

A superbly crafted dial

Cr&eacute;&eacute;e en 2017 par le designer Nicolas Ducoudert, Beaubleu apporte une dimension nouvelle &agrave; l&rsquo;horlogerie en cr&eacute;ant des montres &agrave; la fois esth&eacute;tiques, &eacute;tonnantes et profond&eacute;ment symboliques. Les aiguilles rondes, signature de la Maison, sont le reflet d&rsquo;une singularit&eacute; et d&rsquo;une simplicit&eacute; sophistiqu&eacute;e. Chaque mod&egrave;le arbore un design d&eacute;licieusement contemporain, o&ugrave; chaque d&eacute;tail, chaque surface, interagissent avec la lumi&egrave;re.
Cassant les codes de l'horlogerie traditionnelle en apportant une vision nouvelle du temps, les montres Beaubleu sortent des sentiers battus en arborant des aiguilles rondes et &eacute;vid&eacute;es, inspir&eacute;es des travaux de Galil&eacute;e dans sa compr&eacute;hension du syst&egrave;me solaire. Ces aiguilles affichent de mani&egrave;re po&eacute;tique les heures, qui ne pointent pas un index ni une graduation, mais qui indiquent une position, un instant depuis le centre du cadran.
<h2>Quels sont les principaux mod&egrave;les de la marque Beaubleu ?</h2>
Beaubleu vient d&rsquo;annoncer le 5 juin 2024, le lancement d&rsquo;une nouvelle collection en s&eacute;rie limit&eacute;e nomm&eacute;e <a href="https://www.dialicious.com/beaubleu/seconde_francaise">Beaubleu Seconde Fran&ccedil;aise</a>. Une belle innovation esth&eacute;tique et po&eacute;tique comme en a le secret la marque., avec une aiguille volante des secondes et un calibre fran&ccedil;ais de France &Eacute;bauches. La Beaubleu Seconde Fran&ccedil;aise fait partie des nomin&eacute;s au Grand Prix d''Horlogerie de Gen&egrave;ve 2024.&nbsp;
La collection <a href="https://www.dialicious.com/beaubleu/ecce">Beaubleu Ecce</a> reste la collection permanente de la marque lanc&eacute;e en octobre 2023. Malgr&eacute; sa jeune histoire, Beaubleu a d&eacute;j&agrave; commercialis&eacute; 3 collections en s&eacute;ries limit&eacute;es :
<a href="https://www.dialicious.com/beaubleu/b01">Beaubleu B01</a> <a href="https://www.dialicious.com/beaubleu/union">Beaubleu Union</a> <a href="https://www.dialicious.com/beaubleu/vitruve_date">Beaubleu Vitruve Date</a> et <a href="https://www.dialicious.com/beaubleu/vitruve_gmt">Beaubleu Vitruve GMT</a>
<h2>Quel est le prix d'une montre Beaubleu ?</h2>
Le prix des montres Beaubleu &eacute;voluent et diff&egrave;rent selon les mod&egrave;les. La plupart co&ucirc;tent entre 800 &euro; et 1,600 &euro; selon les r&eacute;f&eacute;rences. A titre d'exemple, une <a href="https://www.dialicious.com/beaubleu/ecce/vesperal">Beaubleu Ecce Vesperal</a> est propos&eacute;e &agrave; 890 &euro; sur le bracelet cuir et la nouvelle collection <a href="https://www.dialicious.com/beaubleu/seconde_francaise">Beaubleu Seconde Fran&ccedil;aise</a> est vendue &agrave; partir de 1,490 &euro; sur bracelet cuir &eacute;galement. <a href="bit.ly/4abJPrn" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tous les prix Beaubleu sur le site de la marque</a>.
La marque Beaubleu est ind&eacute;pendante et vend plusieurs milliers de montres par an, tous mod&egrave;les confondus. Pour choisir le mod&egrave;le Beaubleu qui vous correspond le mieux, les <a href="https://www.dialicious.com/beaubleu/seconde_francaise/20.24_gris_perle/review/66607be37f15bc103d620fe3">avis clients Dialicious sur Beaubleu</a> sont une pr&eacute;cieuse ressource pour &eacute;valuer les diff&eacute;rents mod&egrave;les &agrave; travers l'exp&eacute;rience r&eacute;elle des clients de la marque.
Consultez le<a href="https://www.dialicious.com/top/les_meilleures_marques_de_montres_francaises"> Classement des meilleures marques de montres fran&ccedil;aises</a> dont Beaubleu fait partie.
(Mise &agrave; jour Novembre 2024)
&nbsp;

Created in 2017 by designer Nicolas Ducoudert, Beaubleu brings a new dimension to watchmaking by creating watches that are aesthetic, astonishing and deeply symbolic. The round hands, signature of the House, reflect singularity and sophisticated simplicity. Each model features a deliciously contemporary design, where every detail, every surface, interacts with light.
Breaking the codes of traditional watchmaking by providing a new vision of time, Beaubleu watches go off the beaten track by featuring round, hollowed-out hands, inspired by the work of Galileo in his understanding of the solar system. These hands poetically display the hours, which do not point to an index or a graduation, but which indicate a position, an instant from the center of the dial.
<h2 dir="ltr">What are the main models of the Beaubleu brand?</h2>
Beaubleu has just announced on June 5, 2024, the launch of a new limited series collection called<a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/beaubleu/seconde_francaise"> Beaubleu Seconde Francaise</a>. A beautiful aesthetic and poetic innovation as the brand has the secret, with a flying seconds hand and a French caliber from France &Eacute;bauches. The Beaubleu Seconde Fran&ccedil;aise is one of the nominees for the 2024 GPHG (Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Gen&egrave;ve).&nbsp;
The collection<a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/beaubleu/ecce"> Beaubleu Ecce</a> remains the permanent collection of the brand launched in October 2023. Despite its young history, Beaubleu has already marketed 3 collections in limited series:
<a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/beaubleu/b01">Beaubleu B01 </a><a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/beaubleu/union">Beaubleu Union </a><a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/beaubleu/vitruve_date">Beaubleu Vitruvius Date</a> And<a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/beaubleu/vitruve_gmt"> Beaubleu Vitruve GMT</a>
<h2 dir="ltr">How much does a Beaubleu watch cost?</h2>
The prices of Beaubleu watches change and differ depending on the model. Most cost between &euro; 800 and &euro; 1,600 according to the references. As an example, a<a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/beaubleu/ecce/vesperal"> Beaubleu Ecce Vesperal</a> is offered at &euro; 890 on the leather strap and the new collection<a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/beaubleu/seconde_francaise"> Beaubleu Seconde Francaise</a> is sold from &euro; 1,490 on a leather strap as well. All Beaubleu prices on the brand's website.
The Beaubleu brand is independent and sells several thousand watches per year, all models combined. To choose the Beaubleu model that best suits you, <a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/beaubleu/seconde_francaise/20.24_gris_perle/review/66607be37f15bc103d620fe3">Dialicious owners' reviews on Beaubleu</a> are a valuable resource for evaluating the different models through the real experience of the brand's customers.
Check out the<a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/top/the_best_french_watch_brands"> Ranking of the best French watch brands</a>, including Beaubleu.
(Updated November 2024)

The BALTIC HMS 003 is a watch that embodies the timeless elegance of the 1940s while incorporating modern features. This watch, from BALTIC's HMS collection, reflects the brand's watchmaking know-how and its commitment to offering quality timepieces at an affordable price.
<h3 dir="ltr">Design and Aesthetics</h3>
The design of the BALTIC HMS 003 is heavily inspired by watches from the 1940s, with a contemporary twist. The 316L stainless steel case features a fine finish with horizontal brushings on the middle of the case and circular brushings on the lugs, while the bezel is polished, providing an elegant contrast. The case diameter is 36.5mm, a size that gives the watch a discreet but noticeable presence on the wrist. The total thickness is 13 mm, including the curved hesalite glass, which adds a vintage touch to the whole.
The dial of the HMS 003 is an example of sophistication. It adopts a sectoral configuration with a sandblasted finish in the center, surrounded by a brushed ring where polished indexes are applied. A railway timer frames everything, reinforcing the classic aesthetic of the watch. The leaf-style hands have been slightly enlarged compared to previous versions, improving readability and adding character to the overall design.
<h3 dir="ltr">Movement and Performance</h3>
At the heart of the BALTIC HMS 003 is the Miyota caliber 8315, a Japanese automatic movement renowned for its reliability. This movement beats at a frequency of 21,600 vibrations per hour (3 Hz) and offers an extended power reserve of 60 hours, above average in this price range. It also has the stop-seconds function, allowing precise time setting.
<h3 dir="ltr">Glass and Waterproofing</h3>
The watch is equipped with a highly domed hesalite glass, true to vintage watches. Although this material is more susceptible to scratches than sapphire, it offers a particular clarity and aesthetic appreciated by purists. In case of scratches, hesalite glass can be easily polished back to its original shine. Concerning waterproofing, the HMS 003 is resistant up to 50 meters (5 ATM), which makes it suitable for daily use, including light immersion.
<h3 dir="ltr">Bracelets and Personalization</h3>
The BALTIC HMS 003 is offered with a variety of straps, allowing customization according to individual preferences. By default, it comes with an Italian calfskin strap, available in several colors. For those who prefer a more sporty or vintage look, &ldquo;beads of rice&rdquo; or &ldquo;flat link&rdquo; type steel bracelets are also available as an option. The width between the lugs is 20 mm, a standard dimension which makes changing straps easier.
<h3 dir="ltr">Dial Variants</h3>
The HMS 003 is available in several dial versions, each bringing a distinct personality to the watch:
<ul>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
Silver with blue accents: This version features a silver dial with blue hands and indexes, providing a subtle and elegant contrast.
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
Blue with gold accents: The deep blue dial combined with golden hands and indexes gives a warm and sophisticated touch.
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
Salmon with silver accents: This variant, very popular with collectors, features a salmon-colored dial with silver details, strongly reminiscent of vintage watches from the 1940s.
</li>
</ul>
<h3 dir="ltr">Conclusion</h3>
The BALTIC HMS 003 is a watch that succeeds in harmoniously combining the charm of the past with contemporary demands. Its sleek design, reliable movement and customizability make it a wise choice for those looking for a stylish and versatile watch. Whether for a formal occasion or daily use, the HMS 003 will seduce with its timeless aesthetic and its manufacturing quality.
Get inspired by Dialicious owners&rsquo; reviews to find the watch that looks like it.
(Updated March 2025)

Baltic HMS 003 Owner Review : Classy, sparkling and dressy

Classy and classic

Where to buy your Baltic?

YOU ARE :

Other reviews published by Kiki

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Baltic HMS 003 Owner Review : Classy, sparkling and dressy

Classy and classic

Where to buy your Baltic?

YOU ARE :

Other reviews published by Kiki

OrientRay

YemaSous-Marine

Customize your Baltic with our selection of accessories:

ABP Concept

Eagle Eye Watches

Orient
Ray

Yema
Sous-Marine