What We Know
French watchmaking is on an absolute tear lately. Even setting aside F.P. Journe (yes, he’s based in Switzerland, but he is French), there’s a growing list of brands pushing things forward in interesting ways. Two of the more relevant names in this case are Baltic and SpaceOne, the latter a collaboration between Théo Auffret of Auffret Paris and Guillaume Laidet, who has played a major role in reviving some major brands. Both have become important players in the more affordable end of independent watchmaking, but from very different angles. SpaceOne leans heavily futuristic, while Baltic—and Auffret more broadly—tend to stay rooted in classic design. That’s what makes the new Seconde Majure from Baltic x SpaceOne so interesting. It feels like the watch someone with more traditional tastes, like me, has been waiting for.
The Seconde Majeure might not come as a surprise to everyone. Baltic and SpaceOne were showing the watch around during Time to Watches in Geneva a few weeks ago, and they also sent over a prototype for me to preview ahead of launch. One quick note there: all of the photos I took were with the crown pulled out, so keep that in mind as you scroll through. For everyone else, you might need to catch up pretty quickly, especially since the watch is only available for a very limited time. But what you’ll quickly see is that the watch is attractive for something affordable. And remarkably compact.
Measuring 38.5mm by 12.5mm with a 47.5mm lug-to-lug in a stainless steel case, the main draw is the rose-toned maillechort plate holding a module for a jumping hour and wandering minute, with sapphire discs rotating above a black display. The hours are shown through an aperture at 12 o’clock, with the transparent hour disc jumping over a black section to make them visible. The minutes rotate into view, with the exact minute shown through an arrow at the end of a crosshatch in the display. The seconds continue to rotate as normal, slightly lower than the center of the watch. It’s actually incredibly legible at a glance (just like the old AP Star Wheels were before they created the Code 11.59 version).
The Seconde Majeure is available in two versions, the brushed dial and the charbonné version, seen below. The technique here is something that Auffret has made a signature. The Parisian finishing technique was revived by Auffret’s mentor Jean-Baptiste Viot and uses a block of charcoal, rubbed over the surface of the plate, to bring out an incredible pattern.
The charbonné finish, which was the other option. Photo courtesy of Baltic.
To accomplish the jumping hour, the brand took a Soprod P024 and added a module, visible under the sapphire dials. There is a central control wheel that rotates the minute disc around (once per hour, as usual). As it rotates, it engages a twelve-toothed star wheel and applies increasing pressure to the wheel, which is held in place by a jumper spring. When the pressure reaches enough that the spring can’t resist, the wheel rotates (at the top of the hour), and the spring holds the next hour in place. The jump hour system is surrounded by engravings of the watchmakers and the location of manufacture.
Other features worth mentioning include the engravings on the caseback, which will also include the watch’s number in the series (in a, frankly, beautiful script) and the place of construction. You can see that the case is held on with screws, but it has 50m of water resistance. The crown is at 12 o’clock, but pretty easy to access (more so from the front), and the lugs are nicely shaped, playing with a mix of brushing and polishing that reminds me a bit of a Vichet case.
The 38.5mm case wears well on my 7.25″ wrist, likely in part due to the decent 47.5mm lug-to-lug that is just a tad longer than average for the case size. The dial has a lot of empty space, which makes the watch feel a bit larger than it measures. But the crown placement at 12 o’clock also makes it feel a bit smaller in other ways, condensing the overall footprint.
Due to the additional work required to finish the watch with charbonné, that version costs more than the other: €3,500 compared to €2,500. If you’re interested in either, the numbered, limited-production edition will be available to anyone who orders from May 12th to May 17th.
What We Think
This is an interesting and dynamic release from Baltic and SpaceOne. While it’s not what I would have imagined from something carrying the SpaceOne name, it’s immediately obvious the influence of Auffret on the watch. It’s also quite outside the box for Baltic, which I immediately associate more with well-considered, vintage-trending watches. Both are things I like. Heck, I bought the recent worldtimer in Labradorite. To see them come together in such an unexpected way is exactly what you want out of watchmaking. The Soprod P024 movement is maybe the place I could point some criticism, as it’s probably the most expensive watch powered by that movement, but it’s also modified with the jumping hour module and has more finishing than any other watch I know of with that movement. My two cents: if you’re considering one or the other and can afford it, go for the charbonné finishing for a bit of the extra French touch.
The Basics
Brand: Baltic x SpaceOne
Model: Seconde Majeure
Diameter: 38.5mm
Lug-to-Lug: 47.5mm
Thickness: 12.5mm
Case Material: Stainless steel 904L
Dial Color: Brushed or Charbonnée finish
Indexes: Brushed or Charbonnée finish on rose-colored maillechort plate, with sapphire discs
Lume: None
Water Resistance: 50m
Strap/Bracelet: Alcantara® strap by Delugs
The Movement
Caliber: Soprod P024 with Jumping-Hour complication module by Théo Auffret
Functions: Jumping hour
Diameter: 26mm
Thickness: 4.6mm
Power Reserve: 42 hours
Winding: Automatic winding
Frequency: 4 Hz
Pricing & Availability
Price: €2,500 (Brushed); €3,500 (Charbonné)
Availability: Available for pre-order from May 12th to May 17th
Limited Edition: Individually numbered, limited by the number of orders placed during these six days
For more, click here.
