In a surprise move that shakes up the luxury world, Richemont has announced the sale of the entire Swiss fashion house Baume & Mercier to the Damiani Group, a historic Italian family-owned luxury business. The deal is expected to close in summer 2026, with a period of operational support from Richemont to ensure continuity in the transition.
Founded in 1830, Baume & Mercier has for decades been a solid presence in the “accessible” segment of watchmaking, with collections capable of speaking to a wide audience and with an authentic heritage behind them. Within the Richemont ecosystem, however, the brand has progressively lost specific weight, aided by an increasingly difficult positioning to sustain in a market polarized between big names in haute horlogerie and independent brands with strong personalities.
The entry into Damiani radically changes the scenario. The Italian group, a family business with solid roots in Valenza and a strong international presence in the world of high-end jewelry, not only acquires a brand but acquires a manufacture, a history and a narrative potential that has remained largely untapped in recent years.
And it is precisely here that the operation takes on a deeper meaning.
For Richemont, the divestment appears consistent with a strategy that is now evident: to rationalize the portfolio, focusing resources and attention on brands with greater positioning in the “high-end” segment. In this context, Baume & Mercier risked being trapped in limbo, lacking a clear direction and a truly recognizable voice.
For Damiani, on the contrary, Baume & Mercier represents a rare opportunity. It is a structural entry into Swiss watchmaking with a legitimate, historic, credible name. But above all, it is an opportunity to apply a different, potentially more focused commercial vision. The group’s strength in distribution, including through the Rocca network and an already established retail ecosystem, could finally give the brand the international appeal it has often lacked.
The real game, however, will not be played only on distribution. It will be played on identity. On product. On the courage of future collections. Because now more than ever, brands compete not only on price or mechanics, but on desirability.
Our reflections
Baume & Mercier is at a historic crossroads. This acquisition can represent the beginning of an intelligent relaunch, respectful of the heritage but capable of building a new, entirely contemporary language. Or it can turn into a purely industrial operation, where the brand survives but without becoming truly relevant again.
The difference, as always, will be made by creative choices, strategic coherence, and the ability to tell the story of who Baume & Mercier is today.
And here the question arises, will Damiani succeed in giving Baume & Mercier a new authentic voice in the contemporary watchmaking scene, or will we simply witness a change of ownership with no real change of destiny?
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