Baltic and SpaceOne have introduced the Seconde Majeure, a collaborative watch that pairs a classical case and dial treatment with an unconventional jumping-hour display. The French brands are offering two versions, with pricing from €2,500 and orders open from May 12 through May 17.
A Meeting of Two Very Different Design Languages
Baltic is best known for accessible watches with vintage influence, while SpaceOne has built its identity around futuristic design and making unusual complications more approachable. The Seconde Majeure brings those ideas together in a way that feels deliberate rather than contradictory.
The result is a watch with a traditional round case and refined finishing, but with a dial-side display that moves away from conventional hands. It is mechanically expressive without abandoning wearability or the restrained proportions often associated with Baltic.
How the Jumping-Hour Display Works
The Seconde Majeure is built around a jumping-hour module designed by Theo Auffret. Its display uses three visible components arranged to create a vertical reading of the time.
A large minute disc sits above a control wheel, which completes one rotation every 60 minutes. This disc provides the minutes from the center of the dial without using a traditional hand. At the end of each hour, the minute mechanism engages a 12-tooth star wheel connected to a separate hour disc.
A jumper spring holds pressure on the star wheel, allowing the hour to snap forward precisely at the top of the hour. The layout gives the watch a clear and intuitive time display while also showing the mechanical logic behind the complication.
Classical Materials, Transparent Mechanics
One of the defining visual elements is the maillechort plate, into which transparent wheels are fitted. Maillechort, a nickel silver alloy often associated with traditional movement finishing, helps soften the technical nature of the display and gives the dial a more classical character.
That contrast is central to the watch’s appeal: the complication has the experimental feel expected from SpaceOne, while the surrounding design language keeps the watch closer to Baltic’s familiar world of vintage-inspired proportions and finishing.
A 38.5mm Case With Mixed Finishing
The Seconde Majeure uses a circular case measuring 38.5mm in diameter. While the shape is more traditional than SpaceOne’s usual case work, it still includes thoughtful detailing.
The midcase, lugs and caseback are brushed, while the concave bezel is highly polished. The lugs are strongly arched, helping the watch sit comfortably on the wrist. Case thickness is just over 12mm, giving it a relatively low-profile feel for a watch with a jumping-hour module.
Two Versions and Pricing
Baltic and SpaceOne will offer the Seconde Majeure in two variants, distinguished by the finishing of the maillechort plate.
- Brushed maillechort plate: €2,500
- Charbonne finish: €3,500
The Charbonne option is the more decorative of the two, adding a more ornate surface treatment to the plate.
Order Window and Delivery Timing
The Seconde Majeure will be available during a limited purchasing window running from May 12 through May 17. Deliveries are expected in November.
For collectors interested in accessible independent watchmaking, the collaboration is notable because it combines a distinctive complication, compact sizing and a design that bridges traditional and contemporary tastes.