Baume & Mercier is bringing its Riviera Chronograph to one of Italy’s most evocative historic racing weekends.
The Swiss watchmaker has been named Official Timekeeper of the 2026 Gran Premio Storico d’Italia, an event set for October 2 to 4 at the Mugello Circuit.
To mark the partnership, the brand has created the Riviera Chronograph GPSI Limited Edition, a steel sports chronograph with a dial dressed in Italian racing cues rather than a full departure from the Riviera playbook.
At a glance
- Baume & Mercier has created the Riviera Chronograph GPSI Limited Edition for the 2026 Gran Premio Storico d’Italia.
- The 41mm stainless steel chronograph uses a Valjoux 7753 automatic movement and carries green and red motorsport-inspired dial accents.
- The limited edition is priced at EUR 4,700 or CHF 4,300, with availability tied to the 2026 edition of the event.
A Riviera for historic racing at Mugello
The Gran Premio Storico d’Italia is built around Italy’s automotive memory, bringing significant classic cars and drivers to Mugello for a weekend organised by HVM Racing in collaboration with Ferrari Corse Clienti.
It’s an environment that suits Baume & Mercier better than a louder motorsport tie-in might suggest.
The Riviera has been part of the brand’s story since 1973, and its recent revival has placed it back into the highly competitive world of integrated-bracelet sports watches.
This edition keeps the core identity intact, particularly the Riviera’s 12-sided bezel, while giving the chronograph a sharper track-side personality.
Racing colours on a familiar steel case
The Riviera Chronograph GPSI Limited Edition uses a 41mm stainless steel case measuring 13.94mm thick, with polished and satin-finished surfaces giving the watch the crisp contrast expected from the collection.
The dodecagonal bezel is fixed by four screws, a detail that remains one of the Riviera’s clearest visual signatures.
Baume & Mercier pairs the case with an opaline white dial, green snailed counter outlines and a green snailed minute track.
The red chronograph hands bring the most direct motorsport note, while the “Official Timekeeper GPSI” marking ties the watch to the Gran Premio Storico d’Italia.
Rhodium-plated Roman numerals and indexes sit on the dial with white Super-LumiNova that emits blue light, as do the faceted hour and minute hands.
The watch also has a personalised dodecagonal sapphire caseback carrying the event logo, making the connection more than just a dial signature.
The Valjoux 7753 and everyday practicality
Inside is the automatic Valjoux 7753, a proven chronograph calibre running at 28,800 vibrations per hour with a 48-hour power reserve.
The layout places small seconds at 9 o’clock, a 30-minute counter at 3 o’clock and a 12-hour counter at 6 o’clock.
A date window sits at 4:30, a familiar placement for this movement architecture.
The case is water resistant to 100 metres, which gives the watch a useful degree of real-world resilience beyond its commemorative purpose.
It comes on an integrated black rubber strap with canvas decoration, fitted with Baume & Mercier’s tool-free interchangeability system and a triple-folding steel buckle with security pushers and adjustment.
Details & Specifications
| Brand | Baume & Mercier |
|---|---|
| Model | Riviera Chronograph GPSI Limited Edition, reference 10897 |
| Event tie-in | 2026 Gran Premio Storico d’Italia |
| Case size | 41mm diameter, 13.94mm thickness |
| Case material | Stainless steel with polished and satin-finished surfaces |
| Bezel | Dodecagonal bezel secured by four screws |
| Crystal | Scratch-resistant sapphire with anti-reflective coating on both sides |
| Caseback | Personalised dodecagonal sapphire caseback secured by four screws |
| Water resistance | 100 metres |
| Dial | Opaline white with green snailed counters and green minute track |
| Lume | White Super-LumiNova with blue emission on hands and indexes |
| Movement | Automatic Valjoux 7753 |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, small seconds, chronograph and date |
| Frequency | 28,800 vibrations per hour, 4Hz |
| Power reserve | 48 hours |
| Jewels | 27 |
| Strap | Integrated black rubber with canvas decoration |
| Buckle | Triple-folding stainless steel buckle with security pushers and adjustment |
| Price | EUR 4,700, CHF 4,300 |
| Availability | Limited edition for the 2026 Gran Premio Storico d’Italia |
Where this Riviera fits
This isn’t the Riviera trying to reinvent itself as a pure racing instrument.
Instead, it’s a well-judged commemorative chronograph that keeps the case shape, integrated strap concept and everyday utility that define the modern line.
For collectors who follow historic motorsport, or for Riviera buyers who prefer a brighter dial treatment with a genuine event connection, the GPSI Limited Edition gives Baume & Mercier’s sports watch a timely Italian accent.
