Baltic and SpaceOne unveil playful jump-hour watch for collectors

Baltic and SpaceOne are turning a collector’s complication into something with real gift appeal: playful, numbered, and available only in a six-day preorder window that opens May 12 at 4:00 PM Paris time. The first watch signed by both Paris-based independents, the Seconde Majeure, makes its case with a jump-hour display, sapphire discs, and a large central seconds hand, a combination that feels far more conversational than the usual dress watch formula.

The story behind it is almost as gift-worthy as the watch itself. Théo Auffret and Guillaume Laidet first crossed paths at a French watchmakers’ meetup Baltic hosted at its Paris headquarters in 2021, and that meeting later grew into SpaceOne. Five years on, the two brands have turned that connection into a watch that blends Baltic’s vintage-minded restraint with SpaceOne’s more futuristic, space-age language. For a collector who already owns the expected Swiss staples, this is the kind of piece that signals taste, not just budget.

The case gives the Seconde Majeure its physical presence without becoming bulky. It measures 38.5mm across, 47.5mm lug to lug, and 12.3mm thick, and it is made from 904L stainless steel with a polished concave bezel, arched lugs, and a crown placed at 12 o’clock. Inside, the movement is based on the Soprod P024 automatic and paired with a custom jumping-hour module developed by Théo Auffret. That mechanical setup is the point: in a market crowded with conservative three-hand watches, this is the one that actually does something memorable on the wrist.

Two dial treatments will be offered, brushed and Charbonné. The Charbonné version carries the clearest luxury signal, with a hand-executed finish that can take up to three hours per dial and leaves no two examples identical. That kind of artisanal variation matters in gifting because it makes the watch feel personal the moment it leaves the box. Each piece will be individually numbered, production will be made to order based on demand during the May 12 to May 17 window, and deliveries are expected to begin in November 2026. At €2,500 before taxes for the brushed version and €3,500 for the Charbonné, it lands in the sweet spot where independent-watch credibility meets the kind of price that still feels like a smart, intentional splurge.