#baldieri

interview with Alessandro Baldieri designer, talks about the Magnum M-48 Carbon green.

Alessandro was in Hong Kong this week. I caught up with him on Skype to talk about his range of Magnums. Alessandro was an architect. One fine day he had enough of baby sitting clients and staff and decided to become a watch designer.

Alessandro confessed he has a case of ADD, so patience is not one of his virtues. When I asked him why he decided to enter a competitive space like watch making, he commented that architecture was equally competitive. He didn’t care so much - he just decided one day he wanted to design watches and made the career switch.

Today Alessandro has three watch brands that he is an owner. One of them is a Singapore-based business.

Alessandro is fanatical about his customers. During our video interview he called the retailer I bought my green carbon from, to query a purchase I had maded. There was a mistake with the strap I was sold and he offered on the spot to ship me a replacement.

The Magnum.

The case used in the green Magnum featured here is made from a proprietary formula. The carbon fibre cases used in the Baldieri series began in the laboratories of a firm called Itanano.

Itanano (combination if Italy and nano), fabric products using nato technology. Alessandro commissioned the firm to devise a formula for his cases. This formula is key to producing a watch case at an affordable price. The formula belongs to Baldieri and the cases are moulded by a German supplier.

The dial is fashioned from steel, with an enamel anti reflective coating. 

The designer made the lugs 24mm, not 26mm to create better balance. The effect is a more classic design that will continue to look good when the fad of fat straps goes out.

The straps.

The attention to the straps is astonishing. The strap is made from saddle leather sourced from artisans in Florence, Italy. More durable than calf leather. He wanted the strap to be as durable as the watch case.

I prefer a second strap made in kevlar. Simply amazing. Alessandro made a velcro strap look beautiful. The strap has frayed a little with use, and Alex advised me to run the flame of a lighter over the edges. I confirm this solution worked a charm. Just be careful to avoid clinging the velcro :).

Curious features.

The screws are aesthetic only. What? I was disappointed until I learned why. Alessandro is aware of instances where watches have fallen off wrists because screws were not fastened. Not to mention ugly scratch marks lugs attract from screw drivers.

Instead the strap is on spring bars, release from behind the lug. If you tried to unscrew the screw there is nothing behind it. The designer recommends not doing this.

The lugs I was informed are 22/23mm. Actually the lug is 23.7mm and designed to snuggly fit a 24mm. A 22mm strap is too small.

The seconds hand freezes. Alessandro described the Miyota 8215 series a tractor. It is tough. However it has some peculiarities. The second hand freezes and the rotor is noisy. It took a few days for me to adjust, but I don’t notice it so much now.