Hands-On With The Brand-New Baltic Prismic
Baltic is on a bit of a roll with its releases. The young brand seems to have its finger firmly on the pulse of the horological community, continuously offering affordable alternatives to vintage watches with modern build quality and sharp pricing. Better yet, Baltic’s designs have a type of “effortless” style that seems to resonate with a large audience. So when I heard about the release of the new Baltic Prismic, I wanted to get hands-on with these watches. I did, and here is how we got along.
The new Baltic Prismic comes with a choice of four dial colors as well as a leather strap or a mesh bracelet. It is priced at €990 (ex. VAT) on leather and €1,050 on the bracelet.
Baltic Prismic specs
Let’s get the boring stuff out of the way first. What we have here is a 36mm dress watch with a 44mm lug-to-lug length. The thickness, however, is where things get special in today’s market as the watch comes in at 9.2mm slim. This does come at the expense of water resistance, which is rated at 3 ATM. Then again, the Prismic is not a sports watch, so I don’t mind this one bit.
Inside ticks the good old Peseux 7001, a hand-wound caliber with small seconds that shines in one particular respect — thinness. It measures just 2.5mm thick. It also offers a power reserve of 42 hours, but its accuracy isn’t specified. Baltic has put the movement on display behind an exhibition case back with a sapphire crystal. This reveal’s the caliber’s attractive machine finishing, including perlage and Côtes de Genève along with blued screws.
The case is worth a closer look. It is part 316L stainless steel and part titanium. The titanium parts are finished with a grained surface, while the steel parts are polished and brushed. It is a subtle difference that you will not notice until you look closely. I find it interesting that Baltic did this as it somewhat contradicts the brand’s typical less-is-more approach. It does result in a cool look, though, especially with the two contrasting finishes on the bezel.
The Baltic Prismic dials
The stars of the show here are the four dial options you can choose from. Baltic describes the source of inspiration for the collection as “the geometric shapes and luminous refractions of the prism.” Now, there are a lot of luminous effects and refractions in the press materials, but can we find that inspiration in the watches too? Well, I think it is the many different textures and finishes that tell us that story. Indeed, they offer a lot of light play under the domed sapphire crystal.
For starters, the dial features several different textures, all catching the light in different ways. And then there are the polished stud-shaped hour markers, which are completely on theme. Lastly, there is a brushed silver ring around the sub-dial and a brushed handset with high-polished bevels. In short, everything catches and reflects the light differently. It makes for an impressive sight to behold.
Baltic offers four dial colors to choose from — blue, green, salmon, and purple. I had a chance to try the blue and the green versions. All of the colors have a metallic look, almost as if there is just a thin layer of lacquer over a silver-colored dial.
Wearing the Baltic Prismic
When I first saw the pictures of the Baltic Prismic, I was a bit worried. The dials looked a bit too busy, and the colors didn’t quite do it for me. The thing is, when viewed in isolation, both the green and the blue models that I had are very handsome. It is when putting them together that it becomes a bit of a candy store. In real life, the second impression was quite good.
On the wrist, the size of these is spot on, and they wear just like vintage dress watches. My advice would be to go with the leather strap. I found that the broad-shouldered mesh bracelet stood out and didn’t drape nearly enough. It is also the type of stiff mesh that tends to bend or get dented over time. The leather strap, on the other hand, rightly puts the focus on the watch itself. Additionally, it comes with a beautifully faceted buckle that I wouldn’t normally expect in this segment.
I didn’t particularly notice the titanium at first glance. I did, however, immediately pick up that there was something intricate about this case design. The balance is just right. It is visually interesting without being convoluted. All in all, these are really neat offerings if you want an interesting dress watch.
Compromising the right way
Now, as mentioned, Baltic is offering these right around the €1,000 mark. Although this is significant money, it is also a price point where you simply have to skimp on certain things in watchmaking. Baltic, I feel, is good at making the right decisions here. Especially on the leather strap, the Prismic feels like a much higher-end watch than it is.
So, where are the compromises? Well, under a loupe. The dial, for instance, looks great at a glance or from a distance. Through a loupe, though, you see that it is simpler than you might think. All those different textures are obviously stamped rather than engraved. And, of course, those faceted hands and indices aren’t cut in the way that Grand Seiko’s are.
Despite this, Baltic manages to make the dial look great. The brand saves money where possible without compromising the watch’s overall appearance, meaning that you get a lot of watch for the money. Baltic’s designers also have a good eye for design and style. This gives the watches a certain “cool factor” that is hard to find. If you want an extra level of refinement, you must make a pretty sizable financial jump, so I believe these make a very compelling case.
Closing thoughts
The new Prismic collection brings something new to the Baltic catalog. These watches are a little more ornate than the brand’s previous efforts. Whether the approach and execution speak to you or not, the Prismic adds a distinct new dimension to an already quite rich collection.
Would I recommend a Baltic Prismic? I think you may have gathered by now that I would. They are cool-looking watches, and they have that vintage vibe on the wrist. Kudos, Baltic! You did it again!
The Prismic is available for pre-order on the Baltic website now. The presale ends on February 25th. Delivery will commence in October this year, following the order of purchase.
What do you think of the new Baltic Prismic collection? Let us know in the comments below!
