We already mentioned Baltic in a recent Fratello Talks episode, “The Microbrands To Watch In 2026.” Etienne Malec founded the brand 10 years ago and launched his first watch a year later. We suspect he’s planning something big for the anniversary, but it doesn’t look like Etienne needs any excuse to launch great new watches. The recently introduced MR Moissanite, with a bezel full of baguette-cut stones, is proof of that. And now, he comes with the new Heures du Monde collection, a trio of worldtimers with labradorite, tiger eye, and sodalite dials.
Baltic has made quite a name for itself in the past decade with its stylish, relatively affordable, vintage-inspired timepieces. I don’t really know anyone who isn’t charmed by the brand’s sympathetic watches. Let’s see what the new Heures du Monde collection looks like.
The Baltic Heures du Monde collection
Let’s start with the dimensions. The mostly brushed stainless steel case of the new Heures du Monde has a 36mm diameter, a 45mm lug-to-lug length, and an 11.3mm total thickness, including the double-domed sapphire crystal. At first, I suspected it was the same as the brand’s MR case. However, that watch has a slightly shorter lug span. The signed crown on the Heures du Monde sits proudly at 3 o’clock and has no protection other than the overhanging bezel.
That’s right; the unidirectional bezel has a slightly larger 37mm diameter. That’s a trick we also see Etienne apply to other (dive) watches in his portfolio. This way, he keeps the cases nice and small, makes the bezels easier to grip, and leaves more space for the markings on them. For the Heures du Monde, the bezel features a brushed black ceramic insert with world cities written in blue-glowing Super-LumiNova.
Choose your stone
Stone dials are hot at the moment, and the folks at Baltic know that. For the new Heures du Monde, you can choose between a labradorite, tiger eye, or sodalite stone dial. The labradorite is slate blue-gray and plays nicely with the light. The tiger eye is somewhere between brown and orange, and the sodalite is a brighter, more saturated blue than the first labradorite dial. I haven’t seen the sodalite version person, but based on my first impressions, the labradorite dial is my favorite. It looks very classy and sophisticated, and I think it’ll be the easiest to pair with different outfits and straps.
The stone dials feature printed hour markers, a Baltic logo, and the watch’s name. At 6 o’clock, there’s an arrow that indicates the city corresponding to the time on the dial. Surrounding each stone dial is a bidirectional 24-hour ring that helps indicate whether it’s night or day in other parts of the world. The daytime color is carefully matched to the stone’s color on the dial.
Finally, the beveled sword hands, the hour markers, the 24-hour ring, and the bezel all feature lume, making it easier to read the time in darker conditions.
A no-date Soprod C125
Powering the new Baltic Heures du Monde is the Swiss-made Soprod C125 caller-style GMT movement. However, in this setup with a 24-hour ring, it’s not so obvious that it’s a caller GMT. Also, there’s no date on this version of the movement. That might annoy some people, as many see it as an important feature for a multi-time watch. It does keep the dial layout nice and balanced, though.
The automatic movement runs at 28,800 vibrations per hour, features 25 jewels, and has a 42-hour power reserve. The stainless steel case back attaches to the mid-case with four screws and features a depiction of a sphere. It also indicates the watch’s 100m water resistance and tells you which of the 200 pieces you have. Baltic is initially releasing 200 pieces for each stone type. After those are sold, the Heures du Monde will become part of the regular collection.
A dressy tool watch
On the wrist, the Baltic Heures du Monde balances nicely between a dress watch and a tool watch. Its size, in combination with the stone dials, makes the watches feel dressier. However, the bezel with world cities and the 24-hour ring surrounding the dial give it proper functionality. And don’t forget about the 100m water resistance. As always with Baltic watches, the proportions are perfect, and all the various elements come together so nicely.
Of course, each watch has a unique look due to the natural stone dial. But again, from what I’ve seen, the labradorite version is my favorite. The stone plays beautifully with the light, almost like mother-of-pearl, and the grayish-blue color makes it very versatile. The tiger eye stone inside the model we had in the office was a bit too orange for me, but I suppose that can differ from watch to watch. I haven’t seen the sodalite in person, but I can imagine that it also looks rather fresh in combination with the light blue on the 24-hour ring.
Starting with 200 numbered pieces per dial
As mentioned, to launch this new line, Baltic will offer 200 numbered pieces per dial of the Heures du Monde. After that, the model will become available in the regular collection with the same dial options but no specific number on the back. Each watch costs €1,300 with a dial-matching Italian calfskin strap. You can also choose to buy it on a flat-link or beads-of-rice bracelet. That will increase the price to €1,360. In either case, I think that you get a lot of watch for the money, considering the worldtimer complication, the stone dials, and the brushed ceramic bezel insert.
What do you think of the new Baltic Heures du Monde collection? Let me know in the comments below which one you would pick.
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Daan de Groot
2026-03-31 14:00:00