It’s tough to think of two accessible indie brands that are more diametrically opposed in terms of their general aesthetic than Baltic and SpaceOne. One is focused largely on classic, vintage influenced designs, while the other is firmly contemporary, futuristic, even, and has made a name for itself by innovating new ways to make high end complications accessible. But they have similar sensibilities, I think, when it comes to widening the aperture of watch enthusiasm in general. They make it feel easy to break into a once difficult to access hobby with watches that are genuinely interesting and cool irrespective of price.
And so a collaboration between Baltic and SpaceOne (both French brands) is maybe not as absurd as it would appear at first blush. Their first watch made in partnership, the Seconde Majeure, takes elements of what makes both brands special and smashes them together in a very satisfying way. It’s one of the best watches I’ve had a chance to see so far this year (it was being previewed at Chronopolis in Geneva last month, and at our Windup event in San Francisco just last week).
The Seconde Majeure is designed around a jumping hour module designed by Theo Auffret with three visible components. A large minute disc sits atop a control wheel that makes a full rotation every 60 minutes, and provides a hand-free readout of the minutes from a central location on the dial. As the minute disc completes a rotation, it engages with a star wheel that has 12 teeth, one for each hour, and is tied to a separate disc. A jumper spring keeps pressure on the star wheel until the “jump” at the top of each hour. The end result is an intuitive, vertical reading of the time, presented in a way that feels mostly classical thanks to the maillechort plate into which the transparent wheels have been fitted. It’s an interesting combination of SpaceOne’s approach to movement design with Baltic’s design sensibility. One way to think of the design might be to consider what a Baltic made in the 1960s might look like if they decided to create the most futuristic version of a Baltic that they could think of.
The case is circular and 38.5mm in diameter, and while it’s certainly the most straightforward case SpaceOne has ever been involved with, that’s not to say it isn’t complex. The midcase, lugs, and caseback have a brushed finish which works in contrast to a high polished concave bezel. The lugs have been given a pronounced arch, and the watch wears very easily on the wrist with a low profile despite a case height of just over 12mm.
There will be two versions of the Seconde Majeure, each defined by the finishing of the maillechort plate: one brushed, and one with what the brand calls a “Charbonne” finish, which is more decorative and ornate. The brushed version retails for 2,500 euros, and the Charbonne for 3,500.
The watch will be made available for sale during a purchasing window that runs from May 12 through May 17. Deliveries are expected in November of this year. Baltic x SpaceOne
Zach Kazan
2026-05-08 14:00:00