Baume & Mercier - 14k Bear Stearns Corporate Gift

Here we have what appears on first glance to be a very simple 14k Baume and Mercier quartz dress watch. Well, that’s exactly what it is. The real fun begins when you take a look at the caseback. The inscription reads “25 Years of Loyal Service - Bear Stearns”. I purchased this watch directly from the niece of the original owner who was an employee at Bear Stearns until the firm’s demise. As one of the first major investment banks to fail, their name will forever be synonymous with the 2008 financial crisis. This watch dates to 1996 and includes its original box, hang tags and warranty paperwork which specifies it being a corporate purchase. The watch was originally purchased at the, since shuttered, Tourneau Corner located at the corner of 52nd Street and Madison Ave in Manhattan. As a lifelong New Yorker it’s clear this watch’s NYC roots run deep.