Baltic has introduced a new limited-edition chronograph, the Scalegraph Transat Cafe L'Or, to commemorate its role as the Official Timekeeper for the 17th edition of the Transat Café L’Or. This watch is a specialized instrument designed to celebrate one of the most demanding events in offshore sailing. The piece is strictly limited to 200 numbered units, reflecting the exclusive nature of the partnership and the event itself.
The Transat Café L’Or is an institution in the world of offshore racing, a grueling double-handed trial of skill and endurance. Held for over two decades, the race pits crews against the raw power of the Atlantic Ocean, running from Le Havre, France, to the finish line in Martinique. This is not a casual regatta; it's a trial that demands immense determination, courage, and resilience from its skippers. For many, simply finishing the crossing is a monumental achievement in itself.
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Baltic's participation as Official Timekeeper is more than just a branding exercise. The brand is actively supporting a Class40 team led by skipper Lomano Takasi. Baltic notes that this choice was deliberate, as the Class40 category embodies the spirit of adventure, passion, and self-surpassing that they wish to align with. This class is known for bringing together a diverse group of sailors, from future legends to dedicated ocean lovers, in an atmosphere that is both accessible and fiercely competitive.
These are the human and sporting values that Baltic aims to champion, and they serve as the direct inspiration for this new Scalegraph. The watch is intended to be a blend of Baltic's established design codes and the functional requirements of a professional skipper. It draws its identity directly from the world of offshore racing, integrating specific features that would be useful to a sailor while maintaining the brand's aesthetic.
The French watch brand was founded in 2016 by Etienne Malec. Its origin story is a personal one, born from Malec's discovery of his late father's extensive watch collection. His father, a photographer and collector, had meticulously kept diaries detailing every timepiece that had passed through his hands. Immersing himself in this documented history was the catalyst for Malec's own journey into watchmaking, which began long before the brand's official launch.
The name "Baltic" itself is a personal tribute. It refers to the founder's paternal roots on the northern coast of Poland. This connection to heritage is a core part of the brand's identity. Malec has stated that the adventure of founding the brand is the best tribute he could pay to his father and the ideal way to express his own inspirations, turning a story of transmission and passion into one of tangible creation.
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Baltic operates on a philosophy that aims to provide high-quality pieces at fair prices. They achieve this by utilizing a direct-to-consumer sales model, which eliminates the traditional industry margins associated with multi-layered distribution and retail networks. While they don't have a large physical retail structure, they emphasize accessibility through direct online communication with their customer base.
The brand is also transparent about its production process, a move intended to counter the ambiguity that can sometimes be present in the industry. Baltic partners with manufacturers in several regions, sourcing the majority of its components from Hong Kong. The final, critical stages of assembly and adjustment, however, are performed in their atelier in Besançon, France, a historic center of French watchmaking. Straps are also produced in France, while other accessories are sourced from Italy.
The Scalegraph Transat Café L’Or begins its visual statement with its dial. The base is finished in a metallic champagne color, giving the watch a warm, dynamic look that shifts with the light. This is set against two off-white sub-dials at 3 and 9 o'clock. These sub-dials are not flat; they feature an "azurage" finish, a fine concentric-grooved texture that adds a significant amount of depth and visually separates them from the main dial.
Legibility, a key concern in racing, is addressed with high-contrast hands. While the main timekeeping hands are polished batons, the central chronograph seconds hand and the hand for the 30-minute counter are finished in a bright, vivid orange. This color choice makes the chronograph functions instantly readable at a quick glance, which is critical under demanding race conditions. A practical, framed date window is integrated at the 6 o'clock position.
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The sub-dial at 3 o'clock is a defining feature of this model. It's a "Big Eye" counter, so-named for its larger size relative to the running seconds at 9 o'clock. More importantly, it is a functional regatta timer. The first 15 minutes of the counter are graduated in reverse and blocked out in shades of blue. This allows a skipper to easily and accurately track the critical countdown sequences to the start of a race.
Moving to the exterior, the watch features a fixed bezel with a dark blue aluminum insert. This bezel is not a typical diver's or tachymeter scale. It has been created specifically for this edition and is graduated in knots over 1/10th of a nautical mile. This is a practical tool for a skipper, allowing them to measure the average speed a sailing boat is achieving over a set distance.
The case is crafted from 316L stainless steel and features dimensions that balance a modern presence with wearable comfort. It measures 39.5mm in diameter, with a 47mm lug-to-lug distance that should accommodate a wide range of wrists. The 20mm lug width also makes it a versatile platform for strap changes.
The overall thickness is 14.1mm, a dimension that includes the pronounced double-domed sapphire crystal. This type of crystal is known for its durability and scratch resistance, and it adds a vintage-inspired character to the watch's profile. The case itself, without the glass, is noted as being 11.3mm thick. The crystal is treated with an internal anti-reflective coating to reduce glare and improve legibility.
This Scalegraph is built for genuine use in a marine environment. It boasts a water-resistance rating of 100 meters (10 ATM). This capability is supported by a solid, engraved caseback and, most significantly, by screw-down pushers for the chronograph, as well as a screw-down engraved crown. This design ensures that the case remains sealed against water ingress, even during active use on deck.
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The caseback itself is a solid piece of steel, numbered from 001 to 200 to denote its place in the limited series. It is engraved with the "TRANSAT CAFE" logo, featuring a compass rose and the event's name, rendered in a striking red and black design.
Powering the watch is the Sellita SW511 BH a caliber. This is a Swiss-made, manual-winding chronograph movement renowned for its exemplary reliability. The choice of a hand-wound movement is a deliberate one, often preferred by enthusiasts for the thinner case profile it allows (compared to an automatic) and the daily tactile interaction it requires.
The SW511 BH a provides a robust power reserve of 63 hours, meaning it can run for over two and a half days on a single full wind. It also includes a stop-second, or "hacking," function, which stops the seconds hand when the crown is pulled out, allowing for precise time-setting down to the second.
The watch is supplied as a comprehensive package with two distinct strap options. The first is a classic stainless steel "Beads of Rice" bracelet. This style, known for its many small, polished links, is famously comfortable and conforms well to the wrist, giving the watch a more metallic, retro look.
The second option provided is a "Rubber Classic" strap in off-white. This strap is made from vulcanized rubber (FKM), a material prized for its durability, flexibility, and resistance to saltwater, UV rays, and sweat. This makes it an ideal choice for the watch's intended nautical environment and gives it a more casual, rugged appearance.
Courtesy of Baltic
The Baltic Scalegraph Transat Café L’Or is a strictly limited and numbered edition of 200 pieces. The brand has been clear that this specific configuration, created to celebrate their first participation as Official Timekeeper of the Transat Café L'Or, will not be produced again once the initial run is sold.
This 200-piece limited edition is priced at $2,030. This price includes the watch itself, the Swiss manual-wind chronograph movement, the specialized regatta timer and sailing bezel, the 100m water-resistant case with screw-down pushers, and both the stainless steel Beads of Rice bracelet and the FKM rubber strap.
Case: 316L stainless steel. 39.5mm diameter, 47mm lug to lug, 14.1mm thickness, 20mm lug width. Aluminium bezel graduated in knots. Double dome sapphire crystal. Screw-down pushers and crown. 100m (10ATM) water resistance. Numbered caseback 001-200.
Movement: Sellita SW511 BH a. Manual winding mechanical chronograph. 63-hour power reserve. Stop second feature.
Dial: Metallic champagne finish with off-white azurage subdials. Super-Luminova BGW9. "Big Eye" sub-counter at 3 o'clock for regatta timing. Bright orange chronograph hands.
Strap: Includes both a stainless steel "Beads of Rice" bracelet and a vulcanized rubber (FKM) "Rubber Classic" strap.
Price: $2,030
Notes: Limited edition of 200 pieces for the Transat Café L’Or sailing race, for which Baltic is the Official Timekeeper. Features a regatta timer and a bezel for measuring sailing speed in knots.