Baltic Hermétique The Rift Brings Icelandic Adventure To The Wrist

Created for the seventh edition of The Rift in Iceland, the new Hermétique combines a rugged tool-watch construction with an organic palette inspired by volcanic landscapes, moss and glacial ice.

The Baltic Hermétique The Rift marks a new chapter in Baltic’s collaboration with The Rift, an Icelandic cycling event that takes riders across the volcanic landscapes of southern Iceland. For the seventh edition of the race, Baltic becomes Official Timekeeper and introduces a special edition of the Hermétique produced in 400 pieces, with the watch offered for the first time in both 34 mm and 37 mm sizes.

The Rift takes place at the junction of the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates, where the landscape provides a particularly fitting setting for a watch designed around exploration and outdoor use. Nearly 900 cyclists take part in the event, competing not only against one another but also against the terrain and changing Icelandic conditions. The new Hermétique reflects that environment through its colours, materials and emphasis on legibility.

Two Sizes For Different Wrists

The most significant change to the Hermétique for The Rift is the introduction of a 34 mm case alongside the established 37 mm size. Both watches share the same overall construction and design language, but the smaller version has been proportionally adjusted with an 18 mm lug width, compared with 20 mm on the 37 mm model.

The 34 mm case measures 42.5 mm from lug to lug, while the 37 mm version measures 46 mm. Both are 10.8 mm thick including the crystal, or 8.3 mm without it. This allows the smaller model to retain the visual character of the Hermétique without simply reducing the dimensions of the larger watch.

Both cases are made from fully brushed 316L stainless steel and are topped by a double-domed sapphire crystal with internal anti-reflective coating. A polished bezel introduces a subtle contrast against the otherwise brushed construction, adding a degree of refinement without taking the Hermétique away from its tool-watch character.

The integrated crown is another practical detail. Its position within the case is designed to improve comfort and allows the watch to be worn on either the left or right wrist, giving the Hermétique a degree of flexibility that suits its cycling and outdoor context.

An Organic Icelandic Palette

For The Rift edition, Baltic moves away from a single dominant colour and instead builds the dial around three shades associated with Icelandic landscapes: volcanic black, moss green and glacial blue.

The colours are paired with a full-lume dial architecture designed around legibility rather than decoration. The dial features a forged-carbon railway sector contrasting with a luminescent white central sector, framed by two polished steel blades. The different surfaces create depth while maintaining a clear separation between the main elements of the dial.

The hour markers are made from Super-LumiNova BGW9 and C3, with the 0.5 mm-thick elements overlapping the two dial sectors in places. This creates an additional sense of depth while ensuring that the hour indications remain visible when the surrounding light disappears.

The polished steel “syringe” hands are also coated with Super-LumiNova BGW9. Together with the luminous dial elements, they provide the Hermétique The Rift with a strong night-time presence and reinforce the watch’s role as an instrument designed to remain readable beyond daylight conditions.

Super-LumiNova At The Centre

Luminescence is one of the defining visual features of The Rift edition. Baltic uses both Super-LumiNova BGW9 and C3, materials selected for their intensity and durability.

Rather than restricting the lume to conventional hands and markers, the Hermétique uses it across the dial itself. When the ambient light fades, the central sector and hour indications become illuminated, while the polished steel elements remain visible as contrasting structures around them.

This approach gives The Rift a very different appearance in darkness compared with daylight. The dial effectively changes character, with the luminous surfaces becoming the dominant visual elements while the black, green and blue palette recedes.

Built As A Tool Watch

Despite its special-event identity, The Rift remains fundamentally a Hermétique. The case is constructed from 316L stainless steel, the crystal is sapphire and water resistance reaches 150 metres, or 15 ATM.

Power comes from the Miyota 9039 automatic movement, a compact mechanical calibre that provides approximately 42 hours of power reserve. The movement also incorporates a stop-seconds function, allowing the seconds hand to be stopped when the crown is pulled out for more precise time setting.

The watch is fitted with an integrated vulcanised FKM rubber sports strap. Its construction is particularly suited to the outdoor positioning of The Rift, while the integrated design keeps the overall silhouette compact and cohesive.

Beyond The Watch

Baltic’s collaboration with The Rift extends beyond the role of Official Timekeeper. For this edition, the brand also joined forces with Specialized and Isadore to create a broader cycling project around the Hermétique.

The collaboration includes a hand-painted Specialized Diverge and a cycling kit inspired by the watch’s colours and design. The jersey and bib shorts are made available through Isadore, while the frameset is available upon request.

The partnership reflects a shared focus on objects designed primarily to be used. Rather than treating the watch as a standalone commemorative product, Baltic has connected it to the wider cycling environment in which The Rift takes place.

The Rift Comes To The Hermétique

The Baltic Hermétique The Rift is ultimately a watch shaped by its setting. The volcanic black, moss green and glacial blue palette, the extensive use of Super-LumiNova and the introduction of a 34 mm case all connect the model to the landscape and conditions of southern Iceland.

With 150 metres of water resistance, sapphire crystal, a 316L steel case and an automatic Miyota movement, the technical foundation remains straightforward and functional. The special edition therefore does not attempt to turn the Hermétique into something fundamentally different. Instead, it uses the platform to tell the story of The Rift through colour, proportions and a dial designed to remain legible long after daylight has disappeared.

The Baltic Hermétique The Rift is priced at €620 excluding taxes on the vulcanised rubber sports strap, with the edition produced in a total of 400 pieces.

Technical Specifications

For more information, please visit the official Baltic website.

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