Founded in 1735 by Jehan-Jacques
Blancpain, this House boasts a famous and oft-repeated slogan: "Since 1735,
there has never been a quartz Blancpain watch. And there never will be." This
bold statement, however, is more than just a slogan; it is a guiding principle
of this unique company…a sincere dedication to excellence, which has earned
Blancpain numerous accolades over the years.
Although successive
generations of the Blancpain family were able to transform what had been a tiny
manufacturer into one of the most respected watch companies in the world -
witness the company's famous "Fifty Fathoms" model, circa 1953, which featured
prominently in Jacques Cousteau's award-winning film, The World of Silence - the
influx of inexpensive quartz watches from Japan and China during the early
1970's nearly doomed the company to extinction. It was only thanks to the
intervention of Jean-Claude Biver, an Omega executive with a love of fine
timepieces, that the company was reborn in 1983 and put on the path to recovery.
Biver's strategy was elegantly simple: a return to the production of classic
mechanical watches in limited numbers, and an emphasis on creating innovative,
and oftentimes highly complicated timepieces.
Biver's strategy was a
success: today, the Blancpain workshop and headquarters retains the charm of a
tranquil farm house, yet within this unassuming factory are created some of the
world's most complicated, desired and expensive watches. Graduates from the
finest Swiss watchmaking schools are recruited into the ranks of the House
following their apprenticeship to a Master Watchmaker. In keeping with
tradition, watchmakers employed by Blancpain do not work in assembly line
fashion; rather, each watchmaker will personally build "their" watch from
beginning to end.
Production is extremely limited, with fewer than
10,000 watches per year being produced. Needless to say, each watch is
individually numbered and recorded in the company's archives. Boxes, straps and
buckles are of the highest possible quality, in keeping with the company's
strict emphasis on quality. As for the movements, they are designed and crafted
completely in-house, and based exclusively on high-quality ebauches that are
provided by their sister company, Frederic Piguet. Since Piguet and Blancpain
share the same building, it might be said that a Blancpain watch features an
in-house movement.
Where the company distinguishes itself the most,
however, is in its adamant devotion to the mechanical wristwatch. Since the
company's rebirth, only mechanical watches, in round watch cases, are produced.
These are not "trendy" watches, but rather, classical in their styling and
timeless in their elegance. Among the company's most recognizable products are
Ref. 1106, a manual wind wristwatch with 100 hour winding reserve; the Fifty
Fathoms, a contemporary version of the company's classic diving watch; an 18K
"Half Hunter" wristwatch featuring a hinged sapphire crystal back; and the
"1735" which combines the six complications offered by the company into one
watch.
The "1735" is an automatic chronograph with split-second
chronograph, tourbillon, perpetual calendar with phases of the moon, and minute
repeater -- a masterpiece that took more than six years to design and build. It
is also a fitting tribute to the company's founder, and an equally appropriate
symbol of the company's ongoing mission - to create the very finest timepieces
for discriminating collectors. It is also worth noting that Blancpain watches
represent an exceptional value in our view, with many of their most complicated
watches selling for a fraction of the cost of comparable models from other
high-end Swiss companies.
If old-fashioned craftsmanship and traditional
styling appeal to you, Blancpain is definitely a brand worthy of serious
consideration.
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