The first timepiece modern Blancpain introduced more than 40 years ago has been reworked and consistently improved over the years. The triple calendar with moon phases aka Quantieme Complet has recently surfaced as reference 6654N, with a plentiful of beautiful new details. Let’s take a close look at the stainless steel version with golden brown dial and revisit the history of this signature Blancpain configuration. We will also take a look at how the new Villeret Quantieme Complet 6654N is made.
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A watch that helped to revive the mechanical watch
Let’s travel back in time to the early 1980s, a time defined by the success of comparatively inexpensive Japanese quartz timepieces and the traditional Swiss watch industry being in a fundamental crisis. Mechanical watches were at the brink of extinction, the industry at the brink of collapse.
On that background Jaques Piguet and Jean Claude Biver decided to buy the Blancpain brand name and go completely against the trend and the odds. Their philosophy was to revive the „romantic“ elements in the rich history of mechanical watches, captured in a reduced and refined design language.
How well this philosophy was translated cannot be overstated: dial configuration, case shape and movement excellence are as attractive today as they have been 4 decades ago. Case diameters have changed over time, dial colors and hands, too. The focus on chronometric performance and refined finishing has accelerated between then and now, but the 1980s design is still evident in the 2026 Villeret.
The watch that helped to revive the Swiss watch industry came in the typical men’s dress watch size at the time, 34mm. A perfectly shaped round case, a slim double ring bezel and a plain white dial with Roman numerals set the stage for a triple calendar with moon phases. At a time, when quartz watches with LCD displays, sometimes combined with an electronic calculator, were omnipresent and Nicolas G. Hayek was about to launch Swatch as a strategy to reclaim market share and therefore funds for the Swiss watch industry, Blancpain introduced references 6395 (26mm) and the larger reference 6595.
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The indication of moon phases was already a poetic point to make, but by indicating actual moon faces (a more feminine one in the 6395 and a more masculine version in the 6595) these first modern Blancpain watches put a smile on every observer‘s face. The watches became an instant success and the moon phases with faces are a signature feature of Blancpain ever since.
In the 1990s Blancpain introduced the second generation of those emblematic timepieces under the with a diameter of 38mm, reference 6263. It is fair to say that from around 1995 into the first decade of the 21st century Blancpain’s focus was more set on the very successful Leman, a more sporty but still elegant product line. In the early 2000s the classic Blancpain dress watches were now listed under the Villeret name.
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Around 2010, with the Leman series being slowly phased out, the Blancpain Villeret was renewed, with the primary collection in 40mm cases and an elevated one with Grand Feu enamel dials and 8 day movements in 42mm precious metal cases. Since we focus on the classic triple calendar, now called Quantieme Complet under reference 6654 the stainless steel versions with matte white or anthracite sunburst dial were accompanied by various color intensive siblings in gold with blue, green and even red dials).
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With reference 6654 the Roman numerals got a bit larger and also more playful, finding their aesthetic counterpart in the skeleton leaf shaped hands. The biggest emphasis however was put on the technical aspects of the watch: the new caliber 6654 is still based on the trusted 1150, but now operating at 4Hz and executed as a secure movement, so that the owner can’t damage the movement by making calendar adjustments at the wrong time. A characteristic element of the new Villeret is the yellow or red gold winding mass with its unique design.
Even bigger impact has another innovation: the patented under-lug-correctors. This comfortable way of quickly setting all calendar indications eliminates the pushers in the case flanks and therefore emphasizes the beauty of the case without any distractions.
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This generation of the Villeret Quantieme Complet has a 15 year run, which is remarkable in today’s world of constant change. In 2025 however it was time for the next step in the evolution of this signature Blancpain timepiece.
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How a variety of comparatively small changes makes a big difference
Starting off with the Villeret 6654N I will use some official Blancpain material on how those new details are made. These insights into component manufacturing and assembly help to understand the significance of what could otherwise be seen as a facelift only. Later we will see how it all plays together in a most convincing way.
The new Villeret features the same movement as the previous generation and of course also the under-lug-correctors. The only difference is the new winding mass, but this new rotor is a real highlight.
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The face of the watch has received more changes. First there’s now a golden brown sunburst dial available not only for the red gold but also the stainless steel 6654N.
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New Roman numerals and the JB logo have replaced the previous hour markers. These dial applications are polished at the flanks and brushed on the top, allowing for less reflection from a frontal view and a playful appearance when seen from an angle.
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The hands are now solid and, for the first time in a Villeret, carry luminous material. The minute and seconds hands are beautifully bent towards the top. Another small but significant detail: the length of the minute and seconds hand is exactly matched to meet the outer end of the numerals, the tip of the hour hand exactly meets the end of the dial centre.
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And then there’s the famous moon phase indication. The disc is now made from ceramic, the moon is executed in a domed fashion and the face in the moon reflects the light so beautifully that it almost comes alive.
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What is more difficult to capture is the new case of the Villeret Quantieme Complet. The diameter of 40mm has not changed, but the new case is notably slimmer and the lugs have been reworked, too. In addition the 6654N features a slightly larger crown. Here’s how Blancpain makes the case, including fitting the under-lug-correctors:
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Blancpain did not stop here, though. They also took care of the strap and the deployant clasp. The new alligator strap features quick change spring bars both at the lugs and at the clasp. To achieve that the deployant with its spring driven opening and closing mechanism had to be changed. Given this change here’s some advice regarding the strap length: for a wrist circumference of less than 17cm you’ll need the strap in short size, the regular strap length is hood for wrist between 17 and 20cm.
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Hands-on with the Villeret Quantieme Complet 6654N
Now, how does all this come together in the timepiece? In my humble opinion the new Villeret 6654N combines the tradition of this configuration with a more modern appearance, without compromising on the timeless nature of Blancpain designs. It proves that a watch with Roman numerals and classic design doesn’t have to stay in its „dress watch corner“ but also work perfectly in a casual environment… just don’t go swimming with it.
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It represents what I love about Blancpain watches so much: this is a timepiece for the person wearing it, may it be only a quick glance at it or taking a loupe and exploring the details, it drives a smile on your face.
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This golden brown dial appears differently depending on light conditions, from a very subtle savanna brown in shadier light to a burst of dark gold in direct sunlight. Under all circumstances it is an eyecatcher.
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You find the new Villeret Quantieme Complet 6654N here on the Blancpain website. My initial introduction to the new Villeret generation is here, the hands-on can be found here, a review of two popular iterations belonging to the previous generation is available here in the blog.
I hope you enjoyed this article and the photos. As mentioned before the videos and the photos of the first and second generation timepieces are credit Blancpain.
Cheers
Henrik