The Blancpain 2020 novelties so far

Posted on March 6, 2020March 9, 2020 Posted in NewsTagged marilyn monroe, moonphase, novelties, quantieme complet, villeret, womenLeave a comment

Due to the cancellation of Time to Move, which was supposed to take place this very week, we will have a different path of learning about the Blancpain novelties this year. Of course I will try to do my best to provide hands-on photos of all new timepieces as soon as possible, but I thought it would be worthwhile to provide you with an overview on all officially released models based on the Blancpain press information in the meantime. This overview will be updated whenever new models are released.

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The Villeret Quantieme Perpetuel encountering leap day

Posted on February 29, 2020February 29, 2020 Posted in Timepieces, VilleretTagged moonphase, novelties, quantieme perpetuel, villeretLeave a comment

Once every four years a perpetual calendar timepiece performs its most complicated task of including the 29th of February. With 2020 being a leap year this odd date is a good time to cover the Villeret Quantieme Perpetuel reference 6656-1127-55B.

Villeret Quantieme Perpetuel 6656

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Flashback: the Leman series (part 3)

Posted on February 3, 2020February 3, 2020 Posted in Leman, TimepiecesTagged a toute vitesse, chronographe, flinque, flyback, grande date, monaco yacht show, moonphase, repetition minutes, semainier, tourbillon, womenLeave a comment

This third part of my overview on the Blancpain Leman series will concentrate on the Limited Editions and the Haute Horlogerie pieces. Creating this overview took a bit longer than I (and maybe you) expected, hopefully you will find the information provided useful nonetheless.

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The Calendrier Chinois Traditionnel

Posted on January 24, 2020January 24, 2020 Posted in Grande Complications, News, Timepieces, VilleretTagged chinese calendar, grand feu enamel, moonphase, villeret

To celebrate the Chinese New Year Blancpain has just introduced a new Limited Edition of the Calendrier Chinois Traditionnel “Year of the Rat”. I take this as an opportunity to show you the non limited Villeret Calendrier Chinois Traditionelle ref 0888-3631-55B, which was introduced for the first time in 2012.

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Flashback: the 2100 Quantieme Phases de Lune Half Hunter

Posted on January 19, 2020January 20, 2020 Posted in Leman, Past References, TimepiecesTagged half hunter, leman, moonphase, quantieme completLeave a comment

This marvel is now with me for 20 years, so its about time to devote a full blog post to it: my 2100 Moon Phase Calendar Half Hunter aka Quantieme Phases de Lune Demi-Savonette, reference 3563-3618.

2100 Quantieme Phases de Lune Half Hunter

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The Ladybird: combining heritage, fine watchmaking and Haute Joaillerie

Posted on November 11, 2019November 11, 2019 Posted in News, TimepiecesTagged ladybird, moonphase, vintage, womenLeave a comment

A significant part of Blancpain‘s collection are and have been sublime timepieces for women. Since the 1930s the Manufacture has put a lot of emphasis on not only crafting beautiful women’s watches but actually focused on innovation when it comes to those often very small and therefore challenging timepieces.

Ladybird Ultraplate

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Flashback: the Leman series (part 1)

Posted on June 15, 2019July 1, 2019 Posted in Leman, Past References, TimepiecesTagged chronographe, flyback, leman, moonphase, quantieme complet, quantieme perpetuel, time zoneLeave a comment

Let me try to provide a comprehensive overview on what has been undoubtedly one of the most important watch families made by Blancpain, the Leman series. The overview is split in three parts, we start with the first collection introduced in the mid 1990s under the name 2100 and characterized by a variety of 38mm timepieces.

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The evolution of a dive watch

Posted on March 28, 2019June 17, 2019 Posted in Fifty Fathoms, TimepiecesTagged bathyscaphe, calibre 1315, chronographe, fifty fathoms, flyback, moonphase, nato strap, ocean commitment, quantieme complet, sunburst dial, x-70 braceletLeave a comment

With the launch of the Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe in 2013 alongside the 60th anniversary of the legendary dive watch, Blancpain‘s main purpose may have been to offer a more tool watch like alternative to the in all aspects luxurious reference 5015. The recent evolution of the Bathyscaphe series however has outgrown it’s dive watch history and made it almost a successor to the discontinued Leman series – let me explain why.

Bathyscaphe Quantieme Complet

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The pinnacle of Blancpain Moonphase Calendars

Posted on March 24, 2019June 17, 2019 Posted in Timepieces, VilleretTagged calibre 1315, grand feu enamel, moonphase, quantieme complet, villeretLeave a comment

This is another photo journey into the Villeret line with 8 day calibres and Grand Feu enamel dials. Let’s get up close with the limited to 75 pieces Villeret Quantieme Complet 8 Jours Platinum, reference 6639-3437-55B, a timepiece that found it’s way into my modest collection a few days ago.

Villeret Quantieme Complet 8 Jours

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A fireworks of culinary and horological highlights

Posted on January 22, 2019June 17, 2019 Posted in Events, Fifty Fathoms, Grande Complications, VilleretTagged bathyscaphe, fifty fathoms, l'evolution, milspec, moonphase, quantieme complet, quantieme perpetuel, tourbillon, villeretLeave a comment

Last weekend I had the pleasure to spend a few days with Blancpain and the brand ambassador Chef Holger Bodendorf for the 20th Sylt Gourmet Festival.

Landhaus Stricker

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Hands-on with the Basel novelties (4): the Villeret timepieces

Posted on April 28, 2018October 29, 2018 Posted in News, VilleretTagged grande date, moonphase, novelties, quantieme complet, quantieme perpetuel, retrograde, under-lug correctors, villeretLeave a comment

This is the fourth part of my hands-on report from Basel, showing the new Blancpain Villeret timepieces.

There have been three new Villeret watches this year, all in a 40mm case, all available in either stainless steel or rose gold, all of them on either strap or a perfectly crafted Milanaise bracelet, which is entirely manufactured inhouse and assembled by hand requiring a lot of precision in order to support the slight tapering of the bracelet. And obviously all three models feature the patented under-lug correctors.

Let us start with what some of you have instantly called a winner, the new Villeret Quantieme Perpetuel in stainless steel.

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Hands-on with the Blancpain novelties (3): the sports watches

Posted on April 28, 2018October 29, 2018 Posted in Fifty Fathoms, NewsTagged baselworld, bathyscaphe, fifty fathoms, grande date, moonphase, novelties, quantieme annuel, quantieme complet, sunburst dialLeave a comment

Blancpain introduced three new regular models in the Fifty Fathoms line, the Fifty Fathoms Grande Date, the Bathyscaphe Quantieme Annuel and the Bathyscaphe Quantieme Complet.

Let’s take a look at the Fifty Fathoms Grande Date first. Executed in brushed titanium, it is the first watch in the FF line to feature the instant changing big date we know since 2005 when it was first introduced in the Leman Aqua Lung Grande Date.

The Fifty Fathoms Grande Date has a very distinct look to it, which is also emphasized by the numerals 3 and 9 being left out from the dial. It comes on either a sailcloth strap or a Nato strap, which would be my personal choice. A titanium bracelet is not planned as of yet. The watch is a real beauty, not easy to capture in photos, though.

Here are some impressions:

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