Mere Request Gets Former Russian President Vladimir Putin To Gift His Blancpain Watch

Is that all I needed to do? Just ask? Well apparently that was all that Russian weapons factory worker Viktor Zagaevsky needed to do to get a new (for him) Blancpain wrist watch. Russia loves its former Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, and he spends a good deal of his time touring around the country. While visiting the weapons factory recently, Putin was stopped on his way out. In a ballsy gesture Zagaevsky asked for something as a souvenir to remember Putin’s visit. Putin is commonly beloved in his country and tends to draw much fanfare. Apparently taken back by the request, Putin simply asked what the blue collar metal worker wanted. Who reportedly responded with “how about your watch?” Continue Reading… »

Blancpain 500 Fathoms Watch No. 1/1 For Only Watch 09

There’s nothing like a noble cause to stimulate the creativity of luxury watch brands.  I’m making reference, of course, to the annual Only Watch auction, which stars some exceptional and one-off timepieces from a spectrum of Switzerland’s finest–all of which are going to be auctioned off next month for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy research.  One of the most interesting to me from this year’s crop–at least in the sport-themed genre–comes from Blancpain. Continue Reading… »

Blancpain L-Evolution Watches Take Blancpain In A Contemporary New Direction

Blancpain, one of the Swiss haute horlogerie brands most associated with classicism, has steered boldly into a more contemporary direction with the introduction of the L-evolution watch collection.  One of the biggest attention-getters at Blancpain’s exhibition at Baselworld 2009, these models reflect the artisanal workmanship we’ve come to expect from Blancpain but in a refreshing new format, along with new in-house movements developed from the 13RO “8-day” caliber.  The outstanding features of these movements include a free-sprung titanium balance with proprietary gold adjustment weights, and a system of three spring barrels for an impressive power reserve. Continue Reading… »

Blancpain’s Fifty Fathoms Tourbillon–A Legendary Dive Watch Reaches The Pinnacle Of Luxury

Ok, so you probably won’t take the lovely Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Tourbillon down 3 feet underwater, much less 300 meters.  But, isn’t it nice to know that you can?  Fans of the elegant new Blancpain Fifty Fathoms watch, complete with a beautiful sapphire bezel can now enjoy one of watchmaking’s holiest grails, presented within a polished white or red gold case, and a sporty fabric strap.

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Blancpain Speed Command Chronograph Watch Will Capture Younger Blancpain Customers

With its new Speed Command Chronograph watch, Blancpain has intensely increased the appeal of its brand to a younger, dynamic clientele. With its large 45mm size, striking materials (sapphire, carbon, DLC-coated steel, etc.) and bold use of sporting colors, this watch should prove to be a real success for those who admire fine watchmaking but may have found that other Blancpain models were perhaps too formal, old-fashioned, or small.

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Blancpain GMT Watch–Elegant Travel Timepiece For Women

Female watch connoisseurs looking for a superb timepiece that can keep pace with a busy travel schedule should find great delight in the Blancpain GMT watch.  A recent addition to the Blancpain Women’s Collection, this beautiful stainless steel or 18K white gold watch offers an intricate sunray-pattern guilloche dial that is adorned with stylish, modernized Roman numerals.  Straps in satin add the kind of elegance that is ideal for formal business wear or evening attire alike, and the 18K version also adds a sparkling diamond bezel.

This Blancpain watch upholds the superb traditions that has placed Blancpain among the elite watchmakers of the world.  The self-winding Calibre 5L60 movement, visible through the sapphire caseback window, scintillates with its fine finishing details. Its function is equally attractive and extremely intuitive–the hour hand can be rapidly advanced or moved backwards instantly via the screw-down crown, as you move through various timezones; during this operation, minutes and seconds operate normally, meaning the watch’s accuracy isn’t upset each time you get off the plane in a new locale.  Meanwhile, the upper subdial on the watch’s face keeps track of a second reference timezone of your choice (such as your home location, for instance)–no matter how jet lagged your journeys may leave you, you’ll not be confused even for a moment whether it’s AM or PM in your reference timezone, thanks to the charmingly designed day/night indicator at the 9 o’clock position.

The elegant oval shaped window at 3 o’clock bears the date display, another often indispensable element for active individuals.

Grande Complication Watches From Audemars Piguet, Blancpain, and DeWitt

The term “Grande Complication” is increasingly used in the popular watch vernacular to describe any exceptionally complicated mechanism.  Technically however, it refers to a specific combination of complications.  To be exact, a Grande Complication watch is one which features a perpetual calendar, a split-seconds chronograph, and a minute repeater.  Such rare timepieces are among the loftiest achievements in the haute horlogerie repertoire, and the few companies who possess the knowledge to construct them can–by necessity–produce only a tiny handful per year. 

One such incredible watch, and perhaps the most well-known to enthusiasts and collectors today, is the Audemars Piguet Grande Complication.  Presented in models in both the Jules Audemars Collection and Royal Oak Collection, this Audemars Piguet masterpiece utilizes a self-winding masterpiece–the Caliber 2885, with its 654 hand-finished and decorated components.    

Even more complicated, because they also feature a tourbillon, are the legendary Blancpain 1735 watch and the equally extraodinary DeWitt Pressy Grande Complication watch.  While both are in platinum, and both are are among the most complex–and expensive–watches in the world, these two works of horological art do differ in many aesthetic details.  The Blancpain 1735 is self-winding, and has somewhat more classical subdial-type displays for its calendar indications, as well as an equally traditional moonphase indicator.  On the other hand, the DeWitt Pressy Grande Complication watch’s movement is manually wound.  While it doesn’t have a moonphase display, the Pressy does offer as a centerpiece an eye-catching retrograde indication for the day of the week, and the date.

Blancpain Fifty Fathoms watch: A classy luxury diver that respects its roots

The newly introduced Blancpain Fifty Fathoms watch is one of my favorite timepieces among the current Blancpain offerings.  I admire the retro-inspired design, which really gets back to the essence of the original Fifty Fathoms watch that put Blancpain on the cutting edge of dive watch technology back in 1953.  (The controversy over whether this watch, or the Rolex Submariner came first, still rages hotly.)

If one compares this Blancpain watch to the original Blancpain Fifty Fathoms, the design heritage is immediately apparent; larger size aside, the only meaningful difference is in the fineness of the execution and the refined details of the new model, which are really outstanding. The domed sapphire bezel with its luminous indications is a particularly beautiful touch.  Add to this the technical appeal of a new Blancpain manufacture movement with a number of fine mechanical details and superb craftsmanship, and you have an absolute winner in a truly distinguished luxury sports watch.

The Blancpain Womens Saint-Valentine 2008 – Romantic moonphase watch

Just in time for the season of Love, Blancpain has introduced a new complete calendar watch with moon phases. The limited edition Blancpain Women Saint-Valentin 2008 watch courts the affections of women watch connoisseurs–as well as those ladies who are just beginning to venture into exclusive, mechanical watches–with a charmingly feminine interpretation.

This Blancpain watch is very appealing. While staying true to the fundamentals of the classic Leman Complete Calendar timepiece, Blancpain has spiced this popular watch up with just the right amount of tasteful feminine elements to make it tempting to women customers (or men who are looking for a romantic watch for the special woman in their life). The mother of pearl dial is unique to this model, displaying very distinctive Arabic numerals and sword hands, but the most striking feature is the lacquered red heart which rotates in the place where the sub seconds hand usually would be. Red hash marks in the seconds scale and the center of the dial also carry on with the amorous theme. A double row of round brilliant diamonds, expertly set on the bezel, also lend their scintillating charm to this seductive horological creation.

Blancpain attention to minute detail is apparent everywhere–for example, look closely at the moonphase disc at six o’clock. You see not a “man on the moon” but instead, a distinctly female face, with shapely lips, and long eyelashes!�

The Blancpain Leman Complete Calendar Moonphase – A very fine, yet versatile Triple-Calendar watch

One of my favorite classic complications is the simple complete calendar (day, date, and month) with moonphase. This type of watch–also known as a “triple-calendar” was very popular during the 1940’s and 1950’s. Although produced by a range of manufacturers today, perhaps my favorite is the Blancpain Leman Complete Calendar Moonphase watch.

This Blancpain timepiece has the wonderfully balanced look that is the hallmark of all good complete calendar watches. The moonphase disc is at six o’clock, and right above it is the window-type displays for the day of the week, and the month; the date is shown by the classic and very charming pointer hand, with a little crescent that frames the date, making it easier to read.

Like all the models within the Leman watch collection, Blancpain has engineered this timepiece to be water resistant to 100 meters, an excellent level of protection that makes it very practical for day-to-day wear, as well as suitable for swimming and general water immersion; the fact that the crown and caseback both screw-down gives an extra level of security that I really appreciate over its dressier sibling, the Villeret Complete Calendar Moon Phase. Also very nice is the slightly sporty aspect that the luminous sword-shaped hands and luminous markers give the dial–the elegance is there, but this Leman is also versatile enough to work with more casual clothing as well.