Blancpain Watches

In the era of high-definition Photography the importance of painting has only increased.. Similarly the introduction of Japanese quartz movements, reliable, durable and inexpensive, did not wipe away the Swiss mechanical movements. However, it gave a jolt to the Swiss watch making industry in the latter part of the1960s. The Swiss monopoly as the time keepers to the world was severely challenged by the Japanese. The noble and ancient Swiss companies, which basked smugly on their ancient glory as horologists to Kings and Queens, simply withered in the Japanese onslaught and many went bankrupt.

                                                             

The down turn in the watch industry was combated by the Swiss by going back to the roots, making watch making once again a craft. This they achieved by making their luxury watches unique specimens of art, a thing of joy, something to wonder it and an heirloom for the next generation. This had made the Swiss watches ornate and intricate for gallant men and beautiful women to wear as jewelry. Let the Japanese do the mundane chore of keeping time for the masses. The Swiss would cater to the glamorous. Blancpain one of the oldest Swiss companies, has successfully survived by crafting art from time and selling astonishingly expensive luxury watches.

Situated in the north of Geneva in the tiny town of Le Brassus is the surprisingly little house where about twenty craftsmen make the top end of the Blancpain range. The most famous one the 1735 model contains not less than five complications. Each piece takes at least a year for crafting and the price is in the border line of a million dollars. The limited edition called The Equation is produced in small trickles that the authentic models are only on the hands of limited fortunate enthusiasts. The watch has a deceptive appearance of simplicity but on closer scrutiny it displays two times at the same time, the conventional time and the solar time. The measuring of the solar time serves no practical purpose other than makes it a clever fanciful gadget. The limited edition Blancpain has always a prolonged waiting period during which the appetite for the watch is further whetted that one is eager to write the huge amount on the pay out bill.