A visit to Blancpain in the Vallée de Joux
“ Blancpain perpetuates its historical links with Switzerland's oldest watchmaking tradition by making its timepieces at Le Brassus and Le Sentier, respectively a village and a hamlet in the Joux Valley. This region of the Waldensian Jura is imbued with t...
Thanks
for sharing these beautifull fotos,always a pleasure to see how these pieces are made! Grtz,Dom
A deepfelt thank you
henrik, Thanks for the experience with you and the detailed report. The newer models from Blancpain are most interesting. I've been through Le Sentier and Le Brassus a few times before BUT never to Blancpain! The other brands, both big and tiny independen...
Thank you very much for your comments, dear MTF...
... maybe it’s worth visiting Blancpain during your next journey to the Vallée de Joux. Cheers Henrik
Thanks Henrik!
Wonderful report on a brand that I love as second to none. All the very best, Alex
Thank you very much dear Henrik for this superb report, pictures (the second collage with Lausanne and the Jura is splendid) and guided tour
Even if your report is full of beauties, I think the “Grande Décoration” is my favourite. What a watch!!! A pure beauty. Best wishes Alkiro
My pleasure dear Henrik
I’m pretty sure you’ve kept few beautiful pictures in your bag for the coming weeks 😉 Best wishes Alkiro
Superb detailed and comprehensive report, many thanks Henrik
You must have spent a huge time on both the writing and the wonderful collages ! I am very thankful as It has enabled me to discover so many details about this brand. Thanks again my dear friend, Mike
Merci beaucoup, dear Mike! Yes, it took some time...
... but I would not like to miss out on sharing the exceptional experience I had. Glad you liked the report 😊 All the best, my friend! Henrik
A delightful read Henrik, thank you so much for the time and effort that went into this report. There are few Manufactures that combine so many different skills under one roof and
Blancpain seem to do this in such an understated way - This is why my Blancpain watches are my absolute favorites ! Best wishes, Will.
You have not posted
pictures from the production process in Le Sentier. That the watches, who made in the Atelier in Le Brassus are all made by Hand from one watchmaker from the beginning to the end is for everyone clear. But how works the production in Le Sentier for the lo...
Sorry,
there is nothing in your Report about the production in Le Sentier. Only in Le Brassus for the very expensive watches.... Ok you don`t see the assembling. But i think that was very interesting to see. So no one can say how the watch is made. It can be by ...
Yes,
but no assembling....But that would be also interesting....How is the watch made. By hand or with machines in production roads,,,
As I wrote I had no opportunity to visit the assembly...
... time was tight anyway. Maybe next time. But I highly doubt that given the annual production numbers there will be automized assembly roads like with some volume producers. Cheers Henrik
It is always interesting...
that the assembly (not only at Blancpain) is not shown the visitors. You can see a lot, but assembly is usually not included....I ask me, why ? Is it a secret ? Have the companies hide something ? No one knows.... Why can customers, who pay a lot of money...
As a generel statement, this is certainly not true (e.g. PuristS were shown watch assembly at Zenith, Hublot, Roger Dubuis, others...), but there might be several resaons for this...
one of them is that not all companies assemble all their watches themselves, and partly rely on outside specialists (often to account for spikes in demand; the simpler pieces are assembled outside the brand to reserve capacities for the more demanding one...
Ok, i understand that Blancpain not
assemble all their watches themselves. Thats an interesting thing....Thats maybe the reason why Blancpain show this not their customers....They would be confused to see that their watches assembled outside....
Dear Magnus, I‘m afraid this is not correct...
... when it comes to Blancpain today. Since your indication, Blancpain would utilize outside assembly, was contrary to what I learned during my recent visit, I took the liberty to raise this point with Blancpain for factual clarification. I can positively...
Outstanding report Henry
Thank you for your excellent report Henry. By the way it is reasonable not to show the production to foreigners. To much product and ideas Pirates worldwide. ... Best regards Stephan
I think Product and Idea Pirates
are not the main reason, to show customers not the production. Transparency is a no go in the watch business. That is known.... They show the customers only what they want to see.....The things who maybe are questionable or can be critisized are wiped und...
Dear Mr. Haart
I think it is less dramatically. If there is for example an open day in a clinic, you will never see the surgeons do their work....
I think
you can not compare a customer visit at a watch company with a surgeon at his work in a clinic...
Some additional visual impressions...
... a bit of colorful sensuality added: ... at work 😉 ... at real work 👍 Minute repeaters: Hope you enjoyed! Cheers Henrik ...
The same procedure....
as every few days and in every watch forum. It gets boring with time....
Dear haart
No one is forcing you to open and look at posts you don't like or comment on them. Honestly you repeatedly picking on shortys home posts bringing negativity and bad mouthing will not be tolerated. So to be honest with you...your behavior is boring an not ...
Look at the posts...
not only in this forum and you know....Sure, you can all sweep under the table. But thats my opinion...People who question things or write not that what other wants locked out of the forum and so on. Thats a easy thing but that shows, that something is go...
You can clear your account any time on your own.
But I will not tolerate accusations and trashing without any evidence. Questioning in civilized manner using proofs is one thing bashing and trashing is another. Also isn't clearing your account mean sweeping under table what you have written here in past...
Since I still digest all the impressions and photos taken, here are some more...
... hope you enjoy 😉 The Villeret Grande Decoration Piece Unique: Probably my favorite from all the marvels I‘ve seen, the Villeret 8 Jours Squelete: And finally a colorful interpretation of the Villeret Répétition Minutes: Cheers Henrik ...
Very nice Henrik
Thank you very much for this in depth visit and photos ! I am a BP lover and should have taken a cigar while reading <3 BP is definitely able to compete with the rest of the HH players ! For myself I would pick the Pièce Unique Erotica. Thanks.
Thank you very much for your comments...
... and taking the time to review the report! The Piece Unique Minute Repeater is also my favorite, besides the 8 Jours Squelete 😍 Cheers Henrik