Blancpain

jkingston
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Baselworld 2010 : All Blancpain Novelties

1) Blancpain Carrousel Répétition Minute-Le Brassus.

A huge year for Blancpain at Basel—4 new movements debut (and this is on top of the 7 new movements that were

introduced in the two and a half previous years).  At the top of the pyramid for 2010 is no less than a Grand

Complication—a combination of a cathedral gong minute repeater and carrousel.



The details of this watch are outstanding.  The cathedral gong minute repeater is a brand new design, done entirely

in house by Blancpain.  Keep in mind this is the third minute repeater movement that Blancpain has developed. 

Cathedral gong means that the sounding rings are extra long, circling the movement one and half times.  To make the

sound particularly loud and pure, Blancpain has attached the rings to the inside of the case—this channels the

sound directly to where it can be heard, which is outside the case.  Another innovation in the repeater design is a

crown disconnect when the repeater is actuated.  With other repeaters, if the crown is adjusted during sounding,

the mechanism will break.  This disconnect system protects the movement from that kind of damage. 

The carrousel is Blancpain’s design that debuted 2 years ago.  It is the first and only flying one minute

carrousel.




The plates and bridges of the movement are in rose gold and are specially carved and decorated by hand and done by

engravers in Blancpain’s Le Brassus workshops.  Other movement particularities in the photo are a newly developed

flying regulator for the repeater and a power reserve indicator.

The watch is in rose gold in a 45mm case, with a special brushed white gold dial with rose gold applied numerals,

opened to give view to key components of the movement.


2) Blancpain Introduces  Three New Villeret Moon Phase Watches.

One of the mainstays of the modern Blancpain has been the Villeret Collection.  Basel 2010 brings a refreshment of

the entire collection—both in appearance and in the movements—but in every way staying faithful to the traditions

of the line.

The flagship for the new Villeret, of course, is the complete calendar moon phase, which after all is the

complication that launched the original line in the early 80s.  Three different variants have been introduced:  a

42mm 8 day power reserve, a 40mm 3 day power reserve and a 40mm half hunter 3 day power reserve.

Let’s start with the 42mm version.


This one is loaded with everything:  a classic full fired enamel dial, platinum case, Blancpain’s correctors hidden

under the lugs (that leave the sides of the watch free of those adjuster dimples and which can be set by finger tip

instead of a tool), 8 day power reserve movement (with 3 mainspring barrels, titanium free sprung balance and gold

regulation screws), a calendar mechanism that can be set, risk free at any time day or night (unlike other

calendar/moon phase movements that forbid setting during certain hours to protect the movement from damage), and

even an entirely new decoration of the winding rotor which now has a guilloche honeycomb finish.  Perhaps the

biggest aesthetic change from the past models is the date hand, which now is in blued steel with a serpentine shape

(which historically was used for things like a date hand in order to avoid confusion with the normal time hands).



Next in line is a 40mm version



This version has essentially the same calendar mechanism—adjustments done at any time without movement damage

risk—and also has the correctors under the lugs.


Finally the 40mm half hunter version



The movement is the same as the other 40mm version and it also has under lug correctors.  Apart from the half

hunter case, it is distinguished by its guilloche style dial. 


3)  Blancpain Adds the 13R0 movement to the new Villeret Collection

This is something completely new for the Villeret line:  an 8 day power reserve manual wind watch. 



42mm in size, this manual wind Villeret comes in a platinum case with a full fired enamel dial.

Blancpain connoisseurs will recognize the movement



It is the 13R0 which until now has only been seen in limited edition Le Brassus watches.  In addition to offering 8

days power reserve, it features a free sprung titanium balance, gold regulation screws, 3 mainspring barrels and

extra large jewels.



4) Blancpain Introduces a vintage Fifty Fathoms “Tribute to Fifty”

In a way this is “vintage on vintage”.  The Fifty Fathoms collection is itself a vintage collection as the style

comes directly from the 1950s models.  But the 2010 Tribute to Fifty Fathoms picks up a later version Fifty Fathoms

that was famous for its anti-radiation marking.


The reason for the original watch’s anti-radiation symbol was a prior military model.  The military insisted upon

using radioactive materials for the luminous dial and bezel—fearsome stuff actually—but what the military ordered

in its specs, it received.  For civilian models Blancpain at the time wanted to make clear that the military’s

radioactive materials were not being used, hence the dial symbol. 

The 2010 Tribute has the regular Fifty Fathoms 1315 movement (3 barrels, free sprung balance, 5 day power reserve)

and is antimagnetic.

 

5) Blancpain Introduces the Fifty Fathoms Moon Phase Chronograph.

A brand new complication for the Fifty Fathoms Collection—a complete calendar moon phase flyback chronograph. 



This new Fifty Fathoms features one of the 4 new movements that Blancpain debuts this year.  The calendar moon

phase mechanism shares the technology of  its most recent models offering full protection from movement damage

during setting.  The calendar can be set any time of day or night without risk from damage, unlike other calendars

that forbid setting during evening hours when changes are underway and gears engaged.  As well the Fifty moon phase

includes Blancpain’s patented correctors hidden under the lugs, which not only conceals the correctors from view

but allows setting with finger tips.

The dial is done in blue PVD.  The bezel, like the other Fifty Fathoms models is sapphire.  Case is stainless

steel, 45mm diameter.


6) Blancpain Introduces the L-evolution Carrousel Saphir

A technical tour de force, a watch with a sapphire case, plates and bridges.


Blancpain’s Carrousel was introduced in 2008, but this version represents a new movement as all of the movement’s

plates and bridges are fashioned out of sapphire, which required a re-engineering of the movement.  The challenge

was not only designing plates and bridges that could be fashioned out of sapphire but in developing methods to

polish all of the inner surfaces so that they could function with the pinions, wheels, and other operative

components of the movement.

The lugs are those of L-evolution series, which are separate components from the rest of the case.


7) Blancpain Introduces the L-evolution Phase de Lune 8 Jours Sapphire.

The L-evolution Phase de Lune 8 Jours was launched last year.  It offers 8 day power reserve and a fully secured

calendar that can be set without risk of movement damage at any time of the day or night. 



The new for 2010 version, in white gold, comes with a sapphire dial.  In fact, two layers of sapphire are required

for the dial. 

 
8)  Blancpain introduces  a new edition of the Super Trofeo Chronograph

For 2010 Blancpain is again partnering with Lamborghini in sponsoring the Super Trofeo racing series, which is the

fastest single make racing series in the world.  And there is a new chronograph which is linked to this

partnership.



This new Super Trofeo Flyback Chronograph takes full advantage of the L-evolution case design which treats the lugs

as components separate from the rest of the case body.  For the Super Trofeo, the case is titanium and the lugs are

a special carbon fiber produced using technology developed by Lamborghini.  The dial is fashioned out of carbon

fiber as well. Further linking the watch to the Super Trofeo race cars, the strap is in alcantara.

Limited edition of 600.



9)  A new Blancpain L-evolution model:  The Semainier.

This new week of the year L-evolution Blancpain features one of the 4 new in house movements introduced at Basel

2010.



The L-evolution Semainier offers an 8 day power reserve, 3 mainspring barrels, titanium free sprung balance with

gold regulation screws.  In addition to the week of the year indication, there are indications for day of the week

and power reserve.


10)  Blancpain introduces a new Villeret Half Hunter Pocket Watch.

Pocket watches have been very rarely offered by Blancpain.  The new Villeret demi savonette pocket watch will

likewise be rare.



Its dial is done in full fired enamel.  But it is the back that is even more fun.

The bridges of the manual wind movement are entirely hand engraved in Blancpain’s Le Brassus workshop. 

Rose gold only, 45mm diameter.  Each watch will come with a leather cord with rose gold clips. 

Jeff.
This message has been edited by AnthonyTsai on 2010-03-25 08:30:13