The Beauty of Blancpain's Villeret Collection

One of the most beautiful luxury watches available is the newest addition to the Blancpain Villeret Collection.  The watch exudes a distinction of excellence. Immediately noticed! Immediately understand! From a company which never manufactured a Quartz Watch.- Read a Luxury Watch Company that Never Went Quartz

Elegant hands sweep across an exquisite blue  flinqué lacquered dial. The endless deep blue like the sky on a still night is created by multiple applications of translucent blue lacquer.  The Arabic Numeral days of the month are indicated by a serpentine hand - its name derived from the shape of a snake. The hours are marked by Roman Numeral.  A extra elongated minute hand ensures precision time display. A retrograde second hand is situated at the 6 'o'clock. A new in-house automatic ultra slim (only 4.57mm) Blancpain Calibre 7663Q is housed within a white gold case. Comprising of 244 components and 34 jewels, the movement has the capacity for a 72 hour power reserve.
 An under lug corrector for  fast date adjustment is very discretely placed at the 5 'o'clock position.
A Sapphire Crystal scratch resistant case-back enables movement visibility.

Top Ten Valentine's Day Watches

Top Ten Valentines Day Luxury Watches.  See if you agree.

 1) A Chopard Happy Heart Valentine's Special Edition 2012 Watch

Limited Edition: 500 pieces.

36 mm Stainless steel case and bezel surrounds a smoky mother-of-pearl dial beneath three gem encrusted  hearts - one diamond and two pink sapphires which float between two thin sheets of sapphire crystal providing the illusion of floating hearts. Quartz movement; water resistance to 100 feet (wouldn't suggest getting this baby wet on account of the silk purple satin strap) and all around a darling timepiece bound to sweep her off her feet.  Cost: Under $10,000 - but not much - due to its limited nature and collectors potential.

 2) Blancpain Saint-Valentin 2012 Flyback Chronograph - Limited Edition - 14 pieces.  Price: TBD

Announce your love with all your heart, your soul and your savings.  Give your loved one the most gorgeous Valentines Day Watch.  A watch ,like your cherished sweetheart, which is as beautiful on the inside as the outside. For the record - Blancpain has never ever made a quartz watch. Upon opening  the wooden box with joyous disbelief shining in her eyes, she will notice the bright red heart counterbalance - as women are emotional beings.  Then her eyes will stray to  the diamond encrusted bezel and diamond indices - 2.95 carats in all ... then the intriguing mother-of-pearl dial baring three mother-of-pearl hearts - a testament to unparalleled marquetry.

In amazed silence, she turns the watch over and gasps at the mechanical mastery resting on the palm of her upturned hand.  She may not know it just yet, but what she is gazing at, is the Saint-Valentin 2012 Flyback Chronograph calibre F185 with 37 jewels, and  an oscillating weight dressed in bands pink mother of pearl bands. Not knowing about automatic watches, she slowly comes to realize that this watch requires no batteries, but all its energy is gleaned from the gentle swinging motion of her arm.  A long while later, she will inquire about the sub dials... and you will explain to her how the chronograph and fly back function is controlled by  two push pieces, capped with cabochon-cut rubies at the 2 o’clock and 4 o’clock respectively; the date is at the 12 'o'clock position, the seconds subdial at the 6 'o'clock.  The long hand topped by a slim red feather, is the chronograph central sweep seconds hand and totalizers at the 3 and night 'o'clock counts off elapsed minutes and hours. As you fasten the soft white alligator leather strap to her wrist, and watch the diamonds twinkle in the candlelight you know this is your Valentine.

 3)Piaget Limelight Love Letter Secret Watch

Price:  $189,750.00

 If diamonds are a girls best friend then this timepiece is sure to win hearts. A 18k white gold strap is smothered beneath no less thank 1286 diamonds (appx 20.3 ct) The all encompassing bezel shaped like a letter holds 314 diamonds accentuated with the color of love - one deep red Cabochon ruby. Opening the letter, the time will be revealed on a mother of pearl dial set with an additional 12 diamonds. The movement is Quartz ( no comment). This watch is a grand example of haute joaillerie where timepieces and jewelry merge in seamless unison.

4) House of Graff: Lady Graff.

Limited Edition: 20 pieces

Price: Unknown but high six figures.

(2012)

LadyGraff sweeps into the ballroom in sparkling puffs of 109 (42.10 carats) delicately layered diamonds.  House of Graff has entered the room and all eyes are on the height of haute joaillerie timepieces.  The diamonds are securely set in full glory their brilliant clarity visible from the underside of the bracelet as well. Beneath a dial paved in 61 diamonds a Swiss quartz movement marks  the time. 

The London based House of Graff is one of the most prestigious diamond and gem suppliers in all the world and has first choice to the finest diamonds . 

5.) Van Cleef &Arpels Poetic Wish Watch Pair - Unveiled SIHH 2012

The dials of Van Cleef & Arpels are vivid depictions of romance. The latest pair are set in paris, one by day and one by night. By day a young women stands upon the Eifel tower searching for her love.  Her love is waiting for her - wishing upon a star for her return as he stands upon the Notre-Dame Cathedral, gazing at the Eiffel Tower where she stands.  The 39mm Women's Poetic Wish Timepiece is smaller in frame than the Men's 43mm case.  Designed by Jean-Marc Wiedderecht, both watches are equipped with a five minute repeater and automatons.  When a crown at the 2 'o'clock is activated, the hours begin to chime setting the young lady across the girders of the Eifel tower towards her love waiting at the Notre Dame. A mother-of-pearl cloud moves towards her and the place at which they they meet indicates the hour on the horizontal scale. As the minutes chime, a kite flies up the River Seine indicating the five minutes. When all is done and the chiming ceases the automatons return to their original positions. The chiming and movement is but a moment in time to make a wish. Her lover is standing upon the terrace of the Notre Dame and when his hour of wishing arrives, he paces towards the cloud meeting at the hour.  His minutes are marked by a shooting star heading towards the Eiffel tower to the place of his heart. Van Cleef & Arpels in the Master of Romantic Depictions. The enameling on the watch is superb, and the movement including the gongs and hammers visible via a sound amplifying raised sapphire crystal case back. The 458 component hand wound movement is capable of a 60 hour power reserve.

6) Roger Dubuis Valentines Day Watch (circa 2011) -

Limited Edition: 28 Cost: 6 figures ????

watch is the epitome of technical elegance incorporating the Valentine motif into the actual components of the in-house movement. Two synthetic heart shaped pink Sapphire crystals accentuate the shapes while a tourbillon of uncanny craftsmanship flutter beneath a skeletonized rose.  I love the fact that Roger Dubuis has focused on mechanical technicalities for a woman's watch.  The majority of woman's watches nowadays are powered by quartz movement, which I feel a bit of a let down.  Diamonds smother the 18k white gold 36mm square case. Beneath the bezel a flange indicates the hours a ruby at a time... and the red satin strap adds an evocative innuendo to the rest of the watch.

7) The Frédérique Constant Love Heart Beat Watch. (circa 2009) Price: Around $2,000.00

Even though these two beauties were unveiled 3 years ago (a lifetime in watch models), I think about them every time Valentine's Day draws near.  I think these watches affirm love in shimmering elegance without appearing too gaudy and sickly sweet.  The Frédérique Constant Heart Beat Collection is iconic for an aperture in the dial revealing the escapement of the in-house FC 310 calibre  movement.  The aperture in this case is the diamond encrusted "O".  The dial is blanketed with guilloche engraving with heart shapes framed by a magnificent bezel set with 64 diamonds. The watch is available in steel or rose gold plated case. A satin strap completes the look.  The great thing about this watch is that it is really affordable.  You can pick one up on Ebay for less than $2,000.00.

8) The Swatch Love Collection 2012 is perfect for your first love. Limited Edition : 777 

Price: $60 for one $110 for both

The red Swatch is "My Heart" - inscribed with the passionate scrawl of "Only You".  The depiction almost screams "puppy love" - a white figure emerging from the heart of a rose.  I can so picture the watch being presented with a blush and uncertain glances - the terror of being rejected and the irrevocable need to proclaim love.

The "Lovely Mine"  Swatch is so irresistibly cute - I can almost pinch its 33mm round plastic case.  "I Love You"  is printed boldly below a dial featuring a our white figure now dressed in a rabbit costume - a little naughty perhaps.  In any event these watches are so cute and true Swatch Collectors Items.  Manufactured specially for Valentine 2012, in a limited quantity of 777, which raises my eyebrows as to why that particular, if not telling number was used.  These cute watch are sold as a pair or alone. 

 9) Jaeger-Lecoultre Valentine's Day Reverso. (2012) 

Since 1931, the Reverso popularity has never wavered.  Set in the ultra Reverso Case, the Valentine's Day Model is an attractive elegant combination of pink gold and steel with a whimsical depiction of a heart engraved on the reverse side of the case.  In a unique move, Jaeger Lecoultre teamed up with Valextra,  high end Italian Luxury Bag Manufacturers, to create a strap of exceptional quality and trendy style.  The product of their partnership is a high quality attractive double tour strap available in three colors, creating an admirable fashion statement.  

 

10) DeLaneau's Delicate Collection.  Heart Shape Watch. 

Limited Edition: 20 pieces - including the round, diamond, flower or heart shaped models in this unique piece collection.

DeLaneau knows how to please the ladies with the distinctly  feminine timepiece. The DeLaneau case is a true classical depiction of a heart.  The 18k heart shaped wrist watch is outlined in pink sapphires crowned surrounding a diamond paved dial.   18K white gold bracelet is decorated with 19 heart-cut pink sapphires and 40 navette-cut diamonds. Beneath the heart beats a Frederic Piguet caliber 6.10 manual wound mechanical movement. The lack of a seconds hand creates a quiet presence in which time seems to stop in the face of beauty.

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!

A Luxury Watch Company That Never Went Quartz?

Blancpain Mens' Watch Automatic Tourbillon 18k Rose Gold White Dial on Brown Leather Strap

Blancpain. It is the oldest Watch manufacturer that never went quartz.

Blancpain has never manufactured a Quartz Watch. True to its legacy, it is the only Mechanical Watch Company established before the Quartz Revolution , still around today, that was and is truly Mechanical. Blancpain is a company, that has spanned generations of watchmakers , where every timepiece is crafted to perfection.

• Blancpain's destiny was not always certain, the company clambered over many hurdles. Jehan-Jacques Blancpain, original 1735 founder of Blancpain worried that his son, Isaac, would not continue in the watch business. He did not seem interested, he would much rather teach. Luckily Isaac's son continued the family watchmaking business. Jehan-Jaques grandson
• In 1932, 7th generation Blancpain descendant, Frederic-Emile Blancpain, died unexpectedly and his daughter, Berthe-Nellie, did not want to continue in the watch business. The company including all its assets and liabilities was transfered to Berthe- Nellie's father's closest assistant Betty Fiechter, and her associate Andre Leal. They continued the business under the name Rayville Inc.
  
• Perhaps Blancpain's largest and most tragic hurdle was in 1971, Blancpain vanished from the world of watchmaking for 12 years, in 1971. Everything went "Quartz" and Blancpain did not have the "Quartz know how" to compete in the "new market." Prior to 1971 Blancpain had accepted the protection of a major watch-industry holding company known as the SSIH -Swiss Watch Industry Corporation Ltd.) In 1971 SSIH new management became "quartizised" and felt that mechanical watches were archaic, outdated and its industrial strategy had no place for ancient watch manufacturing practices. Blancpain fell silent.

On January 9, 1983 ,while the watch industry was still in the euphoric throws of the "miracle of the quartz watch", two men Jean-Claude Biver and Jacques Piguet, came together and concluded that mechanical watches still had a place in society, and two and a half centuries after Jehan-Jacques Blancpain established the company, Blancpain was successfully reawakened.

After thorough examination of Blancpains records, it was confirmed that Blancpain had never manufactured a single Quartz watch, and it was decided then and there that not one Blancpain quartz watch will ever be manufactured in the future. In other words you will never find a Quartz Watch displaying the Blancpain brand name. Blancpain can answer to being the oldest Watch Manufacturer still operating today, and the remarkable feat of never having manufactured a quartz watch.

Blancpain unveils 500 Fathoms Watch.

It is well known that Blancpain never manufactured a quartz watch. An old company established in 1735, Blancpain is serious about its tradition. That does not mean that Blancpain will not utilize cutting edge materials and technology. It does indeed and the 500 Fathoms Watch will prove that, but all the watches are entirely mechanical. The only power utilized will be the power that is initiated by human effort, and the fine mechanics of the watch will take over from there continuing a vast web of tiny movements tracking the time with infinite precision. The 500 Fathoms watch is a new addition to the Fifty Fathoms timepiece collection. The 500 Fathoms explores new depths in diving performance. New technological features enable the diver to penetrate deeper into uncharted territory. As with deep water dive watches the pressure within the watch needs to be adjusted, thus the 500 Fathoms Watch has a helium release valve. To be able to view the watch with water swirling around one, the 48mm case is conveniently large and the dial is exceptionally luminous enabling it to be read in diminishing light as the water becomes darker with depth. The Blancpian 500 Fathoms is able to resist water pressures to a depth of 1000 meters.
The case is crafted from brushed titanium, a lightweight hypoallergenic material which is corrosion resistant - and important consideration since the watch will be constantly exposed to salt water.
The titanium gray sheen contrasts the two tone black and silver color combination of the dial with rugged grace. Luminous material coats the concave bold Arabic Numerals as well as the hour minute and red tipped seconds hand. The black surface on the dial is luminous as well to add extra visibility in extreme deep sea darkness. The crystal and unidirectional rotating bezel is crafted from scratch-resistant Sapphire protecting the dial beneath it. The 500 Fathoms inherited the same feature as the Fifty Fathoms Collection: A screw down winding crown which is protected from accidental shocks in harsh environments.
An added feature is the Sapphire window in a screw-locked case back. This feature enables the wearer to view the the exemplary workings of the Calibre 1315 which boasts a central winding mass crafted in the shape of a boat propeller. In addition the 500 Fathom Timepiece has a balance with regulating screws; three serially-coupled barrels enabling 5 days power reserve and continuous flow of power to the movement.

Comfort and optimum fit is a must when faced with potentially hazardous situations where there is no room for errors. In this regard the Blancpain 500 Fathom is fitted with a rubber-lined sail canvas strap featuring a new triple-deployment clasp with twin security pushers.

Watches for Valentines Day

Blancpain Women 'Saint-Valentin 2009' Time to be Romantic. Just in time for Valentines Day Blancpain has tenderly unveiled an exclusive edition of the 99 Flyback Chronographs. Crafted in soft pure colors of mother-of-pearl and white, Blancpain has succeeded in manufacturing the perfect watch for the perfect one. Rubies shaped as a heart frames the small seconds sub dial. As Blancpain has never produced a quartz movements (the company went into hibernation during the quartz sensation), the movement is a Blancpain F185 caliber with a a 40 hour power reserve.

Piaget Limelight Love Letter Timepiece

Where is the watch you say, well open the envelope and find out. Elegantly crafted from 18-Karat white gold, the rectangular case is an envelope. On the top triangular portion of the envelope flap, the eternal word "love" is engraved in romantic Victorian lettering. Lift the hinge lid accentuated with a cabochon ruby and the diamond set word "you" is displayed. The Watch is present behind the second hinge where its 56P quartz movement is working with precise determination. 130 round-brilliant cut demands adorn the watch. The Romantic look is completed with a finely grained satin strap and 18K white golf folding clasp. This watch will definitely draw an audible and quite jealous gasp from her friends.

A Luxury Watch is an Investment for Life.

A luxury watch is an investment for life. The Holidays are so near you can just about smell the Holiday food bubbling on the stove. The decorations are up, the shopping fever is in the air. You have been dabbling about the idea of buying a watch for the past couple of weeks, and you cannot make up your mind.

Well here are a few pointers you should keep in mind while making your decision.

The better watch you buy, the longer it will last. A Watch crafted by Blancpain, whose watch making is deeply rooted in tradition and excellence, where every tiny part is labored upon with obsessive perfection, will last into the next generation. Your great grandson eighty years from now will treasure your watch.

It is not with wasted breath that I touch upon this subject. I know that we are officially in a recession, and I do know there is no room for waste. A cheap watch whose movements were glanced upon without much thought to its resiliency is no more than a gamble. The stock market is enough of a seesaw. In this volatile economy, companies are giving its consumers outrageous deals and the prices on luxury watches have dropped. So although things may be tight, a luxury watch is one of the best gifts you can buy. Fancy electronic gadgets depreciate as soon as you open that tough plastic. Next week you will be kicking yourself by not waiting for Model #200041 as your Model# 200040 suddenly became outdated and slid down to a fraction of a price. Gateway computers are not exactly collectibles, if you know what I mean.

However, a luxury watch is an investment and in a couple years from now, with adequate maintenance, your watch value could have doubled. Not to mention the attachment factor of you to your watch. To say that your mechanical luxury watch will become outdated is to say that time is an old concept. If someone comes up with a better idea than time, I rest my case. But for now the passage of time is what we got and to keep track of it will never become obsolete.

Give a gift that bears witness to the passage of time. Give a gift that will never be shoved in the bottom draw or stand unused on a kitchen counter. Give a gift and be appreciated.

This blog is a Luxury Watch Treasure Trove.

In case you were confused by the word "Luxury" this watch will re clarify the concept. Chopard (Founded in 1860) sells a Super Ice Cube Luxury Watch. Retail $1,130,620. Take your Tourbillons - give me diamonds - lots and lots. 66.16 carats of diamonds including 1,897 brilliants, 288 trapeze-cuts, and a center case glimmering with 16 squares. The watch is subtly pretentious and overtly glamorous. Chopard offers over fifty variations on the "Ice Cube" from black diamonds to pastel sapphires to rubies. Chopard is renowned for its incredible "gem sense" in that every hand picked gem is placed on the watch in perfect harmony and balance.
This next watch is a Blancpain 1735 - Blancpain was founded in 1735 and this watch was named for the year. At first glance this Luxury Watch worth about One Million Dollars seems quite humble; however this watch has 6 individual complications. Two more than necessary to qualify as a "Grand Complication". The 6 Complications are compacted in an ultra slim 42 mm case which in itself can almost be deemed a complication. The Blancpain 1735 is equipped with:
a) A Perpetual Calander making allowances for different lengths of month as well as leap years till the year 2100.
b) Split-second chronograph or "rattrapante" which has two second hands, one of which can be blocked with a special dial train lever to indicate an intermediate time while the other continues to run. When released, the split-seconds hand jumps ahead to the position of the other second hand.
c)Minute repeater which has a striking mechanism with hammers and gongs for sounding the hours or quarter hours at the will of the wearer. The wearer pushes a slide which winds the spring. Most Repeaters use two different gongs to signal hours (low tone), quarters hours (high and low tones in succession), and minutes (high tone).
d) Tourbillon - said to compensate for the interference of gravity on the watch thus improving the watches accuracy, From the French word "whirlwind", in the Tourbillon the entire escapement escapement is mounted on a epicyclic train in a cage and rotated completely on its axis over a regular period of time, usually once a minute. A tourbillon is valued more for its superb horological craftsmanship than its actual functional abilities.
e) Moon-phase minder which displays the phases of the moon.

The streamlined case encapsulates 740 components that takes eight to ten months to build. This timepiece collection is limited to 30 watches. Crocodile Strap and 80 hour power reserve, what more could you ask for.
Hublot does everything big. The materials under the diamonds are invisible giving a perfect shimmer to the watch. The "Big Bang Chronograph" with a heart throbbing tourbillon is worth One Million Dollars.

The following three watches have yet to be priced, but my guess is it is going to be quite high and they add quite nicely to my treasure trove of watches blog.

This sleek bracelet is more bracelet than watch but since it is a Jaeger-LeCoultre creation the tiny watch nestled between the gleaming squares is a mechanical masterpiece of fine watch craftmanship. No price quoted as of yet for this Joaillerie 101 Manchette stunning timepiece.
This watch is the Tag Heuer Fantasy where for the first time the diamonds tell the time. There is no one other than Tag Heuer themselves to explain how this marvelous space age watch operates:

This luxury watch set with 879 Top Wesselton (5.8 carats) VS/SI (1.1 mm), full-cut, diamonds hides a surprising innovation: the digital display through the diamonds. 54 of the 879 diamonds have been cut in a revolutionary way to provide a very high-definition concentration of the light emitted by 54 LEDs (light emitting diodes) that display the time in glowing red. The red is echoed in the satin strap that gives a warm and silky look contrasting with the brilliance of the multiple diamonds.

There you have it and the price is inestimable as only three of these watches have been crafted. Quite mind-boggling that a creation like this has been limited to but three.
Diamond Rotolog Watch. Crafted by Watch Manufacturer Nixon. Interesting no doubt. I kind of cannot wrap my mind around it. This watch is studded with 1,851 diamonds - 764 full cut white diamonds while the remaining ones are full cut black diamonds, bringing the total number of carats to 9.25 carats.By this time I expect you to be salivating at the sight of all these luxurious items. I was going to sign off but Corum's Classical Billionaire Tourbillon kept on surfacing above my subconscious. Retailing at around a Million Dollars - Okay $998,000. A spectacular time-piece with a white gold case set with baguette diamond bezel, transparent dial and a stunningly blue alligator strap. The watch is a manual winding tourbillon with sapphire bridges. A 90 day power reserve with a 2007 limited production of 10 pieces.

A watch like this comes up for sale only once in a lifetime like a fleeting comet. The Girard-Perregaux Opera One. This luxury timepiece has no dial hiding the craftsmanship. The watch has three bridges, a tourbillon and a minute repeater sounding a Westminster Chime.

Imagine wearing one of these beauties on your wrist.

Blancpain's Luxury Watch Absolutely Dripping with Diamonds

480 Baguette diamonds totalling 58 carats. Feast your eyes on this sparkling creation. The Tourbillon Diamants. The brick like arrangement of diamonds are only disrupted by a stunning tourbillon. This shimmering timepiece utilizes the Blancpain Calibre 25A movement, a mechanical self-winding movement made of 239 parts with a seven-day power reserve. The 40mm white gold case is water resistant. This watch is subtly intimidating and priced quite generously for even the deepest pockets- over $1,5 million. However, this watch in all its splendor exudes a gentle glimmering glow.

Blancpain debuts its new Fifty Fathom Collection at the Cannes International Boat Show.

Blancpain is marking its fourth consecutive appearance at the Cannes International Boat Show with the Release of a Fifty Fathoms Automatic limited to 20 pieces. Although resembling last years non-limited models in size, 45mm, caliber 1315 automatic winding featuring three main spring barrels. free sprung balance with gold regulation screws and five day power reserve, it does not have the black dial, bezel and strap. The new Cannes International Boat Show Limited Edition, is free, resembling a yacht streaming through white capped waves. The Watch has a stainless steel case, white dial, white sapphire bezel, and white sail cloth strap. The non-limited Fifty Fathoms is crafted with a anti magnetic shielding and solid case back, this Limited Edition incorporates a sapphire crystal case back displaying the exceptional craftsmanship of the Watches movement. The winding rotor is shaped like a ship's wheel, tying the watch to the show. The watch is delivered in a sporty orange waterproof case, perfect for a day on the water.

Blancpain and the Cannes International Boat Show has a strong connection. Last years show provided the stage for Blancpain's official worldwide launch of Blancpain's new Fifty Fathoms Collection. Fifty Fathoms was first introduced by Blancpain (under the name Rayville Inc), in 1953. It is regognized as the worlds first modern diving timepiece. Last year Blancpain brought thirty pieces to the show, offering them to the participants, the watches were sold at once.