Blancpain Villeret Métiers D’Art Ganesh Watch Replica Wholesale

Blancpain Villeret Métiers D’Art Ganesh Watch Watch Releases

If the watch has been jeopardized (as most watches were likely to back then), he had to rely on alternate means for timekeeping, or abort the dive to prevent decompression illness (or worse). It’s also probably worth pointing out that such a shield is admittedly somewhat silly within an ultra-modern dive watch that’s already water-resistant to a crushing 300 meters (and costs $14k), but the charm of this Blancpain Tribute to Fifty Fathoms Mil-Spec isn’t its utility, but its commendable devotion to the origin material.Speaking of source material, although the situation size to the Blancpain Tribute to Fifty Fathoms Mil-Spec has been increased from 37mm to 40mm, it’s still a merciful decrease from the last time we saw a Tribute to Fifty Fathoms, that was able to actually wear bigger than its sacrilegious 45mm situation width. This 40mm case is really the sweet spot for Blancpain divers like the Mil-Spec, which eventually strikes that nice balance between taking the highly polished visual burden of being a modern “luxury diver” while still staying true to Fiechter’s original vision. If that is a harbinger of what is to come for the next generation of Blancpain’s Fifty Fathoms collection, think about us fans.

Blancpain Villeret Métiers D’Art Ganesh Watch Watch Releases

It is a common belief that God is omnipresent, but as the physical identity of God is still a mystery, we humans connect with the Almighty by practicing different religions in different parts of the world. And every religion offers a representation of God which can be used as an object of worship and symbolism. Why am I rambling on about a topic like religion, and how exactly does it relate to horology? I would like to introduce to you the Blancpain Villeret Métiers D’Art Ganesh watch.

The Blancpain Villeret Métiers D’Art Ganesh watch, as the name indicates, is a tribute to the Hindu Lord Ganesha, and it is a new offering from Blancpain’s Villeret line of watches. Lord Ganesha, also known as Vinayaka (Knowlegeable) and Vighneshwara (Lord of obstacles) is one of the most worshipped deities in the Hindu religion. Another interesting fact about Lord Ganesha is that he is known as the patron of arts, and Blancpain launching the stunningly artistic Blancpain Villeret Métiers D’Art Ganesh watch around Lord Ganesha’s birthday couldn’t be a better birthday present for him.

Blancpain Villeret Métiers D’Art Ganesh Watch Watch Releases

The Blancpain Villeret Métiers D’Art Ganesh is a product of Blancpain’s award-winning Métiers D’Art studio located in Vallée de Joux. The Métiers D’Art studio is renowned for a wide range of artistic crafts including fine engraving, enameling, damascening, shakudō, and more. Having won the Artistic Crafts prize for the Blancpain Villeret Shakudo Ganesh watch in 2015, Métiers d’Art studio is back with another unique interpretation of the Ganesh theme in the Blancpain Villeret Métiers D’Art Ganesh watch. The beautiful portrait of Lord Ganesha on the dial of the Blancpain Villeret Métiers D’Art Ganesh is a result of combining fine engraving, damascening, and shakudō, and is testimony to the skills and craftsmanship of Blancpain’s artisans.

Blancpain Villeret Métiers D’Art Ganesh Watch Watch Releases

The black patina on the dial of the Blancpain watches ladies Replica Villeret Métiers D’Art Ganesh is achieved with the help of shakudō, which is an alloy of gold and copper. Unpatinated shakudō resembles bronze, and Blancpain’s artisans delicately treat the surface multiple times to achieve the final subtle black shades that mark this art form which was originally developed for the decoration of swords and jewellery. Another art form which adorns this dial, and whose application in watchmaking is limited to Blancpain, is damascening. Damascening is the art of inlaying different metals into one another, and it is utilized to hand-carve fine designs on the dial of the Blancpain Villeret Métiers D’Art Ganesh watch, following which gold is hammered into the resulting troughs.

Blancpain Villeret Métiers D’Art Ganesh Watch Watch Releases

Continuing the golden theme on the intricately finished dial of the Blancpain leman watch snob Replica Villeret Métiers D’Art Ganesh, this watch is equipped with a 45mm-wide red gold case with Blancpain’s signature double-stepped bezel, adding to the overall warmth of the design. At the helm of this watch is the ultra slim manually wound in-house caliber 15B, offering a power reserve of 40 hours. The movement has been moderately decorated with finely hand-applied Côtes de Genève along with beveling and circular graining, and can be viewed from the transparent case back.

The Blancpain Villeret Métiers D’Art Ganesh is literally a one-of-a-kind watch, as only one is being produced. It is targeted towards devotees of Lord Ganesha who want to maintain a divine connection with him every single second of the day by having his picture on the dial of their watch. The Blancpain Villeret Métiers D’Art Ganesh comes on a brown alligator strap with a price of £111,550. blancpain.com

Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph Ocean Commitment II Watch Now In Blue Ceramic Case Japanese Movement Replica

Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph Ocean Commitment II Watch Now In Blue Ceramic Case Watch Releases

Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph Ocean Commitment II Watch Now In Blue Ceramic Case Watch Releases

Some major watch brands seem to really think highly of ceramic as a case material and Blancpain is among them. Previously a closely guarded field of expertise of Rado and Chanel, ceramic technology and production techniques have only recently evolved to a point where more brands are entertaining the idea of a ZrO2 case, since a lot more control of things like colors and hardness is becoming possible. The new-for-2016 Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph Ocean Commitment II watch case is all in blue ceramic – something the likes of which we haven’t seen before.

Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph Ocean Commitment II Watch Now In Blue Ceramic Case Watch Releases

Why we haven’t seen it before? My understanding is that achieving color uniformity and maintaining sufficient hardness at the same time has been the major challenge of adding pigments to ceramic. That’s why we mostly see black and white (and gray) ceramic (like, say, this black ceramic Blancpain watches nyc Replica Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe). The problem is that if the mixture does not clean up entirely and evenly after the heat treatment process, it will have discolorations and marks in it that will ruin the look – and the piece itself, since these imperfections cannot be removed.

Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph Ocean Commitment II Watch Now In Blue Ceramic Case Watch Releases

It is true that we have been seeing more and more colors in ceramic bezels from Rolex, TAG Heuer and a few others, and so it was perhaps only a matter of time before colored ceramic cases came along. And it kind of also suggests a possible future of all kinds of colors for ceramic watch cases – Speedmaster Muave Side of the Moon, anyone? That might be kind of cool.

Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph Ocean Commitment II Watch Now In Blue Ceramic Case Watch Releases

He also brought a groundbreaking innovation into the watchmaking sector by substituting the crown-wheel mechanism using a cylinder escapement. From the mid 19th century, the House of Blancpain watches quality Replica became the very substantial enterprise in Villeret.The initial Blancpain automatic wristwatch was manufactured in 1926 and four decades after, the manufacturer accommodated the machine to watches of small size, and launched the rectangular “Rolls” which became the world’s first women’ automatic wristwatch.

Back on point, Are blancpain watches good Replica says they achieve this deep, rich blue of the Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph by adding the pigment and a bonding agent during the production process, with the bonding agent burning off at a lower heat level before submitting the piece to the high-temperature (sintering) step for hardening. I’m not really sure why this apparently difficult technique succeeds where others had failed – and I suspect truly understanding the chemistry would be a much longer discussion – but Blancpain says it is the product of several years of trials. Anyhow, I believe them that getting it right, with a uniform color across all the parts was a challenge – otherwise, we would have seen it before.

Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph Ocean Commitment II Watch Now In Blue Ceramic Case Watch Releases

The all-blue ceramic case of the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph Ocean Commitment II is 43.60mm across by 15.25mm thick, and water-resistant to 300 meters. Lug width is an unconventional 23mm, putting a damper on your strap-changing zeal. We can all agree that ceramic’s non-scratching and non-fading properties are both very positive, but I, for one, am not totally convinced of its suitability as a case material. Something like the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph Ocean Commitment II will probably last for a long time and keep looking good if you aren’t too hard on it – but I have seen a chipped ceramic watch case and bracelet, and it isn’t pretty, so do keep it safe from drops and bangs. Making a sport watch in ceramic, to me, just emphasizes that it is a luxury object made to be worn in day-to-day situations, shown off among rich friends… and that a Seiko or a Casio is what will likely accompany real adventurers who plan on moving large rocks underwater.

Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph Ocean Commitment II Watch Now In Blue Ceramic Case Watch Releases

Introduced in 2014 (hands-on with that Bathyscaph Flyback Chronograph here), the automatic caliber F385 runs at 5Hz (that’s a “hi-beat” 36,000bph) with a 50-hour power reserve, and features a 12-hour flyback chronograph, small seconds, and the date. The sapphire crystal case-back offers a dang lovely view of the movement and the 18k gold rotor with the Ocean Commitment logo.

Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph Ocean Commitment II Watch Now In Blue Ceramic Case Watch Releases

Price for each of the 250-piece limited-edition Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph Ocean Commitment watches will be £14,000 (which is currently around US$17,000). For each piece sold, €1,000 (totaling €250,000 for the full run) will go to supporting scientific expeditions as part of Blancpain’s Ocean Commitment project. blancpain.com

Blancpain Tribute To Fifty Fathoms Mil-Spec Watch Hands-On Replica Watches Buy Online

Blancpain Tribute To Fifty Fathoms Mil-Spec Watch Hands-On Hands-On

Blancpain Tribute To Fifty Fathoms Mil-Spec Watch Hands-On Hands-On

Even as purveyors of arguably one of the world’s first truly purpose-built dive watches, there’s no denying it’s been a long time since Blancpain watches ebay Replica has even been remotely close to the tool watch realm it once pioneered. That being said, it’s still neat to see the brand revisit those days with a marked degree of panache in the recently announced Tribute to Fifty Fathoms Mil-Spec – a watch that might cost $14,000, but it’s still every bit the capable tool once relied upon by combat divers in the late fifties.

Blancpain Tribute To Fifty Fathoms Mil-Spec Watch Hands-On Hands-On

Blancpain Tribute To Fifty Fathoms Mil-Spec Watch Hands-On Hands-On

Price notwithstanding, there’s a lot to love about this new limited-edition entry to the Fifty Fathoms line – which is likely why the watch is enjoying dive watch lover “sleeper hit” status post-Baselworld. Largely released without major fanfare, part of the Blancpain Tribute to Fifty Fathoms Mil-Spec watch’s appeal are its conservative dimensions and faithful adherence to the design codes of the original Mil-Spec. But a key dimension of its appeal is likely Blancpain’s inclusion of a critical feature of the original: a working replica of the “watertightness” moisture indicator at 6:00.

Blancpain Tribute To Fifty Fathoms Mil-Spec Watch Hands-On Hands-On

Blancpain Tribute To Fifty Fathoms Mil-Spec Watch Hands-On Hands-On

Blancpain Tribute To Fifty Fathoms Mil-Spec Watch Hands-On Hands-On

Back in the early days “when sex was safe and diving was dangerous,” dive watches weren’t the rugged, reliable tools we’re familiar with today. Though paramount to a diver’s safety, the earliest examples were still susceptible to damage by shock, plagued by poor visibility in low light, and built with cases ill-equipped to handle great ocean depths. Unsatisfied with issued watches that couldn’t (quite literally) perform under pressure, French combat swimmer corps commanders Captain Robert Maloubier and Lieutenant Claude Riffaud sought out the grandfather of the Fifty Fathoms, Jean-Jacques Fiechter, who was already hard at work on a design that would address these very symptoms.

Blancpain Tribute To Fifty Fathoms Mil-Spec Watch Hands-On Hands-On

Blancpain Tribute To Fifty Fathoms Mil-Spec Watch Hands-On Hands-On

But the watch that became standard-issue to the UDT teams commanded by Maloubier and Riffaud wasn’t Fiechter’s original Fifty Fathoms design, but one that contained an added safeguard: a quirky watertightness indicator that would alert the wearer if their watch was compromised. Now, it’s worth clarifying that such an indicator is a little bit like a smoke detector – it only points out the obvious, and does little to prevent the fire. But back in 1957 when the design was pioneered and soon adopted on all dive watches issued to combat swimmers, a diver only needed to know if his watch could be trusted or not.

Blancpain Tribute To Fifty Fathoms Mil-Spec Watch Hands-On Hands-On

Blancpain Tribute To Fifty Fathoms Mil-Spec Watch Hands-On Hands-On

If the watch was compromised (as many watches were prone to back then), he needed to rely on alternate means for timekeeping, or abort the dive to avoid decompression sickness (or worse). It’s also probably worth pointing out that such a safeguard is admittedly somewhat silly on an ultra-modern dive watch that’s already water-resistant to a crushing 300 meters (and costs $14k), but the charm of the Blancpain watch dealers uk Replica Tribute to Fifty Fathoms Mil-Spec isn’t its utility, but its admirable commitment to the source material.

Blancpain Tribute To Fifty Fathoms Mil-Spec Watch Hands-On Hands-On

Blancpain Tribute To Fifty Fathoms Mil-Spec Watch Hands-On Hands-On

Speaking of source material, though the case size on the Blancpain Tribute to Fifty Fathoms Mil-Spec has been increased from 37mm to 40mm, it’s still a merciful reduction from the last time we saw a Tribute to Fifty Fathoms, which managed to actually wear bigger than its sacrilegious 45mm case width. This 40mm case is really the sweet spot for Blancpain divers like the Mil-Spec, which finally strikes that fine balance between carrying the highly polished visual weight of being a modern “luxury diver” while still staying true to Fiechter’s original vision. If this is a harbinger of what’s to come for the next generation of Blancpain’s Fifty Fathoms collection, consider us fans.

Blancpain Tribute To Fifty Fathoms Mil-Spec Watch Hands-On Hands-On

Blancpain Tribute To Fifty Fathoms Mil-Spec Watch Hands-On Hands-On

But back to the moisture indicator for a moment – an indicator one would pray one never sees change color, especially on a watch at this price range. On the original, the idea was that in the event of a moisture ingress, the contrasting white region of the half-circle on the dial would change to a dark pink color. And the less contrast you see between the two, the greater your service bill is going to be. Blancpain watches gold Replica wasn’t entirely clear about what materials actually comprise the indicator, but it’s raised and subtly textured like the surrounding luminous plots. Functionality-wise, it’s not unlike a water contact indicating tape you might find from manufacturers like 3M.

Blancpain Tribute To Fifty Fathoms Mil-Spec Watch Hands-On Hands-On

Blancpain Tribute To Fifty Fathoms Mil-Spec Watch Hands-On Hands-On
The Blancpain Tribute to Fifty Fathoms Mil-Spec can be obtained on one of three choices: Blancpain’s now-familiar rubber-backed sailcloth, a stainless steel necklace, or a black NATO strap — the latter of which appears to best disguise the price point and coincide with the watch’s UDT trappings most efficiently between the three. Since 1735, Blancpain has been creating mechanical watches that establish standards of excellence. The Swiss manufacturer is known for dramatic improvements in the watchmaking world and it can be called the innovative brand that knows how to be different from others.An intriguing fact about Blancpain is that it has never generated quartz timepieces previously and in accordance with their own commercial motto, they never will. Also, this adventurous watchmaker claims that it won’t ever create watches with electronic displays.The Blancpain brand was founded at the start of the 18th century by Jehan-Jacques Blancpain who launched his first workshop on the upper floor of his home in Villeret, Switzerland. That’s how the story of the world’s oldest watchmaking brand began.

Since the moisture indicator has no connection with the inner workings of the watch (unlike Sinn’s Ar-capsule technology which functions as an active dehumidifier for the movement), Blancpain’s Caliber 1150 is allowed to perform as-is. Given the smaller profile of the case, Blancpain was wise to select a slimmer movement, rather than use the 1315 found on other Fifty Fathoms editions like the Bathyscaphe. Thus, the power reserve drops from 120 hours to 96 – which is still a generous number, thanks to its twin-barrel design. The watch is finished with an exhibition caseback, granting a view of the platinum alloy-coated gold rotor – an extravagant detail for a watch with such humble beginnings, but a nice one to look at, nonetheless.

Blancpain Tribute To Fifty Fathoms Mil-Spec Watch Hands-On Hands-On

Blancpain Tribute To Fifty Fathoms Mil-Spec Watch Hands-On Hands-On

Blancpain Tribute To Fifty Fathoms Mil-Spec Watch Hands-On Hands-On

The Blancpain watch bands Replica Tribute to Fifty Fathoms Mil-Spec is available on one of three options: Blancpain’s now-familiar rubber-backed sailcloth, a stainless steel bracelet, or a black NATO strap – the latter of which seems to best disguise the price point and match the watch’s UDT trappings most efficiently between the three. The price on the bracelet is $14,100. blancpain.com

Starting Point: Best Dressy Chronograph Watches Replica Clearance

Starting Point: Best Dressy Chronograph Watches ABTW Editors' Lists

Starting Point: Best Dressy Chronograph Watches ABTW Editors' Lists

Here at aBlogtoWatch, we have covered our fair share of chronograph watches, and oftentimes they can be bunched into the “sportier” side of life. This isn’t to say that there aren’t chronographs out there that can be seen as dressy; in fact, with so many brands evolving their lines to include new materials and classier touches, the range of options have grown vastly to broaden the role that a chronograph can serve.

Whether it be a cleaner, uncluttered dial or a gold case, a chronograph can be just as much at home in a suit as it can with jeans and a t-shirt. Foregoing any loud color choices, styling, and general “sportiness,” these dressy chronographs are subtle without coming off stuffy or too formal – classy with something of an edge, you could say. The goal when looking for one is to find what works best for you, and we have compiled a list that should serve as a great “starting point” to your personal collection. With these things in mind, let’s take a look at just a few of your options.

Bulgari Octo Velocissimo Ultranero Chronograph

Starting Point: Best Dressy Chronograph Watches ABTW Editors' Lists

With its octagonal case, dressed up to shine thanks to a total of over 100 facets, polished and applied indices and a deep black dial, this Bulgari Octo Velocissimo strikes a rare balance between masculine, sporty design, and powerful restraint. Bulgari offers several variants in the Octo collection, so you can go from this all steel version all the way to the even more serious-looking version with a combination of a black DLC case and an 18k gold bezel, hands and indices.

Starting Point: Best Dressy Chronograph Watches ABTW Editors' Lists
He brought a groundbreaking innovation to the watchmaking sector by replacing the crown-wheel mechanism with a cylinder escapement. From the mid 19th century, the House of Blancpain became the most considerable enterprise in Villeret.The initial Blancpain automatic wristwatch was fabricated in 1926 and four years after, the manufacturer accommodated the system to watches of small size, and started the rectangular “Rolls” which became the world’s first ladies’ automatic wristwatch.

It is not easy to successfully mix timeless, elegant design with unique treats. Thanks to this powerful mixture of curves and hard angles, shining bright and brushed surfaces, and a relatively small 41mm wide case, the Bulgari Octo Velocissimo does manage to tick a lot of boxes. The movement is a Zenith El Primero-based BVL328 that is stunning to view through the sapphire crystal back. Pricing starts $9,900 for the steel cased version on the black leather strap.

A. Lange & Söhne 1815 Chronograph

Starting Point: Best Dressy Chronograph Watches ABTW Editors' Lists

It would be hard to make a list like this without including the A. Lange & Söhne 1815 Chronograph. One of Germany’s finest watchmakers, Lange has never really been about large watches – and we have all forgotten about that experimental Lange 31 that was 46mm wide, right? The 1815, with its sleek white gold case, thin lugs and discreet, rectangular pushers is as classic in its look as they get. Chronographs of today do tend to be too bulky for the sake of being bulky, but at 39.5mm, this watch is ideally sized to suit its reserved wrist-presence.

Starting Point: Best Dressy Chronograph Watches ABTW Editors' Lists

Powered by the exquisite Caliber L951.5, the 1815 has a healthy power reserve of 60 hours. This particular A Lange & Söhne 1815 Chronograph Boutique Edition is professional-looking even with the added pulsometer on the flange ring and, with a dark-blue leather strap, should have no trouble to be matched to whatever you put on for your suit-up day. It won’t be on every other wrist either with a price of 49,000 Euros.

Cartier Rotonde Chronograph

Starting Point: Best Dressy Chronograph Watches ABTW Editors' Lists

Dressy elegance and Cartier are a match made in heaven. With this Rotonde de Cartier Chronograph (Reference CRWSRO0002), Cartier succeeded in designing a timepiece that truly embodies the exquisite finishing and classic styling the brand is known for. Some could argue that the dial is a bit busy, and though it might be, the large hands and trademark Cartier Roman numerals all make for above-average-legibility.

The stainless steel case is pictured here, but Cartier also offers the Rotonde in 18k white or pink gold – and even with the steel you, of course, also get the added touch of the blue spinel cabochon. . Consider this piece is powered by the in-house caliber 1904-CH MC and you have not only a beautiful watch, but also the added bragging rights of a proprietary movement. Priced at $9,050, the Rotonde de Cartier Chronograph is a true classic – albeit arguably not one with the most competitive price.

Vacheron Constantin Historique Cornes De Vache 1955 Chronograph

Starting Point: Best Dressy Chronograph Watches ABTW Editors' Lists

The Vacheron Constantin Historiques Cornes De Vache 1955 revives vintage chronograph vibes like hardly anything else released in recent years. At 38.5mm, this platinum reinterpretation of Vacheron’s Reference 6087 wears a little smaller than your average chronograph, and the famed “cow-horn” lugs add to the vintage-inspired touch. Its white dial is elegant and straight-forward and its thin baton hands are just the right length.

Starting Point: Best Dressy Chronograph Watches ABTW Editors' Lists

The in-house Calibre 1142 is the epitome of classic mechanical chronograph movement design, and the case’s sapphire crystal back permits an excellent view. The modest size of the Cornes De Vache, again a plus here, allows it to fit nicely under shirt cuffs and the dark alligator strap is smart and safe choice. Price, even with the platinum case and the remarkable movement, is up there at $75,000.

Starting Point: Best Dressy Chronograph Watches ABTW Editors' Lists

Patek Philippe 5170R-010

The Patek Philippe 5170R-010 has a rather similar dial layout to the Cartier and the Lange we have looked at above – and yet, the 5170R ends up being an incomparably different watch. Its dauphine hands, applied Breguet numerals and (relatively speaking) generously sized, 39.4 millimeter-wide rose gold case all make for a more powerful, and yet more classical look.

Starting Point: Best Dressy Chronograph Watches ABTW Editors' Lists

Patek Philippe does offer the 5170 in a few different versions, but it really is the rose gold (with either a white or black dial) that combines traditional with contemporary. Run by Patek’s hand-wound CH 29-535 PS, this is yet another look at the highest levels of traditional chronograph movement architecture. All this magnificence and the Patek name do come with a matching price: the Patek Philippe 5170R-010 is priced at $81,000. 

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Chronograph

Starting Point: Best Dressy Chronograph Watches ABTW Editors' Lists

Given the nature of this list, I would be remiss if I left out the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Chronograph. This watch makes the list for several reasons, first of which is its ability to blend in or stand out depending on your attire. The trademark AP “grande tapisserie” dial is available in a number of colors and is paired with either stainless steel or 18k gold case variants. The famous avant-garde styling of the Royal Oak lends itself well to a dressier nature and the stunning link band makes for a perfect combination.

You can change the vibe of the Royal Oak Chronograph easily by simply matching it to either a rubber strap, black or brown alligator options, or AP’s amazing bracelets – which are, of course, available in gold or steel. The movement cannot measure up to those offered by AP and VC, but the solid 2385 automatic caliber has sure been around long enough to be tried and proven by now. In gold, the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Chronograph is priced at $38,500.

Blancpain Villeret Quantieme Annuel GMT Watch Hands-On Swiss Movement Replica Watches

Blancpain Villeret Quantieme Annuel GMT Watch Hands-On Hands-On

Blancpain Villeret Quantieme Annuel GMT Watch Hands-On Hands-On

Blancpain continues to be a strong provider of unique and interesting movements in what often feels like a sea of mechanical genericism, even in the luxury watch industry. Look closely and you’ll see in Blancpain luxury watches Replica watches genuinely innovative attempts that are creating new assortments of existing ideas, as well as some novel ones. Today, I’d like to look at the Blancpain Villeret Quantieme Annuel GMT watch which we first covered here. It comes in 18k white gold, 18k rose gold, as well as in steel – all with various dial styles. It’s updated for 2016 based on a movement that launched in 2011.

Blancpain Villeret Quantieme Annuel GMT Watch Hands-On Hands-On

Blancpain Villeret Quantieme Annuel GMT Watch Hands-On Hands-On

At its heart, this watch is about offering a unique layout for two complication sets that you don’t frequently find together. That is a subsidiary GMT hand to indicate a second time zone, as well as an annual calendar complication. The latter is rather elegantly laid out with the calendar information being indicated via three distinct windows on the dial. Underneath is a series of three discs which overlap. What is interesting is that despite the volume of information on the dial (time, second 24-hour time zone, date, day, and month) the face of the Blancpain watch instructions Replica Villeret Quantieme Annuel GMT is relatively sparse and clean.

Blancpain Villeret Quantieme Annuel GMT Watch Hands-On Hands-On

Blancpain Villeret Quantieme Annuel GMT Watch Hands-On Hands-On

Lovers of purely symmetrical dials will likely find the eccentric layout on the Blancpain Quantieme Annuel GMT dial bothersome, and those who like a bit of asymmetry in their watches will appreciate the look as well as the immaculate legibility. This steel version of the Blancpain Quaniteme Annuel GMT is the cleanest looking of the series. The 18k red gold version has a “sunburst grey” dial, while the 18k white gold model has the most intricate-looking dial that is “stamped flinque opaline.”

But back into the moisture index for a moment — a sign one would beg you never sees change colour, especially on a watch at this budget. On the original, the thought was that in case of a moisture ingress, the contrasting white area of the half-circle on the dial would change to a dark pink color. Along with the less contrast you see between the two, the greater your service bill will be. Blancpain was not completely clear about what substances really comprise the index, but it is increased and subtly textured such as the encompassing luminous plots. Functionality-wise, it’s not unlike a water contact suggesting tape you may discover from manufacturers like 3M. Since the moisture index has no relation to the inner workings of the watch (unlike Sinn’s Ar-capsule technology that functions as an active dehumidifier for the motion), Blancpain’s Caliber 1150 has been permitted to carry out as-is. Given the smaller profile of the circumstance, Blancpain was wise to pick a thinner movement, instead of use the 1315 discovered on other Fifty Fathoms editions such as the Bathyscaphe. Therefore, the power book drops from 120 hours to 96 — which is still a generous number, thanks to its twin-barrel layout. The watch is finished with an exhibition caseback, granting an opinion of the platinum alloy-coated gold rotor — an extravagant detail to get a wristwatch with this kind of modest beginnings, but a pleasant one to look at, nonetheless.
Blancpain Villeret Quantieme Annuel GMT Watch Hands-On Hands-On

Let me add here that the model you are seeing images of is actually in an 18k white gold case, but it seems as though Buy blancpain watches online Replica will produce it as a steel model and the same 18k white gold case for another dial option. This is a possibility, but it’s hard to confirm, as their website is unclear as to whether or not an 18k white gold model with this clean white dial is available.

Blancpain Villeret Quantieme Annuel GMT Watch Hands-On Hands-On

Blancpain Villeret Quantieme Annuel GMT Watch Hands-On Hands-On

As a dress watch, I like the calming effect of the clean dial that is otherwise very functional. The 40mm-wide case is 11.04mm thick, and water resistant to 30 meters. It wears nicely thanks to the comfortable case and looks larger given the thin bezel structure. Distinctive Blancpain Villeret-style Roman numerals and matching leaf-style hands add to the brand’s signature look. In steel and red gold, the Blancpain Villeret Quantieme Annuel GMT watch even comes on a matching bracelet option that I quite like – in addition to the black alligator strap choice.

Blancpain Villeret Quantieme Annuel GMT Watch Hands-On Hands-On

Blancpain Villeret Quantieme Annuel GMT Watch Hands-On Hands-On

Manufactured in-house by Blancpain, the Blancpain dress watches Replica Villeret Quantieme Annuel GMT watch contains the caliber 6054F automatic movement – whose gold rotor is very nicely decorated. While the movement architecture is decidedly modern in its aesthetics, you still see a lot of haute horology hand-finishing. The movement operates at 4Hz (28,800bph) and has a power reserve of 72 hours (three days).

Blancpain Villeret Quantieme Annuel GMT Watch Hands-On Hands-On

Blancpain Villeret Quantieme Annuel GMT Watch Hands-On Hands-On

The movement has some additional interesting elements which merit discussion. These include being produced from 367 parts, using a silicon balance spring (for accuracy) and employing Blancpain’s brilliant “under lug correctors.” Look closely under the lugs and you’ll notice small pushers that you can operating with your fingers. These have a few benefits. First is that the watch does not need to rely on unattractive inset pushers on the side of the case. Second is that you don’t need a special tool in order to adjust the GMT or calendar settings. On most watches with in-set pushers, you need a stylus to operate them – and if you use something metal, you risk scratching the watch. This is just one of the many little ergonomic marvels you see far too rarely in the world of high-end watches.

Blancpain Villeret Quantieme Annuel GMT Watch Hands-On Hands-On

Blancpain Villeret Quantieme Annuel GMT Watch Hands-On Hands-On

As you can see, the relative simplicity of this Blancpain watch serial numbers Replica Villeret Quantieme Annuel GMT watch hides some appealing details once you take a closer look. That isn’t the fact with all Blancpain models, but Blancpain is a brand that tends to be pretty poor at explaining its own best virtues (so we try our best to do it for them when possible).

Blancpain Villeret Quantieme Annuel GMT Watch Hands-On Hands-On

The Blancpain nato watch strap Replica Villeret Quantieme Annuel GMT is produced as the reference 6670-1542-55B (for a price of $40,100) in 18k white gold; the references 6670-3642-55 ($40,100), 6670-3642-55B ($39,100), and 6670-3642-MMB ($58,200) in 18k red gold; and the references 6670-1127-55 ($27,300) and 6670-1127-MMB ($29,500) in steel. blancpain.com

Blancpain Villeret Quantième Annuel GMT Watch Japanese Movement Replica

Blancpain Villeret Quantième Annuel GMT Watch Watch Releases

Shakudo itself isn’t a method, but more a material. It’s a metal alloy that is mostly copper with roughly 4-10% stone. What’s special about the alloy is that it can be treated to achieve a black patina which in many ways looks like lacquer. Why is this significant? It is about having the ability to engrave something with a rich amount of detail in addition to a good deal of visual contrast. Black from the aluminum color offers that level of contrast but without the special black patina attributes of shakudo that black could only be achieved by adding black colour. The addition of such pigment (using lacquer for example) reduces the ability for an artist to flaunt fine detail.Thus, shakudo permits for the display and engraving of extremely fine detail in tiny spaces with an awesome degree of contrast. In other words, images engraved in shakudo really pop. Even these two Blancpain Villeret Shakudo watches provide unique demonstrations of this method, which means that there’s variety in this set.

Blancpain Villeret Quantième Annuel GMT Watch Watch Releases

For Baselworld 2016, Blancpain is introducing a stainless steel version of their Villeret Quantième Annuel GMT watch, providing a cleaner and more contemporary look. When I’ve looked at this watch in passing as someone rather fond of GMT complications, it took me some time to figure out why the Blancpain Villeret Quantième Annuel GMT just wasn’t giving me the same feeling I get from most GMT watches. Then something clicked in my conscious, and I was sucked in. Basically, it’s because this is a GMT watch that, well, does not look like a GMT watch. Without that additional central hand and accompanying scale, it would be easy to misinterpret the GMT sub dial at 8 o’clock as a sub-seconds dial. Of course, the lack of movement and the scale betrays that, but still…

Blancpain Villeret Quantième Annuel GMT Watch Watch Releases

For me, that is the hook with the Blancpain Villeret Quantième Annuel GMT, in that it sort of hides it’s functionality in plain sight. Then we get into the other complications on the watch. Along with time and GMT time, calendar-related stuff is high on my list of usable functions on a watch; here, on the Blancpain Villeret Quantième Annuel GMT, we have an annual calendar complication. This complication requires adjusting the calendar once between February and March, as opposed to a perpetual calendar where that wouldn’t be necessary.

Blancpain Villeret Quantième Annuel GMT Watch Watch Releases

Now, this sort of complication is not something new or rare. On the Blancpain Villeret Quantième Annuel GMT, what stood out for me is, first, how the display windows are implemented. The date shows up at the normal position, but the day and month take up non-standard positions on the dial, rather than just up at the top. Yes, this unbalances the dial a little bit, but I’ll give that a pass for the uniqueness of the execution. The second thing that stood out for me was where Blancpain watch value Replica put the adjustment pushers. Rather than having these on the left side of the case, they actually hid them under the lugs.

This is a clever option, and I am surprised more brands have not tried this. By putting the calendar adjustment pushers of the Blancpain Villeret Quantième Annuel GMT under the lugs, we are left with a very clean case. Frankly, you will not be fiddling with those pushers very much, provided you keep the watch wound, so why not tuck them away where they are not noticeable?

Blancpain Villeret Quantième Annuel GMT Watch Watch Releases

So far, it would be fair to say that we have not discussed much with the Blancpain Villeret Quantième Annuel GMT that has not appeared for the line already – so what’s new for BaselWorld? Here, it’s the case material. This is the first time that the 40mm case has appeared in stainless steel. Paired to a white dial and black alligator strap (22mm, for those wondering), you have a very classic sort of a look in terms of the color palette. If, for some reason, you want a splash of color, you will get that via the exhibition case back, where you can see the decorated rotor in yellow gold.

On the whole, I like the looks of the Blancpain Villeret Quantième Annuel GMT with its 6054F movement. I am a little uncertain about the Roman numerals on the dial, and I cannot make my mind up if I’d remove them or make them larger, but the rest of the look, and particularly the layout, really have me hooked on the Blancpain watch bands Replica line. Price for the Blancpain Villeret Quantième Annuel GMT in steel will be $27,300blancpain.com

Top 10 Watch Alternatives To The Rolex Submariner Replica For Sale

Top 10 Watch Alternatives To The Rolex Submariner ABTW Editors' Lists

Top 10 Watch Alternatives To The Rolex Submariner ABTW Editors' Lists

The lauded Rolex Submariner is one of the most popular luxury watches in the world. Easily the most popular steel-cased (or otherwise) luxury diving watch, the Rolex Submariner sets the bar in many ways when it comes to timepieces of its type, at its price point. aBlogtoWatch has reviewed the Rolex Submariner here, offered a long-term review of the Rolex Submariner No Date watch here, and even compared the Rolex Submariner to its “cousin” watch the Tudor Heritage Black Bay here. With that said, the Rolex Submariner isn’t for everyone, and a lot of people who already have a Rolex Submariner still like the genre of high-end steel sports diving watches and are interested in other watches like it.

Top 10 Watch Alternatives To The Rolex Submariner ABTW Editors' Lists

Let me first say that Rolex as a brand, and the Rolex Submariner as a model, are among the most copied things out there. Not only is there a vast underworld of fake (which we very much recommend against) Rolex watches, there are lots of “lookalike” timepieces out there which merely seek to emulate the look and feel of a Rolex Submariner for the benefit of another brand. Those aren’t the types of watches I’ll be talking about in this list. Oh, and I’d also like to say that all of the watches included in this top 10 list are being currently produced at the time of this article’s writing – but it is possible to find other stuff out there that is no longer in production.

Top 10 Watch Alternatives To The Rolex Submariner ABTW Editors' Lists

To kick-off a possible new article series, I’d like to list my personal top 10 alternatives to the Rolex Submariner that still exist within the design, quality, and overall luxury pricing of the Rolex Submariner. Further, I’d like to focus on dive watches that share a few important things in common with the Rolex Submariner. Those things, for our purposes, are 1) available steel or titanium case construction with matching bracelet, 2) high-quality mechanical movement, 3) time-only display (date optional), 4) mostly (or entirely) monochromatic design with dark colored dial, and 5) a sporty design that can be feasibly be dressed up for a more elegant or formal look.

Top 10 Watch Alternatives To The Rolex Submariner ABTW Editors' Lists

Nothing can absolutely replace the Rolex Submariner, and in many ways the Rolex Submariner is the best of its kind when blending price, features, and quality. Also, Rolex has some of its own “alternatives” to the Submariner which arguably include the Rolex GMT-Master II, Rolex Sea-Dweller 4000, and the Rolex Deepsea Sea-Dweller. I won’t mention those below, but you should know about these more “deep-diving” watches that Rolex produces which are technically Submariner alternatives as well (even though they arguably look very similar).

Top 10 Watch Alternatives To The Rolex Submariner ABTW Editors' Lists

Last, I would like to mention a few basic tech specs of the Rolex Submariner to keep in mind. The watch is 40mm wide in 904L steel, water-resistant to 300 meters, and has a wonderful matching bracelet that has a handy micro-adjust system for a more precise fit that can be adjusted on the fly. Rolex uses their own in-house-made movement which promise arguably class-leading performance, and the Rolex Submariner’s bezel is produced from ceramic. Current retail price for the steel Rolex Submariner 114060 “No Date” is $7,500, and the Rolex Submariner Date 116610 is $8,550.

Top 10 Watch Alternatives To The Rolex Submariner ABTW Editors' Lists

Blancpain Fifty Fathoms

Strengths: 45mm wide and with an in-house movement, the Blancpain villeret watch band Replica Fifty Fathoms Automatique 5015 (aBlogtoWatch review here) collection has an available steel model with a matching bracelet and black dial that is thematically in the same category at the Rolex Submariner. It is expensive, but it is also well-made and beautiful.

Top 10 Watch Alternatives To The Rolex Submariner ABTW Editors' Lists

How it compares: With a heritage similar to the Rolex Submariner in terms of origin and purpose, the Blancpain watches tourbillon Replica Fifty Fathoms currently exists a bit higher on the price ladder than the Rolex Submariner, even though it arguably isn’t a “better” watch. The Fifty Fathoms does have an attractive curved sapphire crystal over the bezel (versus ceramic), and which you prefer is a matter of taste. Blancpain’s has a different look that some say is a bit more on the elegant versus “tool watch” side. The Blancpain is also the more original choice with a higher price premium and far fewer of them out there.

Price: $14,500

Top 10 Watch Alternatives To The Rolex Submariner ABTW Editors' Lists

Tudor Heritage Black Bay

Strengths: Tudor is owned by the same people as Rolex (they are careful to say they are not owned by Rolex), so there is a lot of design and construction carry-over from “the crown” brand. Starting in 2016, the Tudor Heritage Black Bay (hands-on here) also has an in-house movement along with a handful of interesting design refinements. It is easily one of the best values around when comparing design, construction, and mechanics.

Top 10 Watch Alternatives To The Rolex Submariner ABTW Editors' Lists

How it compares: The Tudor Black Bay is slightly larger than the 40mm Rolex Submariner with a 41mm-wide steel case, and it is a bit thicker as well. Perhaps the biggest “down-side” is its aluminum bezel insert material versus the Rolex Submariner’s more durable ceramic – though you do get more interesting color options in the Heritage Black Bay, such as burgundy red. Solid dial design was historically inspired by the Rolex Submariner, so the differences are only slight, though noticeable.

Price: $3,675

Top 10 Watch Alternatives To The Rolex Submariner ABTW Editors' Lists

Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean

Strengths: Omega has spent decades refining and honing its Seamaster collection… which has actually resulted in a huge amount of variety. At the top of the ladder when it comes to fancy dive watches is the Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean, which combines the appeal of a serious diving tool with a good-looking lifestyle product. The Planet Ocean is just sober enough to not look showy, but it certainly has an impressive wrist presence and a lot of very attractive movements today.

Top 10 Watch Alternatives To The Rolex Submariner ABTW Editors' Lists

The movement has some extra interesting elements which merit discussion. These include being generated from 367 parts, employing a silicon equilibrium spring (for precision) and employing Blancpain’s brilliant “under lug correctors.” Look closely under the lugs and you will notice small pushers that you can operating with your palms. All these have a few benefits. First is that the watch doesn’t need to rely on unattractive inset pushers on the side of the case. Second is that you don’t need a special tool in order to adjust the GMT or calendar configurations. On most watches using in-set pushers, you need a stylus to operate them – and if you use a metal, then you risk scratching the watch. This is simply one of the numerous little ergonomic marvels you see far too rarely in the world of high-end watches.As you can see, the comparative simplicity of the Blancpain Villeret Quantieme Annuel GMT watch hides a few appealing details as soon as you take a closer look. That is not true with all Blancpain models, but Blancpain is a brand which tends to be pretty bad at explaining its own best virtues (therefore we try our very best to perform it to get them when possible).

How it compares: Comparing the Omega Planet Ocean to the Rolex Submariner really depends on the model since Omega makes not only different sizes, but different versions – and that applies even to just the three-hand automatic models (the image above shows the Planet Ocean Master Chronometer). There is no perfect 40mm-wide analog, but there are Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean models similar to the Rolex Submariner in terms of features and size. While Rolex still arguably wins when it comes to fit and finishing, Omega is clearly chasing Rolex when it comes to movement performance, dial and case construction, as well as overall popularity. It’s certainly worth a close look.

Price: Starting at around 5,700 CHF

Top 10 Watch Alternatives To The Rolex Submariner ABTW Editors' Lists

Bulgari Diagono Scuba

Strengths: The newest generation Bulgari Diagono Scuba (aBlogtoWatch review here) is the best Diagono diver watch made to date, offering an interesting Italian-theme to the idea of a Rolex Submariner alternative. Built on the Diagono family of watches, you see distinctive design elements such as the hinge-style lugs, bracelet, and dial design, which here is the cleanest we’ve ever seen it on a Diagono Scuba. It also happens to mix sportiness with elegance very well, just like the Rolex Submariner

Top 10 Watch Alternatives To The Rolex Submariner ABTW Editors' Lists

How it Compares: The 41mm-wide Diagono Scuba is about the same width as the Rolex Submariner, and they have similar thickness profiles as well. On the wrist, they have a very different feel, even though they attempt to serve the same purposes. Both are 300-meter-water-resistant divers and contain in-house movements. The Bulgari Diagono Scuba doesn’t have a ceramic bezel (it uses an all steel design) but is an admirable and lower-priced Rolex Submariner alternative with a more modern, designer twist to it.

Price: 6,400 CHF

Blancpain Tribute To Fifty Fathoms Mil-Spec Watch Grade 1 Replica Watches

Blancpain Tribute To Fifty Fathoms Mil-Spec Watch Watch Releases

Blancpain Tribute To Fifty Fathoms Mil-Spec Watch Watch Releases

With Blancpain’s handsome Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe spending the last few release cycles in the limelight, it was only time that the brand’s original combat diver get its due. This year, for Baselworld 2017, Blancpain is paying tribute to the Fifty Fathoms Mil-Spec 1 Watch, the original UDT-issued dive watch specially designed with a working “watertightness,” or humidity, indicator directly on the dial.

Blancpain Tribute To Fifty Fathoms Mil-Spec Watch Watch Releases

Due to their hard service life, surviving vintage examples of issued Mil-Spec Blancpain watches official website Replica divers are extremely rare, and thus highly coveted amongst vintage collectors. It should thus come as no surprise that Blancpain revisit this interesting series of watches from time to time, especially with the vintage craze (still) seemingly at an all-time high. And while we have yet to see the iconic “Tornek-Rayville” TR-900 pulled from the archives, it’s indeed been a hot minute since Blancpain has paid tribute to a Mil-Spec – all the way back to 2010, to be specific, when we were presented with the limited “No Radiation” edition.

However, this mid-century Blancpain Mil-Spec 1 with the watertightness indicator predates both those examples and is the earliest combat-issued diver from Blancpain when it was introduced in 1957. As a pioneer in pressure-sealing and dive timing through the acrylic unidirectional bezel, the Blancpain Mil-Spec watches would later serve as a reference point for dive watch development, ultimately paving the way for many other significant innovations through the brand’s relationship with the United States Navy.

Blancpain Tribute To Fifty Fathoms Mil-Spec Watch Watch Releases

One such innovation on the original Blancpain Mil-Spec (a signature that would later become a standard feature for many military-issued watches) that has been faithfully re-created on the Blancpain Tribute to Fifty Fathoms Mil-Spec is the fully-functional humidity indicator at 6:00. Just like the vintage version, in the event of moisture ingress, the upper half-circle of the indicator changes from white to orange, thereby matching the lower half and letting the wearer know the watch had been compromised. Granted, dive watches used to be much more susceptible to fogging or outright flooding – and even though the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms was considered a leader in watertightness at the time, the indicator was still a handy barometer for displaying the overall health of the watch’s seals. Now, the odds of this indicator ever seeing action on a fully modern, 300-meter resistant dive watch seems pretty unlikely, but it’s still great to see Blancpain staying true to a key feature on the original.

Blancpain Tribute To Fifty Fathoms Mil-Spec Watch Watch Releases

Blancpain has wisely opted to spec this Blancpain Tribute to Fifty Fathoms Mil-Spec with a 40mm case and the brand’s in-house manufactured Caliber 1150 – an ultra-slim, twin-barreled automatic movement with a four-day power reserve, and a silicon hairspring which grants superior anti-shock and anti-magnetic advantages. It’s an interesting choice, particularly because other Blancpain Fifty Fathoms and Bathyscaphe variants have traditionally used the larger 1315 with its 120-hour reserve, but given the real estate restrictions of the smaller case, it does make perfect sense – the 1150 is, after all, the same movement selected for the recently announced 38mm Blancpain Bathyscaphe Oceans Commitment. Size notwithstanding, the movement and its beautiful platinum alloy-coated gold rotor are still visible through the exhibition caseback – a far cry from the purpose-built utilitarian roots of the watch it’s paying tribute to, but the 1150 is too nice of a movement to not show off whenever possible.

The Blancpain Tribute to Fifty Fathoms Mil-Spec watch will be limited to 500 pieces, and will be sold on either a NATO strap, rubber-backed sailcloth as pictured, or Blancplain’s stainless steel bracelet. The price starts at $14,100. blancpain.com

Here are the in-house made standard 15B manually wound motions that have twenty hours of power reserve. What could I say about these? They are wide, which is fine, and quite flat with only 2.2mm of depth. That is not record breaking, but it is nice. There is also a fantastic amount of completing, only in a very pragmatic sense.On that the dial, the 15B movement just offers the time with minutes and hours. The circumstance is broad, at 45mm in 18k rose gold. At 8.30mm thick that the instances feel nice and bold about the wrist. This is precisely what you want out of a bit such as this because it’s all about displaying the dial. There’s no other reason to wear these watches. It is similar to wearing a little painting onto your hand.As someone who instead relishes in the concept of wearing art like that on a watch, I truly enjoyed wearing the Blancpain Villeret Shakudo versions. If you find one with a dial that’s significant to you and these would be the degree of watches you accumulate, then I think you’ll really enjoy them. Cost for each of the Blancpain Villeret Shakudo watches is $160,600.

Blancpain St. Valentine’s Day Special Edition Watch For The Ladies In Your Life Replica Trusted Dealers

Blancpain St. Valentine’s Day Special Edition Watch For The Ladies In Your Life Watch Releases

Blancpain St. Valentine’s Day Special Edition Watch For The Ladies In Your Life Watch Releases

In 1932, the household’s management of the company ended with the passing of Frédéric-Emile since his only daughter, Berthe-Nellie, did not want to go into the watchmaking world.During the previous eight decades, the company has continued to create some of the most outstanding timepieces, like the Blancpain watch catalogue Replica 1735 that’s a true grand complication and one of the most complex mechanical watches ever produced. An entire year is needed to assemble this caliber.Since it was set up, Blancpain has been contributing to the growth of mechanical watchmaking, while maintaining the traditional skills of its founder. That resulted in low production of high quality bits; Blancpain produces fewer than 10,000 watches per year.Blancpain continuously enriches its watches, still staying faithful to its centuries-old heritage. This command of the watchmaking process allows total freedom in the introduction of movements with the greatest performances. The results are some of the very complicated movements ever which are created by the decorative codes of the producer.

The 2017 Blancpain St. Valentine’s Day Special Edition.

When it comes to fine watches, it sometimes seems like every day is Father’s Day. No need to create a special watch to celebrate men, since most mechanical timepieces are already geared to male aficionados. Blancpain, however, thoughtfully singles out women once a year for a special-edition watch designed to be gifted to a woman on St. Valentine’s Day. Blancpain, the maker of such tough-guy timepieces as the Fifty Fathoms and sophisticated complications like the Tourbillon Carrousel, has been making ladies watches since 1930, and lays claim to having made the first automatic watch for ladies.

Blancpain St. Valentine’s Day Special Edition Watch For The Ladies In Your Life Watch Releases

Caseback of the 2017 Blancpain St. Valentine’s Day Special Edition

In addition to making ultra-slim movements for women, the company also makes a Quantième Retrograde with retrograde date and a Complete Calendar with moon phase. The movements used for the Blancpain St. Valentine’s Day watches are all mechanical – Blancpain has never made a quartz movement – most designed specifically for ladies’ watches. Since the Blancpain St. Valentine’s Day watch was first introduced in 2001, it has been powered by several different movements, most with center seconds hands, which is rare on a ladies’ mechanical timepiece. The calibers used in the past Blancpain St. Valentine’s Day watches include the ultra-thin automatic Caliber 1150 with 100-hour power reserve; Caliber 6763 automatic day-date, with pointer-type date display; Caliber F185, a flyback chronograph, originally used by the brand in 1998 to power the world’s first ladies’ flyback chronograph; the “Lady Bird” Caliber 6150, which at the time it was introduced (in the 1950s) was the world’s smallest automatic movement (15.7mm diameter).

Blancpain St. Valentine’s Day Special Edition Watch For The Ladies In Your Life Watch Releases

The 2003 version of the Blancpain watches tourbillon Replica St. Valentine’s Day Special Edition.

Blancpain St. Valentine’s Day Special Edition Watch For The Ladies In Your Life Watch Releases

The 2004 version of the Blancpain St. Valentine’s Day Special Edition.

The Blancpain St. Valentine’s Day watch has been a tradition since 2001 and usually includes a heart motif placed artfully somewhere on the watch. This year, it is formed by a cluster of 19 rubies set into the dial at 12 o’clock. The rubies are buff-top cut, a mixed cut that typically has a smooth upper half and a faceted pavilion, a combination that creates light return even when a gem is set flush into metal – particularly when it is set into a thin layer of metal, such as a watch dial, where no light penetrates the pavilion. The heart has had several interesting incarnations on the special editions. In the 2007 piece, the inner mother-of-pearl dial was heart-shaped. In 2009 the small seconds subdial was outlined by rubies set to form a heart shape. On the 2011 version, a heart-shaped ruby was set discreetly at 12 o’clock flush with the diamonds on the bezel. The dial of the 2013 edition featured five red-lacquered mother-of-pearl hearts, with the hearts repeated on the rotor and case side. A heart charm dangles from the strap of the 2016 edition.

Blancpain St. Valentine’s Day Special Edition Watch For The Ladies In Your Life Watch Releases

The 2017 version of the Blancpain St. Valentine’s Day Special Edition.

The 2017 Blancpain St. Valentine’s Day edition is a great, robust everyday watch, with a steel case, 50-meter water resistance, and an automatic movement, the ultra-slim Caliber 913. It has a glucydur balance wheel fitted with micrometric regulating screws, and a balance spring made of silicon, the low density of which makes it particularly light and shock-resistant. Silicon is also anti-magnetic. The gold rotor is given a snailed bevel and polished angles, as well as straight and circular Côtes de Genève patterns. The Blancpain logo is red to match the ruby heart on the dial. It comes with two interchangeable alligator leather straps, one in red and the other in white. Like all Blancpain St. Valentine’s Day watches, it is a limited edition, this one engraved and numbered from one to 99. The seconds hand is shaped like a Cupid’s arrow, with a red tip. Otherwise, the dial is set only with diamond markers and three Roman numerals in the collection’s signature font. The 29mm case’s bezel and lugs are set with 68 diamonds. It is priced at $14,900. blancpain.com

Blancpain Villeret Date Moonphase Ladies’ Watch Replica Watches Buy Online

Blancpain Villeret Date Moonphase Ladies' Watch Watch Releases

Blancpain Villeret Date Moonphase Ladies' Watch Watch Releases

The moon phase function has evolved from its traditional role as an accompaniment to men’s perpetual calendars to a “poetic” complication, used more often in ladies’ watches. It has been reimagined in many ways that depart from the traditional blue-sky-gold-moon-and-stars configuration, but Blancpain finds a way to maintain tradition while updating the function for a modern ladies’ watch. The Blancpain Villeret Date Moonphase, introduced at Baselworld 2017, sports the traditional moon phase colors and configuration – as it should in a traditional collection such as the Blancpain Villeret – but with a few small tweaks to make it feminine, even poetic.

If you look closely, you will see that the moon has eyelashes, lips that look as if lipstick has been applied and, what’s that? – a beauty spot. The artificial mole or beauty spot (known as a mouche for its resemblance of a fly) was regarded in 18th century France as symbolizing a playfully teasing attitude. Mouches were used by coquettish ladies of the Court as messages to their suitors that differed according to where they were placed.

Blancpain Villeret Date Moonphase Ladies' Watch Watch Releases

Back on point, Blancpain nato watch strap Replica says that they reach this deep, rich blue of the Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph by adding the pigment along with a bonding agent through the manufacturing process, with the bond representative burning off in a lower heating before submitting the piece to the high-temperature (sintering) step for hardening. I am not quite sure why this apparently tough technique succeeds where others had failed – and I suspect really knowing the chemistry would be a much longer discussion – but Blancpain says it’s the product of several years of trials. Anyhow, I consider them that getting it right, with a uniform color across all of the components was a struggle – differently, we’d have seen it before.The all-blue ceramic case of the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph Ocean Commitment II is 43.60mm round by 15.25mm thick, and water-resistant to 300 meters. We can all agree that ceramic non-scratching and non-fading properties are both very positive, but I, for one, am not totally convinced of its suitability as a situation material. Something such as the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph Ocean Commitment II will probably endure for a very long time and keep looking good if you aren’t overly hard on it – but I’ve seen a chipped ceramic watch case and bracelet, and it is not pretty, so do keep it safe from drops and bangs. Making a game watch in ceramic, to me, only emphasizes that it is a luxury thing made to be worn out in daily situations, shown off one of wealthy friends… and that a Seiko or a Casio is what will likely accompany actual adventurers who intend on transferring large rocks underwater.

The movement is a next-generation caliber made by Blancpain specifically for ladies’ watches and is an example of the commitment being made by luxury watch brands to develop a stable of calibers sized for ladies’ watches that are equipped with all the advancements in watchmaking that are often reserved just for men’s movements. The Caliber 913QL is an evolution of the women’s Caliber 953, a 21mm-diameter movement that has been a staple of ladies’ watches at Blancpain. It remains the same size but now has a high-performance silicon balance spring. Silicon’s low density makes it lighter and thus more shock-resistant. It is also impervious to magnetic fields and generally more stable, with improved isochronism.

In addition, the 913 has a glucydur balance wheel with gold micrometric regulating screws, which makes it adjustable and also more shock-resistant than its predecessor. There is also an improved winding system that uses a ball-bearing mounted rotor. The sapphire case back reveals the rotor, which is red gold with a snailed bevel, polished chamfers and straight and circular Côtes de Genève patterns. The Caliber 913QL is fitted with a moon phase module, a wheel with 59 cogs covering two complete 29.5-day lunar cycles. It has a 40-hour power reserve.

Blancpain Villeret Date Moonphase Ladies' Watch Watch Releases

At 29.2mm, the Blancpain Villeret Date Moonphase is a very small watch considering there is a moon phase plus a date and a seconds hand, a rare advantage in a small ladies’ automatic. It is evidence of Blancpain’s commitment to producing size-appropriate high-grade calibers dedicated to ladies’ watches in its elite collections. The date is elegantly spaced out just inside the hour track, indicated by a red-tipped pointer. The bezel is set with 48 diamonds and there are eight diamond indexes as well as four applied Roman numerals in the signature Villeret font. The dial is opaline and the strap is taupe-colored alligator. There are two references, one in 18k gold, priced at $19,900, and in steel at $16,600. blancpain.com