Blancpain most underrated high end brand?

Archer · Feb 5, 2021

amcclell
I don't collect high end watches but at some point, I would like to get one "luxury brand" watch. I used to think it would be a vintage, 2-hand Patek or VC. Lately, I have shifted my thinking a bit, and have developed an appreciation for Blancpain's Villeret complete calendar moonphase, instead. I don't consider BP to be equal to VC or Patek by any means but they are a nice brand that represents good value on the resale market.

The Villeret series make very nice dress watches. I used have a Leman, but the Villeret I wanted most was the one with the EOT complication from around the mid-2000's:

This one has a équation du temps marchante. A running equation of time.

Most watches with the EOT feature use a third hand that waves back and forth around the 12 o'clock marker, and the hand doesn't go around the dial. It is there to indicate how far advanced or behind solar time is, using the 12 as the zero mark. So this hand indicates how much ahead or behind solar time is in minutes, and you have to add or subtract from the location of the regular minutes hand. So if the EOT hand is say at -7 minutes from the 12 location, and it's say 32 minutes past the hour on the normal minute hand, you have to subtract 7 from 32 to get the solar time.

The BP version has a third hand that advances all around the dial like a regular hand does. This hand goes faster or slower depending on the time of day, so it indicates the solar time directly. Of course it comes with a perpetual calendar, so it's not cheap.

I also always liked some of the retrograde pieces in the Villeret collection...

JPE.88305 · Feb 5, 2021

I've always liked the fifty fathoms given its heritage in the dive watch world, but the size is too much for my wrist.
Not necessarily a fan of Hodinkee LEs but the FF Mil Spec is a good size at 40mm.

Jonathan40 · Feb 5, 2021

Archer
Well, if a company can produce this, in my eyes they are a high end brand...

Blancpain 1735...it includes a perpetual calendar (date, day, month, year, leap year indicator), moon phase, rattrapante chrono, tourbillon, minute repeater, and quarter repeater. I've held the one shown in my hands, and it is a masterpiece of watchmaking...

Of course the original incarnation of Blancpain was very pedestrian, but the current version is certainly a high end brand to me.

Cheers, Al

I think that is the only watch I’d ever wear upside down. To achieve such incredible detail, finish and function in 2” round is truly amazing.
I’m off to find the price, Euro millions tonight is €110m

MTROIS · Feb 5, 2021

Archer
Well, if a company can produce this, in my eyes they are a high end brand...

Blancpain 1735...it includes a perpetual calendar (date, day, month, year, leap year indicator), moon phase, rattrapante chrono, tourbillon, minute repeater, and quarter repeater. I've held the one shown in my hands, and it is a masterpiece of watchmaking...

Of course the original incarnation of Blancpain was very pedestrian, but the current version is certainly a high end brand to me.

Cheers, Al

I am not sure what I am most impressed by: this beautiful high-complication watch... or the fact that you, @Archer , are qualified to service such a beauty!!! 😵‍💫

cvalue13 · Feb 5, 2021

JPE.88305
I've always liked the fifty fathoms given its heritage in the dive watch world, but the size is too much for my wrist.
Not necessarily a fan of Hodinkee LEs but the FF Mil Spec is a good size at 40mm.

It's really attractive, the sapphire bezel reflections in particular. Unfortunately with only 250 made, they weren't cheap to begin with and have only gotten worse.

rcs914 · Feb 5, 2021

Archer
Well, if a company can produce this, in my eyes they are a high end brand...

Blancpain 1735...it includes a perpetual calendar (date, day, month, year, leap year indicator), moon phase, rattrapante chrono, tourbillon, minute repeater, and quarter repeater. I've held the one shown in my hands, and it is a masterpiece of watchmaking...

Of course the original incarnation of Blancpain was very pedestrian, but the current version is certainly a high end brand to me.

Cheers, Al

And they are 30 years old this year!

Archer · Feb 5, 2021

MTROIS
I am not sure what I am most impressed by: this beautiful high-complication watch... or the fact that you, @Archer , are qualified to service such a beauty!!! 😵‍💫

I was at the factory when I saw one of these. Even though I have a parts account with Swatch, BP will not sell me parts for their watches unfortunately. One reason I got rid of the Leman...

CaptainWinsor · Feb 5, 2021

Borosilikat
The level of movement finishing is certainly high-end

cant any brand put a higher level into the finishing into the movement if they want to add value/price to their watches? I don’t know anything about BP but ‘high end’ is all relative IMO. I just don’t think that way when I hear their name. I wasn’t trying to put down the brand. I’m sure some people out there consider Rolex a high end brand.

cvalue13 · Feb 5, 2021

CaptainWinsor
I just don’t think that way when I hear their name.

who do you think of when you think 'high end'? (again, not loaded; genuinely curious.)

CaptainWinsor · Feb 5, 2021

cvalue13
who do you think of when you think 'high end'? (again, not loaded; genuinely curious.)

Vacheron and Patek. Of course I’ve heard that for years, so it becomes fact at some point whether it’s true or not. Marketing is very powerful. That’s why everyone wants a Rolex. I love Zenith and think it’s the best brand around, it’s all relative.

Archer · Feb 5, 2021

CaptainWinsor
cant any brand put a higher level into the finishing into the movement if they want to add value/price to their watches?.

In order to do this, the brand would have to have the skills to do higher level finishing, or they would have to acquire it. So there is a genuine difficulty in doing those things.

Second, you can’t simply add finishing and call yourself high end, and charge more. Would people pay a large premium for an Invicta with some high end finishing on some parts? It’s not that easy...

CaptainWinsor · Feb 5, 2021

Archer
In order to do this, the brand would have to have the skills to do higher level finishing, or they would have to acquire it. So there is a genuine difficulty in doing those things.

Second, you can’t simply add finishing and call yourself high end, and charge more. Would people pay a large premium for an Invicta with some high end finishing on some parts? It’s not that easy...

IMO anyone buying an Invicta is already paying a premium

vitriol · Feb 23, 2021

I was ordering my magazines and one of them has a chapter dedicated to Fifty Fathoms MIL-SPEC. Perhaps you find it interesting too.
Blancpain Lettres du Brassus issue 18, all credit goes to Blancpain.
Have a good reading.

Rado63 · Feb 24, 2021

Many swiss made and Japan made watches are underrated. To just mention four brands, JLC, Zenith, Blancpain, Grand Seiko.

pdxleaf · Jun 16, 2021

Putin's traveling watch. Identified by others as Blancpain Aqua Lung.

AP photo

"Feeling alone
The army's up the road
Salvation a la mode and a cup of tea
Aqualung, my friend
Don't you start away uneasy
You poor old sod
You see, it's only me"

Partial lyrics from Jethro Tull's Aqualung.

applebook · Jun 16, 2021

I've had a lot over the years, and although there are numerous "underrated" brands like Zenith and JLC, I think that Blancpain tops the list. Their level of hand finishing is much higher than many at their MSRP range and definitely than most at their actual going rates.

cvalue13 · Jun 16, 2021

ngo516
It’s a pretty little thing that doesn’t draw attention.
I also appreciate the “don’t rob me” factor that higher horology lacks.

Even watch guys don’t recognize it. It takes watch-forums nerds to vaguely identity it. “Hey, is that a… slipped my mind…Longines?”

Fact: the entire history of Blancpain existence, no one has ever seen one or successfully identify one in the wild.

dibs

Pun · Jun 26, 2021

I wish to know about Blancpain Cal 21 ultraplate movement. What opinions you have? I'm getting a good deal with a yellow gold 33.8mm watch for around $3500. Should I take it? It's running fine, should it get serviced as its more than 20 years old, though very less often worn?

Croc · Jul 4, 2021

Archer
The Villeret series make very nice dress watches. I used have a Leman, but the Villeret I wanted most was the one with the EOT complication from around the mid-2000's:

This one has a équation du temps marchante. A running equation of time.

Most watches with the EOT feature use a third hand that waves back and forth around the 12 o'clock marker, and the hand doesn't go around the dial. It is there to indicate how far advanced or behind solar time is, using the 12 as the zero mark. So this hand indicates how much ahead or behind solar time is in minutes, and you have to add or subtract from the location of the regular minutes hand. So if the EOT hand is say at -7 minutes from the 12 location, and it's say 32 minutes past the hour on the normal minute hand, you have to subtract 7 from 32 to get the solar time.

The BP version has a third hand that advances all around the dial like a regular hand does. This hand goes faster or slower depending on the time of day, so it indicates the solar time directly. Of course it comes with a perpetual calendar, so it's not cheap.

I also always liked some of the retrograde pieces in the Villeret collection...

Following up on Archer’s old post, saw this deconstruction of the EOT, which may be of interest

https://www.thenakedwatchmaker.com/decon-blancpain-equation

SpeedyPhill · Jul 5, 2021

a brand with a lot of real heritage ! #toolwatch 👍

Blancpain most underrated high end brand?

Archer

JPE.88305

Jonathan40

MTROIS

cvalue13

rcs914

Archer

CaptainWinsor

cvalue13

CaptainWinsor

Archer

CaptainWinsor

vitriol

Rado63

pdxleaf

applebook

cvalue13

Pun

Croc

SpeedyPhill

Similar threads

Most Underrated High-End Brand - Girard Perregaux?