Blancpain

Early history Jehan-Jacques Blancpain started making watches in 1735 in Villeret, Switzerland. In 1815, Frédéric-Louis Blancpain, the great-grandson of Jehan-Jacques, who was head of the family business at the time, modernized production methods and transformed the traditional craft workshop into an industrial undertaking capable of serial production. By replacing the crown-wheel mechanism with a cylinder escapement, Frédéric-Louis introduced a major innovation into the watchmaking world. In the second half of the 19th century, as industrialization took hold, the prices of watchmaking products were falling and many workshops were fated to close down. To face up to American competition, in 1865 Blancpain built a two-storey factory by the River Suze and made use of water power to supply the electricity needed for its production processes. By modernizing its methods and concentrating on top-of-the-line products, Blancpain became one of the few watchmaking firms to survive in Villeret. Re-organization . The Fifty Fathoms model family was introduced in the mid 1950s. In 1926, the Manufacture entered into a partnership with John Harwood and started marketing the first automatic wristwatch. == Motto and slogan ==

One of Blancpain's company slogans is "Blancpain has never made a quartz watch and never will." == Watch manufacturing ==

According to their commercial slogans, the company has never produced quartz watches in the past and has stated in its advertisements that it never will, nor have they ever produced watches with digital displays. Important inventions and patents • In 1983, created the world's smallest moon-phases display. • In 1987, created the world's thinnest self-winding chronograph and the smallest minute-repeater movement at the time. • In 1988, created the world's thinnest split-second chronograph at the time. • In 2000, produced the world's first self-winding tourbillon and perpetual calendar, with an eight-day power reserve. • In 2005, patented the system of under-lug correctors. • In 2006, patented the "rail effect" stone-setting technique. • In 2006, created the Tourbillon Semainier, an unprecedented combination of complications with a seven-day power reserve. • In 2008, produced the world's first movement with a one-minute flying carousel and 100-hour power reserve. == Notable models ==

Villeret The Villeret collection is marketed as Blancpain's most classic collection. Named after the birthplace of Blancpain, the Villeret collection has been a flagship line of the company since 1980s. The collection not only includes wristwatches with simple and elegant designs, but also include watches with complications such as triple calendar, moon phase, and carousel. Fifty Fathoms Blancpain is known for its Fifty-Fathoms watch, produced in collaboration with the French Navy’s Nageurs de Combat (combat swimmers) led by Captain Bob Maloubier and Lieutenant Claude Riffaud, and worn by Jacques Cousteau. From 1958, Fifty-Fathoms was standard issue of the US Navy's combat divers and United States Navy SEALs. The watch has a water-resistant level up to 91 meters. == Notable patrons and owners ==

wristwatch Artists • Francis Ford Coppola, American film director (The Godfather series) & multiple Academy Awards winner Celebrities • Vladimir Kramnik, Russian chess grandmaster • Marilyn Monroe, American actress • Brad Pitt, American actor Politicians • Vladimir Putin, President of Russia == Sponsorship ==

Blancpain sponsors Motorsport programs including the Blancpain Endurance Series, Blancpain Sprint Series, Blancpain GT Series until 2019 when the sponsorship was discontinued, Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo series, ADAC GT Masters and Reiter Engineering's GT1 and GT3 cars until Reiter mostly stopped racing Lamborghinis. == The Blancpain-Imaginist Literary Prize ==

The Blancpain-Imaginist Literary Prize is a literary prize established by Blancpain and The Imaginist literary journal in 2018 to "discover and encourage outstanding young writers under the age of 45.” The winner receives a cash award of 300,000 RMB and the finalists receive 20,000 RMB. Starting from the second session, Blancpain also gave the winner a V series watch. == See also ==