@Blancpain limited-edition Traditional Chinese Calendar watch 2021
The Grand Feu enamel dial of this exceptional timepiece reveals the complexity of a display combining Chinese calendar indications with those of the Gregorian calendar and moon phases – all specialities of the Manufacture Blancpain, the Swiss luxury watch manufacturer, headquartered in Paudex/Le Brassus, Switzerland.
The Year of the Metal Ox begins on February 12th 2021 and ends on January 31st 2022.
Housed in a precious platinum watch case, Blancpain Traditional Chinese Calendar timepiece bearing the emblem of the ox features an Blancpain celebrates Chinese New Year with a limited series of 50 watches dedicated to this tradition and itsfestivities. exclusive complication appearing on an elegant Grand Feu enamel dial.
Unlike the Gregorian calendar, whose unit of measurement is based on the solar day, the traditional lunisolar Chinese calendar is based on the lunar cycle as well as exact astronomical observations of the sun’s longitude.Thus, in addition to the hours and minutes, date and moon phases, Blancpain’s Traditional Chinese Calendar watchoffers the main indications of the traditional Chinese calendar: double hours, days, months and leap months, zodiac signs, five elements and ten heavenly stems. The latter, combined with the 12 earthly branches – symbolised by the animals of the zodiac – produce 60 different pairs forming the sexagesimal cycle of the Chinese time measurement system.
@Blancpain limited-edition Traditional Chinese Calendar watch 2021
Despite their complex combination, these functions are clearly displayed on a dial with Roman gold numerals and hollowed-out sage leaf-shaped hands. The ox, the animal of the year 2021, appears in an aperture at 12 o’clock above the double-hour counter.
Symmetrically positioned at 3 o’clock and 9 o’clock, two subdials respectively indicate the celestial stems and the five elements, as well as pointer- type month and date indications and leap months through a round aperture. In a manner typical of Blancpain’s Complete Calendar watches, the moon phases that determine the months of the Chinese calendar can be read off at 6 o’clock, while a blued serpentine hand sweeps over the date numerals around the dial circumference.
This innovative watch complication, a genuine mechanical challenge whose development required five full years to master, is incorporated into the self-winding 3638 calibre. Endowed with a seven-day power reserve, this Haute Horlogerie movement is housed in a 45 mm case featuring a crown set with a cabochon-cut ruby. It is equipped with Blancpain’s patented under-lug corrector system allowing easy function adjustments. The sapphire crystal case back enables one to admire the finishing of the movement and its white gold oscillating weight, engraved with the Chinese zodiac sign of the year.
Blancpain’s Traditional Chinese Calendar is also available in a non-limited version in red gold with a finely guilloché oscillating weight.
@Blancpain x Hodinkee Fifty Fathoms MIL-SPEC watch 2021
BLANCPAIN UNVEILED A LIMITED-EDITION FIFTY FATHOMS MIL-SPEC MODEL FOR HODINKEE
Blancpain presents a new Fifty Fathoms MIL-SPEC model in a limited edition produced in collaboration with the influential watch website Hodinkee. Inspired by the first Fifty Fathoms MIL-SPEC timepieces created in the second half of the 1950s, this re-edition is characterised by an authentic and minimalist design highlighting the Manufacture’s technical expertise
in the field of diver’s watches.
The 40.3 mm-diameter satin-brushed steel case is distinguished by the absence of the #blancpain signature traditionally engraved on the case middle at 9 o’clock. Moreover, the notching generally adorning the bezel is more discreet on this version of the timepiece, and the matt black dial is also devoid of the date display usually found between 4 and 5 o’clock.
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Blancpain opens two new Boutiques in China
The cities of Shenzhen and Hangzhou have recently celebrated the opening of two new Blancpain Boutiques, unveiling for the first time in China the Brand’s latest store design concept.
These new Shenzhen and Hangzhou Blancpain Boutiques are located in the high-end Mix City shopping malls, featuring the most prestigious international brand names. The Blancpain Manufacture is proud to welcome its clients in a redesigned retail environment subtly associating modernity and authenticity in line with its adage “Innovation is our tradition”.
@Blancpain Taipei Boutique
Blancpain also celebrated the opening of a new Boutique at Taipei 101
Blancpain has proudly unveiled a new Boutique at Taipei 101, one of Taiwan’s leading high-end department stores. Clients are invited to discover the Brand’s wide range of exclusive timepieces in a redesigned interior concept reflecting the Manufacture’s commitment to the adage “Innovation is our tradition”. To celebrate this opening, Blancpain exhibited Grandes Complications and one-of-a-kind Métiers d’Art pieces. In particular, the Brand presented two unique Métiers d’Art models dedicated to the Formosa clouded leopard – a symbolic animal in Taiwan – specially created on this occasion in a Boutique edition for Taiwan.
