Blancpain’s sporty Fifty Fathoms watches get a lot of attention (thanks to a rich history that dates back to the dawn of recreational diving), but its line of Villeret dress watches are equally deserving of recognition.
The collection is named after the town where Blancpain has been honing its craft since 1735—making it the world’s oldest watch brand in continuous operation—and is often reserved for its high-horology complications. The Villerets are known for being well-finished and well-made, on par with brands that are more highly revered for this category. So, if you aren’t a slave to hype, consider looking into the latest introduction in the line—a simple and elegant time-and-date timepiece, notable as the first and only green dial in the collection.
The hue has been increasingly popular. Although it’s not as prevalent as the multitude of blue dials out there, the variations of forest green hues provide a handsome alternative to more common dial colours. Housed in an ultra-thin 8.7 mm-thick yellow-gold case, the dial features hand-applied solid-gold hour markers on a sunburst finish to add dimension and depth. It tops off the interior calibre 1151, a self-winding movement with an impressive four days of power reserve. The movement itself measures just 3.25 mm thick. It’s a testament to the prowess of Blancpain’s skill—creating ultra-slim movements is no small feat in a business already defined by minute boundaries.
But it’s not just its slim waistline, 40 mm case and the brand new face that should appeal to those in the market for a sleek new dress watch for the holiday season, it’s reverse is equally well-crafted. The bridges of the movement, visible through the caseback, have been adorned with a Côtes de Genève pattern, while the yellow gold oscillating weight comes decorated with a honeycomb motif.
True to its stature, the Blancpain Villeret Extraplate (US$18,000 or approximately RM73,000), comes on an alligator leather strap with a pin buckle and will be available only in Blancpain boutiques.
Previously published on Robb Report.
