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Magnus (Moderator)
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Friday 27 June 2008 10:31:45 pm
Where our Blancpains are made: a tour through the Blancpain Atelier in Le Brassus!
Dear All:
for most of us, a fine watch, whatever brand, is literally much more than the proverbial sum of its parts. It is a reference to human imagination, creativity and skills, to history, to ideals and to traditions passed from one generation to another.
Consequently, factory tours have been embraced by both watch lovers and manufacturers equally. The one group gets a hands-on impression on how their watches are made, and gets a chance to talk to the 'elves' who create them (language barriers permitting), while the other side trusts on the marketing value of such an event. Personal attention never can be under-estimated!
Now, while the manufacturing premises often looks somewhat similar, Blancpain indeed has something unique to show: An 'antique' building befitting its claim of a 'tradition of innovation'. Such ‘antique’ buildings have their own charm, carry remembrance of ancient times (often glorified as the ‘Golden Ages’) and are witnesses of a family’s or a company’s past and legacy. As such, they are often cherished treasures and the proudly presented, charming highlights of any visit.
Watch companies that are proud of their history understand the importance of such a link to the past very well und thus operate such a premise – often with very little traceable link to the company.
(picture credit: Yann Vinsot)
When Blancpain was re-established as an operating Haute de Gamme watch manufacture in the early 1980s, the old farmhouse in the jurassic village of Le Brassus, which served the Piguet family previously, was chosen as the new domicile. This centuries old house, loaded with history of one of Switzerland’s most important watchmaking regions, now became the (re-) birthplace of a manufacture which managed to make the mechanical watch a talking piece again. Just like the famous Piguet movements, now ultra-flat and refined Blancpain watches added to the legacy of this building.
Later, when the space available there did not suffice the demand of the successful Blancpain brand, the tasks were split: The complicated Blancpain watches were still crafted in Le Brassus, whereas the more simple ones now were made in new workshops in Paudex and Pully, both closely located to Lausanne at the Lac Léman. But the farmhouse remained the keeper of Blancpain’s watchmaking soul: each watch painstakingly assembled by a single watchmaker, from the beginning to the end.
The Blancpain Farmhouse – A glorious re-birth and a milestone for Blancpain’s future!
As time went by, the Le Brassus farmhouse showed signs of age, and it was pretty clear that the time has come for a major renovation. Blancpain’s CEO, Marc A. Hayek, opted for a complete re-building, that means the building was dismantled safe for the exterior walls and the roof. It took more than a year until the work was finally completed in October 2005: The interior was newly portioned up to accommodate the ateliers for service, complications, finishing and also a separate one (it is not separate of the others) where the Grand Complication, the famous 1735, will be built. The interior appears now light, friendly, and one feels like inside one of Blancpain’s well-known boutiques. As a reflection of the refined design Blancpain watches are praised for, the styling of the new atelier is dominated by tastefully applied wood. This house really speaks “Blancpain” in every corner, just look at the details of the staircase and the window of the 1735 atelier, styled like a moon phase-aperture:
The farmhouse received a technical infrastructure suitable for the demands of finest watchmaking, that is perfect lightning, a dust-eliminating air-condition system, and, most importantly, new, ergonomic watchmaker benches, the so called etablis. These etablis are special in many ways. Not only do they meet contemporary standards of ergonomics and professional usefulness (e.g. adjustable height and arm supports and integrated spotlights and air supplying devices), they are also very beautifully made in finest cabinet maker artwork. In fact, they strikingly resemble the beautiful watchmaker benches one may have seen in many watch museums – for good reasons: The cabinet maker who crafted them is an expert in antiques and - what a coincidence! – actually collects vintage watchmaking benches!
It is in these ateliers where the watchmakers perform their watchmaking art and create, finish, regulate and assemble their masterpieces:
Blancpain Specialties – Custom decoration and ultimatively complicated watchmaking!
One of Blancpain's specialties is the custom engraving of very special watches, be it rotors made to the tastes of the discering customer, or even more spectacular, minute repeaters with animated scenes (mostly erotic ones...). This work requires ultimate skills, mechanical genius and tranquility. Nevertheless, the artist is not tired to demonstrate and explain his art to the interested public:
Blancpain's crown of creation, so to speak, is without doubt the famous '1735' a truely ultracomplicated timepiece. Combining an automatic tourbillon movement with a minute repeater, a perpetual calender and a flyback split seconds chronograph in a watch of a mere 42mm diameter and a thickness of only 16.5mm - this is a true feat! Creating, finishing and adjusting the 740 parts of the movement is nothing a freshly graduated watchmaker thinks of. And in fact, the assembling of one of these masterpieces takes up to one year: the watch is assembled twice: first, it is put into perfect working condition, then the watchmaker takes is apart and painstakingly finishes each single component (a few of them are less thick than a human hair!) before it is re-assembled and finally checked. No wonder that only two or three watchmakers at Blancpain are qualified to perform such daunting tasks.
The assembly of the 1735 is reserved to a special room on the top floor of the farmhouse. The watchmaker in the picture just finished his first 1735 even - a very special and probably unique moment in any watchmaker's career:
Below you will find some detail pictures demonstrating some key complications: Tourbillon, engraving, minute repeater hammers, column wheel and the balance wheel (in the process of being poised):
The Exhibition “A Tradition of Innovation” links Blancpain’s past and present:
The Le Brassus atelier not only is the birthplace for the new Blancpain watches, it gives also evidence for the rich history of the brand, which is showcased in an exhibition of vintage milestone Blancpain watches termed “A Tradition of Innovation”. The collection includes important highlights from Blancpain's more distant (Harwood, Rolls, Ladybird, 50 Fathoms etc.), but also recent history: the Cal. 1185 (this first modern (= post-quartz) automatic chronograph movement), the Cal. 23/25 (the first Flying Tourbillons with 8 days power reserve), the Equation Marchante and certainly the 1735 Grand Complication and many more.
For each watch explanations are given that explain the historical significance. Much research work, consulting historians and the archive of Frédéric Piguet, was necessary to put this impressive collection together.
It is definitely worth and educating to view this journey into Blancpain’s history. Moreover, the exhibition is well documented in the recently published book “A Tradition of Innovation”:
The 40 page book presents each milestone watch and puts it into its historical context. Suddenly it becomes clear that Blancpain’s philosophy of today was indeed founded deep in its history: Blancpain always strived to improve the practicability of its watches and tried to set new landmarks, such as the ultra-small Ladybird movement.
So, I hope you liked this short virtual trip through the manufacture. If you ever get the chance to visit Switzerland, make sure you contact Blancpain right in time to arrange a tour through the atelier: it is really worth it, and time and efforts well spent!
All the best,
Magnus
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