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Blancpain Replica Watches

Replica For Sale Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph Ocean Commitment II Watch Hands-On


Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph Ocean Commitment II Watch Hands-On Hands-On

My absolute favorite watches are pretty-looking sport models. There is a significant volume of these watches around, but really attractive ones are hard to find. Probably the biggest challenge in making a beautiful-looking sports watch is to first make sure it is a great utility watch, and only then ensuring it is visually attractive. Doing both is no simple task, but success can yield the reward of a watch being a true classic. That’s probably a good way of introducing this hands-on look at the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph Ocean Commitment II timepieces that just look so darn good.

Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph Ocean Commitment II Watch Hands-On Hands-On

Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph Ocean Commitment II Watch Hands-On Hands-On

I am not shy about sharing my feeling that Blancpain produces some of the most beautiful high-end diving watches available these days with their Fifty Fathoms family. The collection is populated with a few distinct models which generally fall into the “classic” Blancpain Fifty Fathoms 5015 watch family (review here), and the Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe. The latter subfamily has two lines right now which are the three-hand Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe, and the Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Chronograph Flyback, which this limited-edition watch is a version of.

Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph Ocean Commitment II Watch Hands-On Hands-On

Back on point, Blancpain copy watches Replica says they reach this deep, rich blue of the Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph by adding the pigment along with a bonding agent through the production process, together with the bond representative burning off in a lower heat level before submitting the item into the high-temperature (sintering) measure for hardening. I’m not really certain why this seemingly tough technique succeeds where others had failed – and I guess truly knowing the chemistry would be a much longer discussion – but Blancpain states it is the product of many years of trials. Lug width is an unconventional 23mm, placing a damper in your own strap-changing zeal. We can all agree that ceramic non-scratching and non-fading properties are both very positive, but I, for one, am not totally convinced of its suitability as a situation material. Creating a sport watch in ceramic, to me personally, only emphasizes that it is a luxury thing made to be worn out in day-to-day situations, shown off among wealthy friends… and that a Seiko or a Casio is what will likely accompany actual adventurers who intend on transferring large stones underwater.

I first went hands-on with the Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Chronograph Flyback here back in 2014 when it was released. The first limited edition model was the Blancpain good watch Replica Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph Ocean Commitment, and earlier in 2016 Blancpain introduced a followup limited edition with this Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph Ocean Commitment II (debuted on aBlogtoWatch here). In a sense, it is probably a bit irritating to people who purchased the first limited-edition Ocean Commitment model that there is now a second one. On the other hand, this followup is just as beautiful as the first, but also distinct in its appeal. So, if anything, the fact that there is a sequel to the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph Ocean Commitment is a sign of the collection’s popularity.

Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph Ocean Commitment II Watch Hands-On Hands-On

There are a lot of hidden elements inside of the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph which make it a truly compelling timepiece, but it does take some time to learn about them all. This is important to do in order to understand the value proposition because these watches are anything but cheap in price. With that said, you do get a fair amount for your money if you are interested in tool watch looks with a modern movement and excellent fit and finishing.

Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph Ocean Commitment II Watch Hands-On Hands-On

I also want to say right now that I prefer the chronograph version of the Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe over the three-hand model. Of course, not everyone agrees with me, but that is my personal preference as I find the three-hand model’s dial a bit visually bare. On the other hand, I certainly prefer the three-hand model of the original Fifty Fathoms models over their chronograph models.

Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph Ocean Commitment II Watch Hands-On Hands-On

A good reason for this aside from aesthetics is the movement inside of the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph which is the in-house-made Blancpain caliber F385 automatic chronograph. You can view the movement through the rear of the case, and it isn’t difficult to tell that it is lovely in both design and decoration. Modern lines and shapes decorate this modern mechanical movement which also happens to boast a 5Hz (36,000bph) operating frequency. That is the same as the celebrated Zenith El Primero, and 1Hz faster than most standard 4Hz chronograph watches.

Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph Ocean Commitment II Watch Hands-On Hands-On

Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph Ocean Commitment II Watch Hands-On Hands-On

Given the faster operating speed of the movement you get two areas of benefits. First is a bit less useful to most people, and that is the ability to be a bit more precise when using the chronograph. Second is the fact that a higher operating frequency of the balance wheel means that rate result errors are averaged out more. That translates into more accuracy over time – a good thing. It is true that 5Hz movements of any kind are rare, and in dedicated dive watches this is pretty much the only one that I can think of.

Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph Ocean Commitment II Watch Hands-On Hands-On

The caliber F385 has a power reserve of 50 hours, and the chronograph has a flyback complication as well. It is produced from 322 parts, and apparently is specially secured to the case of the Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph for shock protection purposes. Last, the movement features a silicon hair spring, which adds the benefits of more durability and accuracy over time.

Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph Ocean Commitment II Watch Hands-On Hands-On

That all sounds great but, unfortunately, I couldn’t have the pleasure of testing the watch out first-hand as the model I got to play with was a “blocked” (the movement is stopped from working in order to maintain the position of the hands) prototype. Thus, I still yearn to wear a functioning one of these and fully experience the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph Ocean Commitment II out and about.

Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph Ocean Commitment II Watch Hands-On Hands-On

The first Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph Ocean Commitment watch has a gray ceramic case with a blue bezel and dial. The Blancpain leman watch snob Replica Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph Ocean Commitment II sort of reverses that color palette with a blue ceramic case and bezel, and then a metallic gray dial. Both the first and second Ocean Commitment models are pretty awesome, but ceramic watch lovers will clearly flock to this sequel limited edition model.

Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph Ocean Commitment II Watch Hands-On Hands-On

This is the first blue ceramic watch case I’ve worn (from a luxury brand), and it looks fantastic – especially next to the glossy gray tones. In some lights, the blue ceramic just looks like a black that has something going on with it, but in full light the rich blue tone of the case material comes out. Blancpain couldn’t really go any lighter with the blue as it would have made the color too unstable when it comes to production purposes.

Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph Ocean Commitment II Watch Hands-On Hands-On

Blancpain and Omega (both part of the Swatch Group and who share technologies) have some of the best ceramic cases around. The Omega Speedmaster Dark Side Of The Moon (review here) and the ceramic versions of the Blancpain watches nyc Replica Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph have something in common. That is having some of the very best-looking ceramic cases on the market. What makes them so good is the sharpness of the angles on the case, as well as the quality of the contrast polishing. The Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph case is among the finest available in a modern high-end dive watch, and that goes for the ceramic version as well. Angles are just wonderfully sharp, and detailing throughout is fantastic. It is hard to experience quality like this and go back to lesser watches.

Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph Ocean Commitment II Watch Hands-On Hands-On

Despite being a chronograph and having a ceramic case, the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph Ocean Commitment II is still water resistant to 300 meters. The case feels perfectly sized at 43.60mm wide. It is also 15.25mm thick and has a lightly domed AR-coated sapphire crystal.

Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph Ocean Commitment II Watch Hands-On Hands-On

Around the dial is a smoothly operating 120-click, uni-directional rotating diver-style bezel. The outer bezel is titanium, with Liquidmetal (another technology shared with Omega) and blue ceramic as the rest of the bezel. The crown and pushers are also in blue ceramic – rendered equally nicely.

Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph Ocean Commitment II Watch Hands-On Hands-On

Given that this is a sport watch, the most important element other than durability is legibility. Here, the Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe certainly does not disappoint, with large blocky hands totally covered in luminant, and easy-to-read, highly contrasting hour markers. I also like that the subdials on the face are visually minimized. In fact, the most prominent elements on the dial are the various hands as well as the major markers. This allows the eyes to focus on the most important elements, while other things (like the chronograph subdials) are easy to read, but also not “in your face” when you don’t want to look at them.

Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph Ocean Commitment II Watch Hands-On Hands-On

Perhaps the only controversial element of the dial is the date window. It does help sales of watches to have a date complication. It is also good that Blancpain didn’t design the dial with the date window cutting off anything else. However, the date window is tilted so it is a bit odd to read with its position between 4 and 5 o’clock. Also, the date disc itself is black, which is a bit darker than the “meteor grey” dial color of the watch itself. It’s really not a big deal, but it will be the one thing people might complain about in the otherwise beautiful dial design. There are other splendid details that you’ll notice in the dial by just looking at it. Start by examining the clever design of the subdials, as well as the mostly polished metal-framed hour markers.

Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph Ocean Commitment II Watch Hands-On Hands-On

Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph Ocean Commitment II Watch Hands-On Hands-On

Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph Ocean Commitment II Watch Hands-On Hands-On

The brand offers two versions of the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph Ocean Commitment II on either a gray textile/canvas strap, or this high-end NATO-style strap with gray titanium hardware. It’s a darn nice NATO-style strap, but it does come in a 23mm wide size, and it also feels a bit odd on such a high-end watch (even if it looks cool).

Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph Ocean Commitment II Watch Hands-On Hands-On

The best way to think about the Blancpain watch movements Replica Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph is as an extremely well-detailed tool watch. It looks nice, performs well, and has a very handsome classic look to it. Most important, of course, is that it is comfortable to wear and easy to read. Those elements together actually put it in a league with not that many other watches, and help solidify Blancpain as one of the premier producers of high-end “luxury” sport watches. The reference 5200-0310-G52 A (canvas strap) or reference 5200-0310-NAG A (NATO-style strap) Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph Ocean Commitment II watch is priced at $20,100. blancpain.com

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Blancpain Replica Watches

Replica At Lowest Price Blancpain Villeret Quantieme Annuel GMT Watch Hands-On


Blancpain Villeret Quantieme Annuel GMT Watch Hands-On Hands-On

Blancpain continues to be a strong provider of unique and interesting movements in what often feels like a sea of mechanical genericism, even in the luxury watch industry. Look closely and you’ll see in Blancpain watches genuinely innovative attempts that are creating new assortments of existing ideas, as well as some novel ones. Today, I’d like to look at the Blancpain Villeret Quantieme Annuel GMT watch which we first covered here. It comes in 18k white gold, 18k rose gold, as well as in steel – all with various dial styles. It’s updated for 2016 based on a movement that launched in 2011.

Blancpain Villeret Quantieme Annuel GMT Watch Hands-On Hands-On

Blancpain Villeret Quantieme Annuel GMT Watch Hands-On Hands-On

At its heart, this watch is about offering a unique layout for two complication sets that you don’t frequently find together. That is a subsidiary GMT hand to indicate a second time zone, as well as an annual calendar complication. The latter is rather elegantly laid out with the calendar information being indicated via three distinct windows on the dial. Underneath is a series of three discs which overlap. What is interesting is that despite the volume of information on the dial (time, second 24-hour time zone, date, day, and month) the face of the Blancpain watches of switzerland Replica Villeret Quantieme Annuel GMT is relatively sparse and clean.

Blancpain Villeret Quantieme Annuel GMT Watch Hands-On Hands-On

Blancpain Villeret Quantieme Annuel GMT Watch Hands-On Hands-On

Lovers of purely symmetrical dials will likely find the eccentric layout on the Blancpain watches facebook Replica Quantieme Annuel GMT dial bothersome, and those who like a bit of asymmetry in their watches will appreciate the look as well as the immaculate legibility. This steel version of the Blancpain Quaniteme Annuel GMT is the cleanest looking of the series. The 18k red gold version has a “sunburst grey” dial, while the 18k white gold model has the most intricate-looking dial that is “stamped flinque opaline.”

Blancpain Villeret Quantieme Annuel GMT Watch Hands-On Hands-On

Let me add here that the model you are seeing images of is actually in an 18k white gold case, but it seems as though Blancpain will produce it as a steel model and the same 18k white gold case for another dial option. This is a possibility, but it’s hard to confirm, as their website is unclear as to whether or not an 18k white gold model with this clean white dial is available.

Blancpain Villeret Quantieme Annuel GMT Watch Hands-On Hands-On

Blancpain Villeret Quantieme Annuel GMT Watch Hands-On Hands-On

As a dress watch, I like the calming effect of the clean dial that is otherwise very functional. The 40mm-wide case is 11.04mm thick, and water resistant to 30 meters. It wears nicely thanks to the comfortable case and looks larger given the thin bezel structure. Distinctive Blancpain Villeret-style Roman numerals and matching leaf-style hands add to the brand’s signature look. In steel and red gold, the Blancpain Villeret Quantieme Annuel GMT watch even comes on a matching bracelet option that I quite like – in addition to the black alligator strap choice.

Blancpain Villeret Quantieme Annuel GMT Watch Hands-On Hands-On

Blancpain Villeret Quantieme Annuel GMT Watch Hands-On Hands-On

Manufactured in-house by Blancpain, the Blancpain Villeret Quantieme Annuel GMT watch contains the caliber 6054F automatic movement – whose gold rotor is very nicely decorated. While the movement architecture is decidedly modern in its aesthetics, you still see a lot of haute horology hand-finishing. The movement operates at 4Hz (28,800bph) and has a power reserve of 72 hours (three days).

Blancpain Villeret Quantieme Annuel GMT Watch Hands-On Hands-On

Blancpain Villeret Quantieme Annuel GMT Watch Hands-On Hands-On

The movement has some additional interesting elements which merit discussion. These include being produced from 367 parts, using a silicon balance spring (for accuracy) and employing Blancpain’s brilliant “under lug correctors.” Look closely under the lugs and you’ll notice small pushers that you can operating with your fingers. These have a few benefits. First is that the watch does not need to rely on unattractive inset pushers on the side of the case. Second is that you don’t need a special tool in order to adjust the GMT or calendar settings. On most watches with in-set pushers, you need a stylus to operate them – and if you use something metal, you risk scratching the watch. This is just one of the many little ergonomic marvels you see far too rarely in the world of high-end watches.

Every timepiece is constructed entirely by hand in manufacturer’s workshops by one watchmaker. Blancpain is one of the rare watch manufacturers in which the watchmakers still assemble each movement by hand from start to end.From 2002, Marc Alexander Hayek is the Chairman and the CEO of both Blancpain plus he’s given a fresh stimulus to the Manufacture. For the previous ten years, the amount of world premieres and patents climbed with an impressive show of new movements.Significant investments were allocated and the Research and Development department was strengthened to proceed forward. The sapphire crystal case-back provides a dang lovely view of this motion and the 18k gold strand together with the Ocean Commitment logo.Price for each of the 250-piece limited-edition Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph Ocean Commitment watches will likely be £14,000 (which is currently about US$17,000).

Blancpain Villeret Quantieme Annuel GMT Watch Hands-On Hands-On

Blancpain Villeret Quantieme Annuel GMT Watch Hands-On Hands-On

As you can see, the relative simplicity of this Blancpain Villeret Quantieme Annuel GMT watch hides some appealing details once you take a closer look. That isn’t the fact with all Blancpain models, but Blancpain is a brand that tends to be pretty poor at explaining its own best virtues (so we try our best to do it for them when possible).

Blancpain Villeret Quantieme Annuel GMT Watch Hands-On Hands-On

The Blancpain watch warranty Replica Villeret Quantieme Annuel GMT is produced as the reference 6670-1542-55B (for a price of $40,100) in 18k white gold; the references 6670-3642-55 ($40,100), 6670-3642-55B ($39,100), and 6670-3642-MMB ($58,200) in 18k red gold; and the references 6670-1127-55 ($27,300) and 6670-1127-MMB ($29,500) in steel. blancpain.com

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Blancpain Replica Watches

Replica Wholesale Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph Ocean Commitment II Watch Now In Blue Ceramic Case


Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph Ocean Commitment II Watch Now In Blue Ceramic Case Watch Releases

Some major watch brands seem to really think highly of ceramic as a case material and Blancpain is among them. Previously a closely guarded field of expertise of Rado and Chanel, ceramic technology and production techniques have only recently evolved to a point where more brands are entertaining the idea of a ZrO2 case, since a lot more control of things like colors and hardness is becoming possible. The new-for-2016 Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph Ocean Commitment II watch case is all in blue ceramic – something the likes of which we haven’t seen before.

Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph Ocean Commitment II Watch Now In Blue Ceramic Case Watch Releases

Why we haven’t seen it before? My understanding is that achieving color uniformity and maintaining sufficient hardness at the same time has been the major challenge of adding pigments to ceramic. That’s why we mostly see black and white (and gray) ceramic (like, say, this black ceramic Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe). The problem is that if the mixture does not clean up entirely and evenly after the heat treatment process, it will have discolorations and marks in it that will ruin the look – and the piece itself, since these imperfections cannot be removed.

Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph Ocean Commitment II Watch Now In Blue Ceramic Case Watch Releases

In 1815, Frédéric-Louis Blancpain, the great-grandson of Jehan-Jacques, updated production procedures and transformed the traditional craft workshop into the sector that was capable for serial production. He also brought a groundbreaking innovation to the watchmaking sector by replacing the crown-wheel mechanism with a cylinder escapement. In the mid 19th century, the House of Blancpain became the most substantial enterprise in Villeret.The initial Blancpain automatic wristwatch was manufactured in 1926 and four decades after, the manufacturer adapted the machine to watches of small size, and started the rectangular “Rolls” which became the world’s first women’ automatic wristwatch.

It is true that we have been seeing more and more colors in ceramic bezels from Rolex, TAG Heuer and a few others, and so it was perhaps only a matter of time before colored ceramic cases came along. And it kind of also suggests a possible future of all kinds of colors for ceramic watch cases – Speedmaster Muave Side of the Moon, anyone? That might be kind of cool.

Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph Ocean Commitment II Watch Now In Blue Ceramic Case Watch Releases

Back on point, Blancpain says they achieve this deep, rich blue of the Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph by adding the pigment and a bonding agent during the production process, with the bonding agent burning off at a lower heat level before submitting the piece to the high-temperature (sintering) step for hardening. I’m not really sure why this apparently difficult technique succeeds where others had failed – and I suspect truly understanding the chemistry would be a much longer discussion – but Blancpain says it is the product of several years of trials. Anyhow, I believe them that getting it right, with a uniform color across all the parts was a challenge – otherwise, we would have seen it before.

Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph Ocean Commitment II Watch Now In Blue Ceramic Case Watch Releases

The all-blue ceramic case of the Blancpain antique watches Replica Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph Ocean Commitment II is 43.60mm across by 15.25mm thick, and water-resistant to 300 meters. Lug width is an unconventional 23mm, putting a damper on your strap-changing zeal. We can all agree that ceramic’s non-scratching and non-fading properties are both very positive, but I, for one, am not totally convinced of its suitability as a case material. Something like the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph Ocean Commitment II will probably last for a long time and keep looking good if you aren’t too hard on it – but I have seen a chipped ceramic watch case and bracelet, and it isn’t pretty, so do keep it safe from drops and bangs. Making a sport watch in ceramic, to me, just emphasizes that it is a luxury object made to be worn in day-to-day situations, shown off among rich friends… and that a Seiko or a Casio is what will likely accompany real adventurers who plan on moving large rocks underwater.

Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph Ocean Commitment II Watch Now In Blue Ceramic Case Watch Releases

Introduced in 2014 (hands-on with that Bathyscaph Flyback Chronograph here), the automatic caliber F385 runs at 5Hz (that’s a “hi-beat” 36,000bph) with a 50-hour power reserve, and features a 12-hour flyback chronograph, small seconds, and the date. The sapphire crystal case-back offers a dang lovely view of the movement and the 18k gold rotor with the Ocean Commitment logo.

Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph Ocean Commitment II Watch Now In Blue Ceramic Case Watch Releases

Price for each of the 250-piece limited-edition Blancpain watches australia Replica Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph Ocean Commitment watches will be £14,000 (which is currently around US$17,000). For each piece sold, €1,000 (totaling €250,000 for the full run) will go to supporting scientific expeditions as part of Blancpain’s Ocean Commitment project. blancpain.com

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Blancpain Replica Watches

Replica Wholesale Blancpain Tribute To Fifty Fathoms Mil-Spec Watch


Blancpain Tribute To Fifty Fathoms Mil-Spec Watch Watch Releases

With Blancpain’s handsome Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe spending the last few release cycles in the limelight, it was only time that the brand’s original combat diver get its due. This year, for Baselworld 2017, Blancpain is paying tribute to the Fifty Fathoms Mil-Spec 1 Watch, the original UDT-issued dive watch specially designed with a working “watertightness,” or humidity, indicator directly on the dial.

Blancpain Tribute To Fifty Fathoms Mil-Spec Watch Watch Releases

Due to their hard service life, surviving vintage examples of issued Mil-Spec Blancpain divers are extremely rare, and thus highly coveted amongst vintage collectors. It should thus come as no surprise that Blancpain revisit this interesting series of watches from time to time, especially with the vintage craze (still) seemingly at an all-time high. And while we have yet to see the iconic “Tornek-Rayville” TR-900 pulled from the archives, it’s indeed been a hot minute since Blancpain has paid tribute to a Mil-Spec – all the way back to 2010, to be specific, when we were presented with the limited “No Radiation” edition.

However, this mid-century Blancpain Mil-Spec 1 with the watertightness indicator predates both those examples and is the earliest combat-issued diver from Blancpain when it was introduced in 1957. As a pioneer in pressure-sealing and dive timing through the acrylic unidirectional bezel, the Blancpain Mil-Spec watches would later serve as a reference point for dive watch development, ultimately paving the way for many other significant innovations through the brand’s relationship with the United States Navy.

Blancpain Tribute To Fifty Fathoms Mil-Spec Watch Watch Releases

One such innovation on the original Blancpain watches moonphase Replica Mil-Spec (a signature that would later become a standard feature for many military-issued watches) that has been faithfully re-created on the Blancpain Tribute to Fifty Fathoms Mil-Spec is the fully-functional humidity indicator at 6:00. Just like the vintage version, in the event of moisture ingress, the upper half-circle of the indicator changes from white to orange, thereby matching the lower half and letting the wearer know the watch had been compromised. Granted, dive watches used to be much more susceptible to fogging or outright flooding – and even though the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms was considered a leader in watertightness at the time, the indicator was still a handy barometer for displaying the overall health of the watch’s seals. Now, the odds of this indicator ever seeing action on a fully modern, 300-meter resistant dive watch seems pretty unlikely, but it’s still great to see Blancpain staying true to a key feature on the original.

In addition, the 913 has a glucydur equilibrium wheel with gold micrometric regulating screws, which makes it adjustable and also more shock-resistant than its predecessor. There is also an improved winding system which uses a ball-bearing mounted rotor. The sapphire case back shows the rotor, which is reddish gold using a snailed bevel, polished chamfers and straight and round C?tes de Genève patterns. It’s proof of Blancpain’s commitment to creating size-appropriate high-grade calibers dedicated to ladies’ watches in its own elite groups. The date is elegantly spaced out only inside the hour trail, indicated by a red-tipped pointer. The bezel is set with 48 diamonds and there are eight diamond indexes as well as four employed Roman numerals in the signature Villeret font. Even as purveyors of arguably one of the world’s first truly purpose-built dip sequences, there’s no denying it has been a long time because Blancpain has even been remotely close to the tool watch kingdom it once pioneered. That said it is still neat to find the newest revisit those days using a marked degree of panache from the recently announced Tribute to Fifty Fathoms Mil-Spec — a watch which might cost $14,000, but it’s still every bit the capable tool once relied upon by battle divers from the late fifties.

Blancpain Tribute To Fifty Fathoms Mil-Spec Watch Watch Releases

Blancpain has wisely opted to spec this Blancpain Tribute to Fifty Fathoms Mil-Spec with a 40mm case and the brand’s in-house manufactured Caliber 1150 – an ultra-slim, twin-barreled automatic movement with a four-day power reserve, and a silicon hairspring which grants superior anti-shock and anti-magnetic advantages. It’s an interesting choice, particularly because other Blancpain Fifty Fathoms and Bathyscaphe variants have traditionally used the larger 1315 with its 120-hour reserve, but given the real estate restrictions of the smaller case, it does make perfect sense – the 1150 is, after all, the same movement selected for the recently announced 38mm Blancpain Bathyscaphe Oceans Commitment. Size notwithstanding, the movement and its beautiful platinum alloy-coated gold rotor are still visible through the exhibition caseback – a far cry from the purpose-built utilitarian roots of the watch it’s paying tribute to, but the 1150 is too nice of a movement to not show off whenever possible.

The Blancpain Tribute to Fifty Fathoms Mil-Spec watch will be limited to 500 pieces, and will be sold on either a NATO strap, rubber-backed sailcloth as pictured, or Blancplain’s stainless steel bracelet. The price starts at $14,100. blancpain.com

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Blancpain Replica Watches

Japanese Movement Replica Blancpain St. Valentine’s Day Special Edition Watch For The Ladies In Your Life


The movement has some extra interesting elements that merit discussion. These include being generated from 367 components, employing a silicon balance spring (for accuracy) and using Blancpain’s brilliant “under lug correctors.” Look carefully under the lugs and you’ll notice modest pushers that you can operating with your palms. All these have a few added benefits. First is that the watch does not need to rely on unsightly inset pushers on the face of the case. Second is that you don’t require a special tool in order to adjust the GMT or calendar settings. On most watches with in-set pushers, you need a stylus to operate them – and if you use a metal, then you risk scratching the opinion. This is just one of the numerous little ergonomic marvels you see far too infrequently in the sphere of high-end watches.As you can see, the comparative simplicity of this Blancpain gmt watch Replica Villeret Quantieme Annuel GMT watch hides some appealing details once you take a good look. That is not the fact with all Blancpain versions, but Blancpain is a new that tends to be quite poor at explaining its own best virtues (so we strive our very best to do it to get them when possible).

Blancpain St. Valentine’s Day Special Edition Watch For The Ladies In Your Life Watch Releases

The 2017 Blancpain St. Valentine’s Day Special Edition.

When it comes to fine watches, it sometimes seems like every day is Father’s Day. No need to create a special watch to celebrate men, since most mechanical timepieces are already geared to male aficionados. Blancpain, however, thoughtfully singles out women once a year for a special-edition watch designed to be gifted to a woman on St. Valentine’s Day. Blancpain, the maker of such tough-guy timepieces as the Fifty Fathoms and sophisticated complications like the Tourbillon Carrousel, has been making ladies watches since 1930, and lays claim to having made the first automatic watch for ladies.

Blancpain St. Valentine’s Day Special Edition Watch For The Ladies In Your Life Watch Releases

Caseback of the 2017 Blancpain watch retailers Replica St. Valentine’s Day Special Edition

In addition to making ultra-slim movements for women, the company also makes a Quantième Retrograde with retrograde date and a Complete Calendar with moon phase. The movements used for the Blancpain St. Valentine’s Day watches are all mechanical – Blancpain has never made a quartz movement – most designed specifically for ladies’ watches. Since the Blancpain St. Valentine’s Day watch was first introduced in 2001, it has been powered by several different movements, most with center seconds hands, which is rare on a ladies’ mechanical timepiece. The calibers used in the past Blancpain St. Valentine’s Day watches include the ultra-thin automatic Caliber 1150 with 100-hour power reserve; Caliber 6763 automatic day-date, with pointer-type date display; Caliber F185, a flyback chronograph, originally used by the brand in 1998 to power the world’s first ladies’ flyback chronograph; the “Lady Bird” Caliber 6150, which at the time it was introduced (in the 1950s) was the world’s smallest automatic movement (15.7mm diameter).

Blancpain St. Valentine’s Day Special Edition Watch For The Ladies In Your Life Watch Releases

The 2003 version of the Blancpain St. Valentine’s Day Special Edition.

Blancpain St. Valentine’s Day Special Edition Watch For The Ladies In Your Life Watch Releases

The 2004 version of the Blancpain St. Valentine’s Day Special Edition.

The Blancpain St. Valentine’s Day watch has been a tradition since 2001 and usually includes a heart motif placed artfully somewhere on the watch. This year, it is formed by a cluster of 19 rubies set into the dial at 12 o’clock. The rubies are buff-top cut, a mixed cut that typically has a smooth upper half and a faceted pavilion, a combination that creates light return even when a gem is set flush into metal – particularly when it is set into a thin layer of metal, such as a watch dial, where no light penetrates the pavilion. The heart has had several interesting incarnations on the special editions. In the 2007 piece, the inner mother-of-pearl dial was heart-shaped. In 2009 the small seconds subdial was outlined by rubies set to form a heart shape. On the 2011 version, a heart-shaped ruby was set discreetly at 12 o’clock flush with the diamonds on the bezel. The dial of the 2013 edition featured five red-lacquered mother-of-pearl hearts, with the hearts repeated on the rotor and case side. A heart charm dangles from the strap of the 2016 edition.

Blancpain St. Valentine’s Day Special Edition Watch For The Ladies In Your Life Watch Releases

The 2017 version of the Blancpain St. Valentine’s Day Special Edition.

The 2017 Blancpain St. Valentine’s Day edition is a great, robust everyday watch, with a steel case, 50-meter water resistance, and an automatic movement, the ultra-slim Caliber 913. It has a glucydur balance wheel fitted with micrometric regulating screws, and a balance spring made of silicon, the low density of which makes it particularly light and shock-resistant. Silicon is also anti-magnetic. The gold rotor is given a snailed bevel and polished angles, as well as straight and circular Côtes de Genève patterns. The Blancpain logo is red to match the ruby heart on the dial. It comes with two interchangeable alligator leather straps, one in red and the other in white. Like all Blancpain St. Valentine’s Day watches, it is a limited edition, this one engraved and numbered from one to 99. The seconds hand is shaped like a Cupid’s arrow, with a red tip. Otherwise, the dial is set only with diamond markers and three Roman numerals in the collection’s signature font. The 29mm case’s bezel and lugs are set with 68 diamonds. It is priced at $14,900. blancpain.com

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Blancpain Replica Watches

Replica Buying Guide BEST FROM: aBlogtoWatch & Friends April 11, 2014


Blancpain continues to be a strong supplier of unique and intriguing movements in what often feels like a sea of mechanical genericism, even at the luxury watch industry. Look closely and you’ll find in Blancpain watches really innovative efforts which are producing new assortments of present ideas, in addition to some novel ones. Today, I’d like to look at the Blancpain Villeret Quantieme Annuel GMT watch which we first covered here. It is upgraded for 2016 according to a motion which started in 2011. At its heart, this watch is all about offering a special layout for two negative sets that you don’t often find together. That is a subsidiary GMT hand to indicate a second time zone, as well as an annual calendar complication. The latter is quite elegantly laid out with the calendar data being indicated via three different windows on the dial. Underneath is a series of three discs that overlap. What is interesting is that despite the volume of information about the dial (period, second 24-hour time zone, date, day, and month) the face of the Blancpain Villeret Quantieme Annuel GMT is relatively thin and clean.Lovers of purely symmetrical dials will probably locate the eccentric layout on the Blancpain Quantieme Annuel GMT dial bothersome, and those who like a bit of asymmetry within their watches will appreciate the appearance as well as the immaculate legibility. This metal version of this Blancpain Quaniteme Annuel GMT is the cleanest looking of this sequence. The 18k red gold variant has a “sunburst gray” dial, whereas the 18k white gold model gets the maximum intricate-looking dial that is “stamped flinque opaline.”

BEST FROM: aBlogtoWatch & Friends April 11, 2014 ABTW Round-Ups

Baselworld has just ended and in this round-up we begin by taking a look at Ariel and James’ pick of the top 10 watches that they saw at Basel. Next, we attempt to answer the frequently asked question of which watch should you buy. Finally, we take a look at some boutique watch brands worth considering, Richard Mille’s crazy clock and learn more about the iconic Rolex “Paul Newman” Daytona.

1. Top 10 Watches Of Baselworld 2014

BEST FROM: aBlogtoWatch & Friends April 11, 2014 ABTW Round-Ups

Baselworld 2014 has just ended and there are a lot of new watches to digest. After all, Baselworld is the biggest watch and jewelry show of the calendar year and there were literally thousands of new watches on show. How do you make sense of it all? Fortunately we are here to help, because here are the top 10 watches that our Editor-in-Chief Ariel and Contributing Editor James Stacey saw at this year’s Baselworld.

Source: aBlogtoWatch

2. TAG Heuer Carrera CH 80 Watch For 2014 Hands-On

BEST FROM: aBlogtoWatch & Friends April 11, 2014 ABTW Round-Ups

TAG Heuer has had a long association with chronographs and one of their major releases for 2014 is the new Carrera CH 80 watch, which shares design cues from the original Carrera chronograph from the Sixties. Admittedly, the name is not the most sexy sounding, but it is so-called because it houses TAG Heuer’s new in-house made calibre CH 80. Check out this sporty new chronograph here.

Source: aBlogtoWatch

3. Rolex Cellini Time: Return Of The Crown’s Dress Watch

BEST FROM: aBlogtoWatch & Friends April 11, 2014 ABTW Round-Ups

One of the biggest surprises from Rolex at Baselworld 2014 was its three all new Cellini watches. Of the three, the Cellini Time and Dual Time are the ones I like the best. The former is a simple three-handed dress watch, while the latter has an extra dual-time complication at 6 o’clock with a day/night indicator. Both watches, I think, are very neatly and well executed and for once, these Cellini watches are a viable alternative to Rolex’s more illustrious Oyster models.

Source: aBlogtoWatch (Cellini Time), aBlogtoWatch (Cellini Dual Time)

4. How To Choose What Watch To Buy

BEST FROM: aBlogtoWatch & Friends April 11, 2014 ABTW Round-Ups

One of the questions that we get asked a lot is, “What watch should I buy?” The answer, though admittedly unhelpful, is it really depends. For example, some people may buy a watch because of its design and others may buy one because they are a fan of the brand. If you are feeling lost, our Editor-in-Chief Ariel has just written a bumper guide to helping you choose your next watch. We hope it helps.

Source: aBlogtoWatch

5. Blancpain watches wiki Replica Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph Watch Hands-On

BEST FROM: aBlogtoWatch & Friends April 11, 2014 ABTW Round-Ups

Zenith’s El Primero watches are probably the first that comes to mind when you think about high-frequency chronographs. However, that is all about to change thanks to Blancpain’s new Fifty Fathoms Bathyscape Flyback Chronograph watch, which features an in-house made caliber F385 movement that beats at 5Hz and has a column wheel and vertical clutch. Here’s a closer look at what is one of the best sports chronograph to debut at Baselworld 2014.

Source: aBlogtoWatch

6. Maurice Lacroix Masterpiece Gravity Watch Hands-On

BEST FROM: aBlogtoWatch & Friends April 11, 2014 ABTW Round-Ups

The new Maurice Lacroix Masterpiece Gravity watch is one of those peculiar watches that you either love or hate. Obviously, the case and overall style of the watch is very classic, but the dial is very modern in its execution and shows off the all-silicon assortment and in-house made hairspring of the brand’s new ML230 caliber. This is a classically-designed watch for people who love to look at the movement in action.

Source: aBlogtoWatch

Next, our article picks from around the Web »

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Blancpain Replica Watches

Replica Buyers Guide Top 10 Gold Watches


Top 10 Gold Watches ABTW Editors' Lists

Gold watches represent wealth and status, and in a sense, it has always been that way. Having said that, watch makers used gold as a case material for very practical reasons in a historical sense. Gold as a metal has some interesting properties, from being easily machined to being heavily tarnish-resistant (it also takes a polish really well). When gold is mixed with other metals to produce alloys, it mixes some of the beneficial properties of gold with the hardness of those other metals. Historically, most gold-cased watches have been either 14k or 18k gold. 18k gold watches are a relatively recent phenomenon, having become popular starting in the early 1980s, when gold prices began to increase, allowing watch makers to add more gold but also increase the prices of their gold watches.

In the business world, gold watches have had an interesting history. During the 20th century, it was the goal of many people to work at a company for many years finally to be gifted a gold watch upon retirement (which happened for at least some people). Gold watches worn by certain types of business people and professionals are an indicator of success and status. People wanted to work with those who could afford themselves gold watches because it implied a level of ongoing monetary success and social importance.

Top 10 Gold Watches ABTW Editors' Lists

Today, gold watches have similar social and cultural value, although their importance in the luxury watch industry has changed with the influx of many other types of interesting materials. There are those people who wish to wear expensive timepieces that aren’t immediately recognizable as such, and there are even those people who simply don’t like the idea of wearing gold. Obvious status symbols such as gold watches can even be dangerous to wear in certain parts of the world, and in some instances, might even convey social messages about one’s spending habits which one may not want to communicate.

Nevertheless, the appeal of wearing an all-gold watch is still very much a desire for a number people of all ages across different cultures. I’ve put together a list of what I feel are 10 of the best timepieces to wear when your main goal is simply to have a prominently gold watch without a lot of fuss. There is really no deficit of gold-cased watches out there, but these 10 timepieces very much emphasize the notion of wearing a “gold watch.” I want to point out that, in my opinion, you need to wear an 18k yellow or 18k rose/pink/red gold watch for the fullest gold experience, as 18k white gold doesn’t have the standard gold color, and given that it can be mistaken for steel from afar, just doesn’t have the correct intended “gold watch” effect.

Top 10 Gold Watches ABTW Editors' Lists

Rolex President

The actual name for the Rolex President is the Day-Date, but since so many people call it the President, we are going to go with that name. It has this name because a few US Presidents wore it, and the name stuck. It is perhaps the ultimate “conservative yet blingy” gold Rolex watch there is. Currently, you can purchase the Rolex Day-Date in both the traditional 36mm wide size, as well as the more modern 41mm wide size with the Rolex Day-Date II models. All Rolex President watches come in precious metal gold cases with a lot of variation in terms of the dials and ability to have them decorated with diamonds. Retail prices start at $37,550 for a model like this ref. 218235

Top 10 Gold Watches ABTW Editors' Lists

Bulova Accu-Swiss “First Edition Of The Joseph Bulova Collection” Percheron 24k Gold

Introduced in 2014, the Bulova Accu-Swiss First Edition of the Joseph Bulova Collection Percheron 24k Gold watch is perhaps the least standard model in this list, but is included for good reason. That is because it not only has a really interesting strap which combines crocodile with titanium rivets and a black steel milanese inner bracelet, but because it is the first watch in the world with a 24k (versus 18k) gold case. The case is more than 99.9% pure gold, which is a delight to serious gold lovers. Bulova was able to develop a special forging process for gold to make it hard enough so that the gold wasn’t too soft as a watch case material. Inside the watch is a simple Swiss automatic movement, and as a highly limited piece, it also has a price unlike that of most all over Bulova watches at $42,000.

Blancpain continues to be a strong supplier of unique and interesting movements in what often feels like a sea of mechanical genericism, even at the luxury watch industry. Look carefully and you’ll see in Blancpain wrist watches Replica watches genuinely innovative efforts that are producing new assortments of existing ideas, in addition to some novel ones. Now, I’d like to look at the Blancpain Villeret Quantieme Annuel GMT watch which we first covered here. It’s upgraded for 2016 based on a movement that launched in 2011. At its heart, this watch is about offering a unique design for two complication sets that you don’t frequently find together. That’s a subsidiary GMT hand to indicate a second time zone, as well as an yearly calendar complication. The latter is rather elegantly laid out with the calendar data being signaled via three distinct windows on the dial. Underneath is a series of three discs which overlap. What is interesting is that despite the quantity of information about the dial (time, next 24-hour time period, date, day, and month) the surface of the Blancpain Villeret Quantieme Annuel GMT is comparatively thin and clean.Lovers of only symmetrical dials will probably find the eccentric design on the Blancpain Quantieme Annuel GMT dial bothersome, and those who enjoy a little bit of asymmetry in their watches will probably appreciate the look as well as the pristine legibility. This metal version of the Blancpain Quaniteme Annuel GMT is the most bizarre looking of the sequence. The 18k red gold variant has a “sunburst gray” dial, while the 18k white gold model gets the maximum intricate-looking dial which is “stamped flinque opaline.”
Top 10 Gold Watches ABTW Editors' Lists

Omega Speedmaster 57 Co-Axial Chronograph Watch

There is something very satisfying about taking one of the world’s most iconic functional sport watches and producing it with an all gold case and bracelet. The unique mixture communicates status as well as sensibility at the same time. In truth, there are many versions of the classic Omega Speedmaster and many of them are available in 18k gold. This is the newer Speedmaster 57 Co-Axial Chronograph model that includes a few desirable features, including an in-house made Omega mechanical chronograph movement, as well as looks inspired by the original Speedmaster in a 41.5mm wide case. This version in gold comes in both 18k yellow and rose gold, and this ref. 331.50.42.51.02.001 model retails for a price of $36,000.

Top 10 Gold Watches ABTW Editors' Lists

Breguet Type XXII

Another classic sports watch that was never originally intended to be produced in gold when it was for military pilots is the Breguet Type XX. A more modern and slightly larger version is the Type XXI, as well as the Type XXII, which look particularly handsome with a chocolate brown face matched to an 18k rose gold case. Breguet includes a highly sophisticated 10Hz operating chronograph movement in the Type XXII, which happens to be among the rare modern models available with both a gold case and matching bracelet. Elegant, sporty, timeless, and masculine, this ref. 3880BR/Z2/RXV is a good way to show off what might be your favorite precious metal with a price of $55,500.

Top 10 Gold Watches ABTW Editors' Lists

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 41mm

The irony of an 18k gold Royal Oak is that when the Royal Oak was first introduced by Audemars Piguet in the early 1970s, its goal was to be a high-end sports watch in steel… priced like a gold watch. Having a gold version is slightly ironic, given the original theme of the Royal Oak, but we can’t blame Audemars Piguet for deciding to produce 18k gold models of the famous timepiece. If you wear a gold watch chances are that you want people to see it; so the 41mm wide version of the Royal Oak makes the most sense – and it looks very fine in its ref. 15400OR.OO.1220OR.01 iteration, priced at $50,500.

Top 10 Gold Watches ABTW Editors' Lists

Cartier Calibre

Cartier released the Calibre collection a few years ago to serve not only as its premier collection of men’s watches, but also to introduce a new range of in-house made movements designed to fit in Cartier’s more “volume” models, under the brand’s more prestigious high-complication items. The Cartier Calibre has seen various iterations, including at this point, a chronograph as well as a diver. The original is perhaps still the most elegant and warm when offered in a fully 42mm wide 18k pink gold case and matching bracelet paired to a chocolate brown dial (ref. W7100040). The appeal of the Cartier brand name is well combined with a modern men’s sports-style watch that feels very much at home in all gold. Priced here at $46,400.

Top 10 Gold Watches ABTW Editors' Lists

Blancpain Villeret Quantieme Perpetuel 8 Jours

This same Blancpain Villeret watch can be obtained in a simpler form without the perpetual calendar and moonphase complications, but there is something about this model that fits the Blancpain brand so well. The Quantieme Perpetuel 8 Jours watch combines the elegance of a classic gold case and smooth mesh-style gold bracelet with an attractive and highly refined in-house made self-winding perpetual calendar mechanical movement. It is among the rare complicated timepieces that one can wear on a daily basis, given the reasonable dimensions of the case and straight-forward legibility of the dial. It also happens to have a striking amount of 18k red gold when on the matching gold bracelet. Priced at $78,200 for this ref. 6659-3631-MMB model.

Top 10 Gold Watches ABTW Editors' Lists

Bovet Dimier Recital 12

This is one of the more complicated gold watches in this round-up, not necessarily in terms of mechanical functionality, but rather in that the dial is mostly skeletonized with a view of the movement. This sort of contrasts with the goal of having a timepiece that is all about showing off gold, but I nevertheless felt Bovet has a solid contender with its Dimier collection Recital 12 watch, specifically in 18k red gold, matched to the 18k red gold mesh bracelet. Each year, Bovet releases ever more Dimier Recital family timepieces, and in addition to being the most simple, the Recital 12 is also the thinnest, with a case that is just 9.1mm thick and 42mm wide. The movement is just 3.9mm wide and has an off-centered dial for the time, subsidiary seconds dial, and a power reserve indicator with seven full days of power reserve. With a gorgeous design and on the bracelet, the Recital 12 is a great way to show off your love of horology and gold. Priced at $78,200 on the bracelet (without diamonds).

Top 10 Gold Watches ABTW Editors' Lists

Breitling Chronomat 44 GMT

Breitling has cemented themselves not only as the watch of pilots, but also the watch of aspirational aviators. While the company continues to produce professional-style timepieces, they are no stranger to luxury. One of the reasons that most of the watches in this round-up list are sport watches is because of their larger size and bold design. Traditional dress watches simply don’t have the case real estate to really show off gold in a way that one might desire, so going with an elegant sport watch is typically a much more preferred option. The Chronomat collection houses in-house made Breitling movements and is available in 41mm, 44mm, and 47mm wide sizes. The Chronomat 44 range is a nicely sized piece, and this ref. HB0421L3/BC18 model adds to the watch’s chronograph complication with a GMT 24-hour hand for a second timezone. You also get an 18k rose gold case and matching Breitling Pilot-style bracelet for the retail price of $52,650.

Top 10 Gold Watches ABTW Editors' Lists

Ulysse Nardin Marine Chronometer Manufacture

The contrast between gold and black is well emphasized in the Manufacture version of Ulysse Nardin’s Marine Chronometer collection watch. At 45mm wide in 18k rose gold on a matching bracelet, this ref. 1186-122-8M/42 sports watch turned status symbol has all the gold impact and prestige a watch lover could hope for. Ulysse Nardin even designed the Marine Chronometer Manufacture with 200 meters of water resistance for recreational diving… if you so choose. Inside the watch is an in-house made movement and the watch is priced at $54,000.

This article, Top 10 Gold Watches, is available in Chinese: 十大金表特选

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Blancpain Replica Watches

Perfect Clone Online Shopping Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph Watch Hands-On


Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph Watch Hands-On Hands-On

Last year we were thrilled by the introduction of Blancpain’s vintage-inspired Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe dive watch so when I heard that they had released a chronograph version I was both excited and a little worried. As Blancpain watch retailers Replica nailed the balance and proportions of the Bathyscaphe three-hander, I was worried that the inclusion of a chronograph feature might throw the original design off balance. UPDATE: As of October 2014 Blancpain has released a new limited edition (of 250 pieces) ref. 5200-0240-52A version of the Bathyscaphe Chronograph as the Blancplain Ocean Commitment Bathyscaphe Chronographe Flyback with a blue dial and bezel in a ceramic case.

Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph Watch Hands-On Hands-On

After seeing the new Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph in person, I’m pleased to report that the chronograph version is gorgeous and retains the flair and presence established by the preceding three-hander. With a brand new manufacture movement and some serious dive-ready credentials, the new Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph is a fitting follow up to one of our favorite sport watches of 2013.

Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph Watch Hands-On Hands-On

Limited edition of 250 pieces Blancpain Ocean Commitment Bathyscaphe Chronographe Flyback watch in blue with a titanium case. Ref. 5200-0240-52A

Still sporting the same 43.6 mm case width and a chronograph-housing height of 15.25 mm, the Bathyscaphe Flyback feels great on wrist and certainly looks the part for a dive chronograph. Available in steel with a grey dial or full brushed ceramic with a matching black dial, there’s not a bad choice in the entire Bathyscaphe range.

Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph Watch Hands-On Hands-On

Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph Watch Hands-On Hands-On

Additionally, the steel version of the chronograph (or now the three hander) can be optioned with a matching steel bracelet. The bracelet is heavy and very nicely made, with a brushed finish and a button-release butterfly clasp.

Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph Watch Hands-On Hands-On

For our money, the Bathyscaphe Flyback is best on the sailcloth strap or the high-quality nato. For boney wrists like mine, I’d recommend the sailcloth option as it was instantly comfortable and kept the head of the Bathyscaphe in an ideal and flat position.

Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph Watch Hands-On Hands-On

Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph Watch Hands-On Hands-On

The dial is beautifully executed with a slight dome and the same jewel-like applied markers we loved on the three-hander. Aside from a red-tipped chrono seconds hand, the Bathyscaphe Flyback is a monochromatic affair, with the steel version sporting a lovely sunburst finish on its grey dial.

The bezel is identical to that of last year’s introduction, with a good grip, unidirectional travel and a ceramic insert with a LiquidMetal scale. The new in-house flyback movement places running seconds at six with a 12 hour register at nine and a 30 minute register at three.

Some major watch brands appear to really think highly of ceramic as a case substance and Blancpain luxury watches Replica is among them. Formerly a closely guarded area of experience of Rado and Chanel, ceramic technologies and production techniques have only recently evolved to a stage where more manufacturers are entertaining the idea of a ZrO2 instance, because a lot more control of things such as colors and hardness is becoming possible. The new-for-2016 Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph Ocean Commitment II see instance is all in blue ceramic – something the likes of which we have not seen before.Why we have not noticed it before? My perception is that attaining color uniformity and keeping sufficient hardness at the exact same time has become the major challenge of adding pigments to ceramic. That’s why we mostly see black and white (and gray) ceramic (such as, say, this black porcelain Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe). The challenge is that if the mix doesn’t clean up entirely and evenly following the heat treatment procedure, it is going to have discolorations and marks inside that will ruin the look — and the piece itself, because these imperfections cannot be removed.It is correct that we have been seeing an increasing number of colours in ceramic bezels from Rolex, TAG Heuer and a few others, and therefore it was perhaps only a matter of time before coloured ceramic instances came along.

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Blancpain Replica Watches

Replica Watches Free Shipping Watch What-If: Luxury Swiss Star Wars Watches


Watch What-If: Luxury Swiss Star Wars Watches Watch What-If

Star Wars fever is back this year, as later in 2015, the popular science fiction movie franchise sees its seventh film with Star Wars: The Force Awakens. We recently learned that Nixon from California will be producing some exclusive Star Wars watches, and it is no secret that many modern, avant-garde luxury watches were inspired by story universes such as Star Wars and Star Trek. To that end, we wanted to see what it might be like to have Star Wars watches produced by some of the more popular and “mainstream” luxury Swiss watch makers – which is the subject of this installment of “Watch What-If.”

Once again, the art and concepts are by Niklas Bergenstjerna – who worked with us to create these five fantasy Star Wars watches by Swiss watch brands you know. The idea is that the characters who inspired these watches might very likely actually wear them (if either were to exist). I hope that these fit into the almost religious “Star Wars canon.” Here are words directly from Mr. Bergenstjerna:

Omega Jedi-Master Watch: Yoda

Above, you’ll find a minimalistic classic watch for Jedi Master Yoda, that is ceramic and made to last for a very long time. No fuss, just the time in the Jedi-Master watches. Less is more. Though, an additional digital ”wood-cord-watch” is useful when leaving Dagobah for other places in the universe. The crest of the Jedi Council and Yoda’s personal crest are on the dial, and there is a classic Yoda quote on the bezel.

Watch What-If: Luxury Swiss Star Wars Watches Watch What-If

Bell & Ross Death & Star Pocket Watch – Darth Vader

Classic timepiece for an elderly villain, so Darth Vader gets a pocket watch. The watch has a Force detector, just in case your own abilities should fail. Design is inspired by the Death Star.

The motion has some extra interesting elements that merit discussion. These include being produced from 367 components, employing a silicon balance spring (for accuracy) and employing Blancpain’s brilliant “under lug correctors.” Look closely under the lugs and you’ll notice small pushers that you can operating with your fingers. These have a few added benefits. First is that the watch doesn’t have to rely on unsightly inset pushers on the face of the circumstance. Second is that you don’t need a particular tool in order to correct the GMT or calendar settings. On most watches using in-set pushers, you want a stylus to operate them – and if you use a metal, then you risk scratching the watch. This is simply one of the many little ergonomic marvels you see far too infrequently in the world of high-end watches.As you can see, the relative simplicity of the Blancpain Villeret Quantieme Annuel GMT watch hides a few appealing details once you take a closer look. That isn’t true with all Blancpain models, but Blancpain is a brand which tends to be pretty bad at explaining its own best virtues (so we strive our best to perform it to get them when possible).
Watch What-If: Luxury Swiss Star Wars Watches Watch What-If

Hublot Big Bang Bounty Hunter – Boba Fett

A bold digital daily beater for the bounty hunter in need of keeping deadlines. Boba Fett would approve. The symbols in the center and the upper left corner are from Boba Fett’s armor: a Mandalorian crest and skull.

Watch What-If: Luxury Swiss Star Wars Watches Watch What-If

 Blancpain Naboo Watch – Queen Amidala

Queen Amidala’s make-up was the inspiration for the overall white design with details in red. The Naboo royal crest is in the center of the dial, along with details in lace.

Watch What-If: Luxury Swiss Star Wars Watches Watch What-If

Zenith Star Pilot Parsec – Han Solo

A transparent Zenith “modern” pilot watch with a Han Solo quote. Parsec meter subsidiary dial is for racing, and no need for a crown, since it’s adjusted by touch on the right side of the case. Large asteroid crater dial and Rebel Alliance strap.

Niklas Bergenstjerna is a freelance graphic designer and watch lover based in the south of Sweden. niklex.com

Categories
Blancpain Replica Watches

Replica Watches Free Shipping Blancpain Villeret Shakudo Ganesh & Coelacanth Engraved Dial Watches Hands-On


In 1815, Frédéric-Louis Blancpain, the great-grandson of Jehan-Jacques, modernized production methods and transformed the traditional craft workshop to the sector that was capable for serial production. He also brought a radical innovation into the watchmaking sector by replacing the crown-wheel mechanism with a cylinder escapement. In the mid 19th century, the House of Blancpain became the most substantial enterprise in Villeret.The first Blancpain automatic wristwatch was fabricated in 1926 and four decades later, the manufacturer accommodated the system to watches of small dimensions, and launched the rectangular “Rolls” which became the world’s first women’ automatic wristwatch.

Blancpain Villeret Shakudo Ganesh & Coelacanth Engraved Dial Watches Hands-On Hands-On

I have a soft spot for meticulously hand-engraved watch dials. For me, it is the epitome of being able to wear traditional hand-made art on your wrist. Of course, it is true that watch movements when produced properly are highly artistic, but I am talking about more traditional “representative” art which is meant to depict the real (and fantasy) world around us. So with that said, you’ll understand why I am so keen on these new Blancpain Villeret Shakudo watches that incorporate the Japanese metal alloy and engraving technique into the brand’s Swiss watches.

Blancpain Villeret Shakudo Ganesh & Coelacanth Engraved Dial Watches Hands-On Hands-On

Blancpain is no stranger to watches with hand-engraved dials. The company has been producing some of the most amazing hand-engraved watches (and movements) that are available today. Blancpain often works with extremely skilled artists both in-house and commissioned to produce a series of fine limited edition watches that come in so many varieties. The new Blancpain Villeret Shakudo collection also has a few versions meant to showcase with special craft, and each is a piece unique. In this article, we show you hands-on images of the Blancpain Villeret Shakudo Ganesh, as well as the Blancpain Villeret Shakudo Coelacanth. These are, of course, in honor of the Hindu god as well as the endangered ancient fish species that in some of their sponsorship efforts Blancpain is seeking to help protect and study.

Blancpain Villeret Shakudo Ganesh & Coelacanth Engraved Dial Watches Hands-On Hands-On

Blancpain Villeret Shakudo Ganesh & Coelacanth Engraved Dial Watches Hands-On Hands-On

Shakudo itself is not a technique, but more a material. It is a metal alloy that is mostly copper with about 4-10% gold. What is special about the alloy is that it can be treated to achieve a black patina which in many ways looks like lacquer. Why is this important? It is about being able to engrave something with a rich level of detail as well as a lot of visual contrast. Black against the copper color offers that level of contrast but without the special black patina properties of shakudo that black could only be achieved by adding black color. The addition of such pigment (using lacquer for example) reduces the ability for an artist to show off fine detail.

Blancpain Villeret Shakudo Ganesh & Coelacanth Engraved Dial Watches Hands-On Hands-On

Blancpain Villeret Shakudo Ganesh & Coelacanth Engraved Dial Watches Hands-On Hands-On

Blancpain Villeret Shakudo Ganesh & Coelacanth Engraved Dial Watches Hands-On Hands-On

Thus, shakudo allows for the display and engraving of extremely fine detail in small spaces with an amazing level of contrast. In other words, images engraved in shakudo really pop. Even these two Blancpain Villeret Shakudo watches offer unique presentations of the technique, which means that there is variety in this set.

Mechanically, these Villeret watches are perhaps the most basic things you can get from Blancpain. Here are the in-house made caliber 15B manually wound movements which have forty hours of power reserve. What can I say about these? Well, they are wide, which is nice, and rather flat with just 2.2mm of thickness. That isn’t record breaking, but it is nice. There is also a good amount of finishing, just in a really utilitarian sense.

Blancpain Villeret Shakudo Ganesh & Coelacanth Engraved Dial Watches Hands-On Hands-On

On the dial, the 15B movement only offers the time with hours and minutes. The case is wide, at 45mm in 18k rose gold. At 8.30mm thick the cases feel good and bold on the wrist. This is exactly what you want from a piece like this because it is all about showing off the dial. There is no other reason to wear these watches. It is like wearing a small painting on your hand.

Blancpain Villeret Shakudo Ganesh & Coelacanth Engraved Dial Watches Hands-On Hands-On

Blancpain Villeret Shakudo Ganesh & Coelacanth Engraved Dial Watches Hands-On Hands-On

As someone who rather relishes in the idea of wearing art like that on a watch, I really enjoyed wearing the Blancpain watch movements Replica Villeret Shakudo models. If you find one with a dial that is meaningful to you and these are the level of watches you collect, then I think you’ll really enjoy them. Price for each of the Blancpain Villeret Shakudo watches is $160,600. blancpain.com