Vintage Swiss Blancpain wristwatches

Blancpain is the oldest surviving watchmaking brand in the world, founded in 1735 by Jehan-Jacques Blancpain in Villeret, Switzerland. The company has a long and rich history of innovation, and is responsible for many world firsts in the watchmaking industry. In 1815, Frederic-Louis Blancpain, the great-grandson of Jehan-Jacques, 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, Frederic-Louis introduced a major innovation into the watchmaking world.

In 1830, Frederic-Emile Blancpain, the son of Frederic-Louis, renamed the company Fabrique d'horlogerie Emile Blancpain and launched the construction of what would become the largest watch manufacturer in Villeret. The company also began to export its watches to other countries, including the United States and Great Britain.

In 1926, Blancpain created the world's first automatic winding wristwatch, more... the Calibre 11. This was a major breakthrough in the watchmaking industry, and helped to popularize the wristwatch as a fashion accessory. In 1953, Blancpain introduced the Fifty Fathoms diving watch, which is considered to be one of the most iconic dive watches ever made. The Fifty Fathoms was designed for underwater exploration, and featured a number of innovative features, including a rotating bezel and a water-resistant case.

In 1982, Blancpain was acquired by the Swatch Group, a Swiss watchmaking conglomerate. Under the ownership of Swatch, Blancpain has continued to innovate and produce some of the finest watches in the world. Blancpain remains a leading manufacturer of luxury watches, worn by celebrities and dignitaries around the world, and a symbol of luxury and status. less...