Ornatus-Mundi
[Zenith]
7136
The L-Evolution Collection
This recent addition to the brand’s portfolio is the prime reason why many think Blancpain has deviated from its identity while others applaud the fresh wind blowing. The former sentiment has been ‘helped’ by a slightly awkward introduction (remember, the Lamborghini watch was at one time placed within the L-Evolution collection and another time presented as a separate line).
L-Evolution Chronographe Flyback À Rattrapante:
It is the Lamborghini watch that takes the centre stage with a new Split Seconds watch.
Based on last year’s novelty with the carbon fibre bezel it takes the Lamborghini design cues…
… and adds the absolutely appropriate (i.e. in a racing context) complication of a split seconds chronograph…
… and a big date:
Design-wise it’s the best incarnation of the Lamborghini watch so far, and this is ironically due to the well-implemented addition of the instantaneously changing big date. Why ‘ironically’? Well if you look close its designed like a digital watch (and it changes within a fraction of a second so its ‘digitalness’ is even amplified).
On the back you can admire a rotor that resembles the wheel of a Lamborghini car:
Below you can see – well, not that much:
The Cal. 69F9 base-movement is the tried and trusted Piguet (oh, sorry, Blancpain!) movement that has received a well-dosed make-up treatment with blacking and roughened surfaces:
“Numerous stages were involved in achieving this result. The parts have been coated with a beadblasted two-tone material (5N red gold-plated or rhodiumed depending on the finish); while the straight graining on the NAC bridges features the anthracite appearance characteristic of this treatment.” [Press Kit]
Finally, also the buckle deserves some attention, its nicely designed with a carbon inlay:
Blancpain also offers a red gold version that presents a nice contrast even down to the movement. Unfortunately we could not see that one:
If you put the watch on the wrist its clear why we liked it: Its well balanced and almost a quiet ocean amongst its L-Evolution siblings:
L-Evolution Carrousel Saphir Volant Une Minute:
Blancpain really broke new ground with the Carrousel watch that got its finest implementation last year with the mystical Saphir version. The watch had its little secret with the extremely tiny ‘JB’ printing on the sapphire disks that served as movement plates. This year, Blancpain continued the secrecy with an excursion into the fauna:
Like the other version also here the unique carrousel is set apart from the remainder of the movement and masterfully accentuated by the transparent sapphire:
However, life is not all that positive here as the poor carrousel is trapped in a spider’s net, better visible from the back (note the blued inlays that kind of resemble the technique used by Hermès):
But where’s the spider? We need to get our loupe out!
Still not close enough? Well, there you go:
It’s a fun piece indeed and beautifully crafted. However, we can’t help to give it only a second place behind the full-sapphire Carrousel of last year. Also, we think the spider is somehow like an afterthought and does not really fit to the watch as a whole. Does this help to raise the awareness for the carrousel complication?
More posts:
Baselword 2012 - Official PuristSPro Report: Blancpain
We can’t deny that this manufacture always was dear to us. Both of us follow the developments in Le Brassus closely and with much of our hearts & souls involved. In the early days of Blancpain (“second life”) there was a simple but unique case, only. They...
The X Fathoms Collection
The X Fathoms was already introduced in autumn 2011, in Dubai ( click here ) and we already had some discussions here about it. Nonetheless we would like to talk about it once more, because most of the time it is nearly impossible to get the full picture ...
For sure, this version has caused some strong reactions.
Love / Hate / perplexity / surprise. It is a strong watch, certainly not a consensual one. It is a technical watch, which was not the case with the first models, I mean the original, which housed rugged movements, reliable tractors, and where finishing wa...
The 50 Fathoms Collection
The design of the Fifty Fathoms collection is well-known as it is available since 2007. We have seen several versions in different metals, in several colours, with additional logo´s and with different complications. (The variants which are available are n...
They should give us one version without date, at Blancpain.
But wait a minute... Next year will be 2013.... 60th Birthday of this great watch... Hmmmmm.... Blancpain may wwell have something in the tube, for the Hard Core Fans we are... Best, Nicolas.
No ...
they are not discontinued, it is just a wider collection with additional models.
The L-Evolution Collection
This recent addition to the brands portfolio is the prime reason why many think Blancpain has deviated from its identity while others applaud the fresh wind blowing. The former sentiment has been helped by a slightly awkward introduction (remember, the...
The Villeret Collection
The Villeret Collection is something like the cradle for ‘BlancpainNEO’ and such the DNA of the brand distilled to the max. Blancpain without the collection would be unthinkable. No surprises therefore to see a lot of novelties here! Villeret Calendrier C...
One to hear, one to look at.
The Minute repeater... I was not convinced at all by the former ones, I will have to listen to the new one. It is always great to listen to a Minute Repeater. How will it sound? Is it noisy? Rich? Loud enough? One to look at... The 8 Days Skeleton, one I ...
Minute Repeater ...
the one we listened to was disappointing, to be honest. Hopefully it was a prototype. Thanks, Nicholas! Oliver
The ones I listened in the past ...
have been nice, but not too loud. This one was "strange", somehow.
Blancpain ultra plate
Thanks for your thorough report guys! Can you tell me more about the new Villeret Ultra-flat, the one with the thick bridges where the mvement is 'turned upside down' that comes in black or white. Does the watch come in WG or in SS (I assume SS, looking a...
I guess you are asking about ...
Ref. 6616- 15 27 (white ceramics) and 6616- 15 30 (black ceramics). As you can see from the "15", both are available (only) in WG. Oliver
Our Conclusion!
For the last few years we were concerned about the direction of Blancpain, it seemed to lack focus and appeared as a result of a lot of trial & error in search for answers to a changing market. With this year’s novelties we have the impression that Blancp...
Excellent summary report.....
Love the X Fathoms, but even with a 40th birthday this year - this won't be the special purchase for myself. Perhaps I could delay a little, as Nicolas says, incase they bring out something 'true' to the vintage FF a lot of us love. Also, I like very much...
Thank you,
Been eagerly waiting for this report. Comprehensive and quite informative as always. Thanks guys.
