BLANCPAIN

- The oldest surviving watchmaking brand in the world -

"Blancpain has never made a quartz watch and never will."

Blancpain S.A. is a Swiss luxury watch manufacturer, they design, manufacture, distribute and sell prestige and luxury mechanical watches. Today, Blancpain is regarded as top-tier Swatch brand; being a subsidiary of the Swiss Swatch Group since 1992.

Blancpain brand was registered in 1735 by Jehan-Jacques Blancpain (born in 1963, also from a family of farmers), he set up his first workshop on the upper floor of his farmhouse in in Villeret, Switzerland; Horses and cattle were the guests of the ground floor. In 1815, Frederic-Louis Blancpain, the great-grandson of Jehan-Jacques, who has head of the family business at the time, modernized production methods and transformed the traditional craft workshop into an industrial undertaking capable of serial production. Also, he introduced a major innovation into the watchmaking world by replacing the crown-wheel mechanism with a cylinder escapement.

In 1865, to face up to American competition, Blancpain built a two-storey factory by the River Suze and made use of water power to supply the electricity needed for it production processes. Thanks to their modernizing methods and concentrating on top-of-the-line products, Blancpain became one of the few watchmaking company to survive in Villeret.

In 1926, the firm entered into a partnership with John Harwood and started marketing the first automatic wristwatch.

After over two centuries, around 1932, when the death of Fredereic-Emile Blancpain, the end of the family's management arrived. The two members of the staff who had closest to Frederic-Emile, bought the business and the firm changed its name to Rayville S.A., succ. de Blancpain. Despite this change of name, the identity of the company was perpetuated and the characteristics of the brand were preserved.

By the end of the 1950's, Rayville-Blancpain was producing more than 100,000 watches per year. As a strategy to continue growing demand, the company became part of the SSIH (Societe Suisse pour l'Industrie Horlogere) joining such brand as Omega, Tissot and Lemania. By 1971, the firm reached the historical peak of 220,000 watches in its annual production.

"According to their commercial slogans, the company has never produced quartz watches in the past and has stated in its advertisements that it never will, nor they ever produced watches with digital displays." In comparison to another large watchmaker companies, which makes about 2,000 watches a day, Blancpain produces fewer than thirty watches per day, each one made by a single watchmaker.


BLANCPAIN
Art Deco Wristwatch

This is a STUNNING timepiece, a Blancpain wristwatch, dated from the mid 1920's. It is a manual wind watch, caliber Rayville 42, 15 jewels movement, three adjustments, sub-second, Swiss made.

It is an immaculate piece! Stunningly styled! It has a beautiful Art Deco rectangle case cutted corners, fancy split-fixed lugs and unique engraved sides design.

It has a silver dial with luminous Arabic Numerals and hands, tracks are printed black. The second hand is located at 6. Also, the dial is signed with the Blancpain name.

This watch is coming with a brand new black "Genuine Leather" two-pieces strap.

After 80 years, it is still a very interesting and good looking watch! It is in LOVELY condition! Runs very well, keeps great time.

Thank you for looking! Please feel free to contact us with any questions, or respectful offers.

Movement:
Blancpain
15 Jewels
Three 3 Adjustments
Cal. Rayville 42
Swiss

Case Back Markers:
ACME
W. C. Co.
SUPERBA

Measures (mm):
Case 27.5 x 31.2
Case Lug to Lug 38.7
Case Thickness 10.2
Lug Width 15
Band Width 16

Vintage watches are traditionally smaller than today's watches. Men's watches typically measure between 29-36mm (some larger, some smaller) wide excluding the crown. In the listing details we typically try to do our best to list all pertinent dimensions of a watch. If you don't see it, or we failed to do so, please reach out to us. Women's watches from the 1900s-1970s were also somewhat smaller than today’s offerings in many cases. Please also feel free to ask any questions you have pertaining to size.

We prefer to shoot photographs outside when weather is permitting. However, when we shoot indoors, please be aware that we shoot our photographs inside of lightboxes that are lit with 360 LED bulbs. This indeed magnifies any flaws. Usually, they are much less obvious to the naked eye. Having said that, we never photoshop any of our photography, remove blemishes, etc. We adjust light, when necessary, but what you see is what you are getting, and we take pride in that.

The condition is pre-owned.
The item may have some signs of cosmetic wear, but is fully operational and functions as intended.
See all the photos, feel free to ask questions if you have any.

It will be carefully packed.

Check out my other items listed.
Thanks for looking!

WA-1677