Watchmaking manufactory BLANCPAIN was honoured to present its new watch Carrousel Volant Une Minute in the imperial palace in Forbidden City (Beijing).

For this occasion a unique timepiece was created and given as present to the museum. The organizers had found an amazing coincidence in the history of Blancpain and Forbidden City: the year of 1735 which is the date of foundation of the watchmaking company and the date of coronation of the Chinese emperor Kianlong. This fact was reflected at the self-winding rotor of the unique watch.

The Blancpain Carrousel Volant Une Minute watch is a brilliant new complicated timepiece whose technical elements and beauty affirm the high status of Blancpain amongst the haute horlogerie elite.

This watch’s stunning mechanical movement is inspired by the carrousel, a nearly forgotten invention by Bahne Bonniksen, a 19th century Danish watchmaker who greatly admired Abraham-Louis Breguet. Created in its original form in 1892, the carrousel, like Breguet’s tourbillon, was intended to compensate for the effects of gravity upon a watch escapement. Much more sophisticated and complex than Bonniksen’s carrousel, the automatic movement of this Blancpain watch comprises 262 individual pieces, whose miniaturization to wristwatch dimensions is a feat all of its own. The carrousel is also remarkable for its 60-second rate of revolution; by contrast, carrousel movements of old rotated at an unspecified rate which ranged from 27 to 42 minutes. To develop the inventive mechanism, Blancpain has been closely involved with renowned watchmaker Vincent Calabrese, whose famous designs include the unique Golden Bridge of Corum. Ultimately, more than four years were involved in the conception and realization of the Blancpain Carrousel Volant Une Minute watch.

The Blancpain Carrousel Volant Une Minute watch features a polished 43.50mm platinum case outfitted with sapphire crystals on both sides; this will surely be appreciated by connoisseurs, as it allows a fascinating glimpse into the virtuosic mechanical secret of the carrousel and other components, each of which has been richly beveled by hand and refined with traditional decorations. A pointer with a long and short side travels over a staggered scale by the 9 o’clock position to indicate the date. Meanwhile, a scale at the 6 o’clock position keeps track of the status of the impressive 100-hour power reserve. The timepiece is completed by a fine crocodile strap, and a platinum deployant clasp.

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The watchmaking company BLANCPAIN is going to be the title sponsor of a new car race Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo.

The first race will take place on May 3, 2009, in Silverstone (the UK). The team will consist of 30 automobiles. And first cars were presented personally by Presidents СЕО’s of the companies: BLANCPAIN –Marc A. Hayek, LAMBORGHINI –Stephan Winkelmann, on October 25, 2008 in Hockenheim, Germany.

“We’re delighted to announce the Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo,” said Automobili Lamborghini President and CEO Stephan Winkelmann. “Both on-track and off, our series will reflect the Lamborghini brand, with extreme, high performance racing and stylish trackside facilities. This gives our Lamborghini clients, as well as professional and gentleman racing drivers looking for a new challenge, the opportunity to experience Lamborghini in the ultimate driving environment.”

With the Swiss watch-maker Blancpain as title sponsor, the Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo will run over European race weekends alongside other prestigious series such as the FIA GT Championship, DTM and FIA World Touring Car Championship. Either one or two drivers per car can register for the series, comprising of free practice and a qualifying session, and three 40-minute races during Saturday and Sunday. The results of the three races are added together: no additional weight penalties will be imposed on winning teams, and the cars cannot be modified during the season.

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There is an old developmental game for children called Associations, when they have to name as many things as possible which they associate with the given name or phenomenon. But sometimes adults find this game interesting too. So let’s play?

What things come to your mind when I say “Switzerland“? Chocolate? Banks? Maybe someone will say “cheese”or “Swiss Alps” or even “Swiss Guard”… But I’m sure that most of you will think about true Swiss watches first. And indeed Swiss art of watchmaking long ago became one of the main symbols of the country and of success, and a true Swiss watch is something everyone of us dreams of, at least sometimes…

So what can we call a true Swiss watch? Well, of course, a timepiece made by one of numerous Swiss brands. As a rule all of them are highly reputable in the world of watchmaking (and sometimes you have to pay not so much as for the watch itself as for its reputation). The symbol of this reputation is a world-known inscription “Swiss made“. To this inscription actually a separate branch of Swiss law.

The watch is called Swiss if the following conditions were observed:

· The watch is based on a Swiss made movement
· The watch was assembled in Switzerland
· The watch was certificated in one of the Swiss cantons.

Some of Swiss watches feature “Geneve” mark on them which is usually plecad under the company’s name on the dial. To have the right to be marked as a “Geneve” watch, the timepiece has to correspond to the following requirements:

· The watch must be Swiss made
· At least one of basic assembling operations must take place in the canton of Geneva

The second requirement is made conditional by the fact that 50 % from the final cost of the product goes to the canton of Geneva.

Movements that meet al the strictest requirements of watchmaking are marked with Poincon de Geneve sign or Geneva Seal and are more prestigious. Geneva Seal has been confirming the highest quality of Swiss watches for 400 years already. Geneva Seal was given an official status in 1886 when 12 technical comments on a watch movement quality were confirmed. These requirement were so strict that only graduates of watchmaking school in Geneva could make watches corresponding to them. Today the criteria of Geneva Seal are brought into account with up-to-date level of technology development. Geneva Seal is still a sign that guarantees the highest quality of the timepiece.

Patek Philippe is the only firm whose watches without any exception are marked with this highest sign of watchmaking perfection.

Today the list of companies making true Swiss watches consists of 20 brands:
· Audemars Piguet
· Gerald Genta
· Piaget
· Blancpain
· Girard-Perregaux
· Paul Picot
· Breguet
· IWC
· Rolex
· Chopard
· Jaeger-LeCoultre
· Ulysse Nardin
· Chronoswiss
· Minerva
· Universal Geneve
· Corum
· Franck Muller
· Zenith
· Ebel
· Patek Philippe

Technorati tags:watch, wrist watch, Swiss watch, chronograph, tourbillion, Armitron, Cartier, Casio, Citizen, Longines, Omega, Seiko, Swatch, Tag Heuer, Tissot, news

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For the first time in the brand’s history Blancpain has produced a complete full-fledged collection of automatic wristwatches for women. The collection is notable for the fact that this time the models were created especially for women and were not just remade from some men models as it often happens. At the moment the Blancpain Women collection looks like a bouquet of two “Orchids�, three “Lotuses� and three “Camellias�. Each model of this collection has special technical and aesthetical features of it own. In spite of differences between the watches they all are of dignified style.

Lotus is the simplest model of the collection, but they are as beautiful and elegant as all the models. The heart of the watch is automatic caliber 1150 with 100 hours power reserve. The case is circular and has 34 mm in diameter. It is adorned with diamonds and rubies. The back cover is transparent. The dial is available in black and white colors with laid on Arabic figures. Water resistance is 100 meters. Lotus is a universal timepiece for women of different age.

Camelia was designed for women who prefer active style of life. It is equipped with a chronograph function. The watch is made in rather austere but very feminine style. The mechanism is automatic caliber F185 with 100 hours power reserve. The case is manually decorated. The steel case is circular and is 34 mm in diameter. The back cover is transparent. The dial is available in white, black or pink with laid on Arabic figures and three chronograph counters. The watch is 100 meters water resistant. The strap is made of crocodile leather.

Blancpain Women Orchidee is a real gem of the collection. To make the model special the designers equipped it with roman figures and a number of functions as date and year indicator. The watch is made of white gold and is adorned with diamonds. Looks really luxurious…

The main proof, that Blancpain Women is not just a collection of mere jewelry watches, is that each model has a transparent back cover through which one can see their serious mechanisms.

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