Since 1735, Blancpain has believed that mechanical watchmaking embodies the art of time at its finest, and nothing expresses this philosophy better than Blancpain’s Métiers d’Art collection. Each Métiers d’Art timepiece is adorned with distinguished decorations and exquisite engravings, all carefully executed by hand and traditional tools. Watches become miniature works of art once they’ve passed through the hands of a master craftsman. While there are other fine manufacturers of timepieces, none has reached Blancpain’s pinnacle of respect, acclaim and refinement. In purchasing one of these Métiers d’Art watches, you are essentially preserving one of the finest traditions of artisanal craftsmanship in history.
For more information of the featured Métiers d’Art timepieces, please contact Blancpain Thailand.
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1 /5
A masterpiece from the Le Brassus Métiers d’Art Studio in Switzerland, the Villeret 8 Jours Manuelle The Great Wave is inspired by Hokusai‘s classic woodblock print Under the Wave off Kanagawa. The stunning timepiece features the unique gemstone silver obsidian — a semi-transparent volcanic rock used for the first time by Blancpain — as well as the watchmaker’s hallmark technique: Japanese rokushō patina. The three-dimensional hand carving on this exquisite watch is not only an iconic depiction of the sea, but also an embodiment of Blancpain’s unwavering devotion to environmental protection through its Ocean Commitment programme.
2 /5
Special shakudō dials are an ancient form of Japanese art that only Blancpain has succeeded in bringing to horology. Handcrafted in 18k red gold and the brand’s cherished shakudō alloy composed of gold and copper, this Villeret 8 Jours Manuelle model stunningly depicts a Battle of the Queen Cows staged in front of the majestic Matterhorn. In order to bring this vivid scene to life, the cow fight is meticulously hand-engraved and polished with extremely accurate tools — all by hand.
3 /5
A new aesthetic approach, skeleton working lets watchmakers highlight their technical excellence and reveal the heart of the artistic timepiece. Villeret Squelette 8 Jours is the latest skeleton watch in Blancpain’s classic Villeret collection. This entirely openwork timepiece has its decorated movement fully visible, featuring two sapphire crystals on the front and back of a white gold case. The skeleton design not only puts cutting-edge innovation in the spotlight, but also accentuates the timepiece with a sense of airiness.
4 /5
The Métiers d’Art Studio is brimming with creativity, forging extraordinary new designs for Blancpain’s dials. One artist was inspired by the Blancpain Ocean Commitment diver Laurent Ballesta’s Gombessa 1 Expedition, where he became the first person to photograph the prehistoric coelacanth — a large deep-sea fish — in its natural habitat. Ballesta’s breathtaking photo of the coelacanth surrounded by underwater corals became this Villeret Cadran Shakudō‘s appliqué; in other words, the gold carving applied to the surface of the dial. Housed in a 45mm red gold case, the stunning art object is also formed with the classic Villeret double pomme bezel.
5 /5
What’s most special about the Blancpain’s collection of shakudō is that each dial is unique. Depending on the style of the individual artist, the appliqué in place may reflect different artistic colourings and engravings. The shakudō technique is brought to the forefront here on this Villeret Cadran Shakudō, where the artist decided to craft a bonsai tree scene. Shakudō lets the craftsman transform the colour of a gold and copper alloy from its natural bronze hue to a subtle, nuanced black-grey, allowing the artist to bring complexity and texture to the art piece. Each of these handcrafted dials invite you to plunge into the visual details.
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