A Rainbow of PERPETUALS

Complications have long been one of the pillars of fine watchmaking. Of course, they are all a demonstration of watch-making prowess, but their reason for being and the impetus behind their creation has always been the uses they enable. Chronographs to measure time; repeaters to sound the time; réveils to mark the time; equations to measure the difference in time; moon phases to relate time. Of all the complications, though, one category stands out as perhaps the most actually used and that is the date complication. How often do we launch a chronograph or pull the slide on a repeater? Guaranteed the date indication will justify its presence multiple times every single day. At the pinnacle of all the varieties of date complications—simple, complete calendar, annual calendar—stands the perpetual which faithfully tracks the vagaries of our calendar system all year long.

Throughout its history, Blancpain has dedicated itself to this complication. From the Piguet branch of its family tree, most notable was La Merveilleuse created by Louis-Elisée Piguet in association with Ami LeCoultre-Piguet between 1874 and 1878, debuting one of the most complicated watches of the era at the 1878 Paris International Exhibition. Bristling with 12 complications and 16 unique hands, of course, a perpetual calendar figured prominently. 1980s-90s Blancpain signaled the glory of the perpetual, making it part of its six masterpiece collection in the 1990s and one of the core complications in the 1735 timepiece which was the most complicated automatic winding watch of its time.

Today’s Blancpain collections offer an unprecedently broad range of perpetuals. The newest member is the Villeret Quantième Perpétuel housed in a 40 mm red gold case with a dramatic forest green dial. The green hue is offset by the red gold case and bezel, but also by the gold applied Roman numerals and hands. Unlike many perpetual calendars, the Villeret offers a large seconds hand. Powering the complex calendar is Blancpain’s in-house caliber 5954.4, an elaboration of the caliber 1150. Thanks to its two mainspring barrels, the new model achieves a 72 hour power reserve. In keeping with Blancpain’s movement philosophy, the balance is free sprung with gold regulation screws and fitted with a non-magnetic silicon hairspring.

Unique to Blancpain, as it is patented, the setting of the calendar is accomplished by correctors nestled under the lugs. Small and discrete, these under lug correctors are effectively hidden from view unless the watch is flipped over to its case back side in order to access them. This Blancpain invention offers two advantages unmatched elsewhere. First, while it is standard in the watch world to place dimples on the case flanks for calendar setting, the Villeret Quantième Perpétuel leaves its case sides free of dimples. Second, unlike conventional setting dimples which require a tool such as a stylus for the setting operation, the Blancpain under lug correctors can be manipulated with a fingertip, no tool needed. Further distinguishing Blancpain’s perpetual design is its secure architecture. Standard calendar constructions have a vulnerability if manual setting of the indications is attempted at the wrong time of day. Normally, calendars advance during evening hours which means that the movement components used for the automatic date/day of week/moon phase advances are engaged. The risk is that a manual adjustment during those periods will break the fragile movement components. Blancpain’s secure design eliminates this risk in that whenever a manual adjustment is made, that operation first disengages the components that would otherwise be involved in the automatic advance.

The new green dial model joins other 40 mm 72 hour power reserve models offered in steel, red gold with an opaline dial, and platinum with a blue dial. 72 hours of power reserve exceeds that of most other perpetual calendars on the market. For those who desire longer autonomy, Blancpain’s collection offers two versions with 8 day power reserves, one in platinum, the second in red gold. Both of these feature bombé fully fired enamel dials. Topping the range with extra complications is the Villeret Équation du Temps Marchante. In addition to its perpetual calendar, the Équation du Temps Marchante includes two equation of time indications. Equation of time shows the difference between our standard civil time, with its precisely measured 24 hour day, and solar time based upon the actual length of the day that varies throughout the year, changing as a result of the tilt of the Earth’s axis and the slightly oblong shape of the orbit around the sun. The Équation du Temps Marchante displays this difference in two ways. First, it shows the difference on a plus/minus scale. Second, in what was a wristwatch world first for Blancpain, this timepiece includes a separate running solar time minute hand showing the solar minute.

Taken together, consider the range of color combinations from all of these perpetuals: cases in stainless steel, white gold, platinum and red gold; dials in white, enamel, opaline, blue and green.

Not only are the under lug correctors and secure mechanism designs important elements for the expansive range of Blancpain perpetual calendars, they are also found in other timepieces that incorporate different forms of calendars such as the Villeret Quantième Complet (complete calendar moon phase), the Villeret Quantième Annuel GMT (annual calendar GMT), and the Villeret Carrousel Phases de Lune.

The perpetual calendar is one of the most revered grand complications in watchmaking. Its everyday usefulness ensures its lofty perch in the complication hierarchy. Blancpain’s pairing of this most practical complication with patented under lug correctors, a secure mechanism, long power reserves and choices of case metals and dial colors signals its devotion to this
watchmaking classic.­