BY LAURENT MARTINEZ
Visiting La Ferme is similar
to touring a private
horology museum
Blancpain introduced the Fifty Fathoms in 1953 as the
world’s first modern diving watch.
Jean-Jacques Fiechter at the helm of the company
working with Captain Robert Maloubier.
AS A PASSIONATE WATCH COLLECTOR, ENTHUSIAST AND DEALER,
nothing could have pleased me more than to spend a day in horology
heaven. It started last July, when Anne Philip, customer care manager at
Blancpain, invited me to visit the company’s facilities in Le Brassus and Le
Sentier. These villages are located in the Vallée de Joux, renowned for being
the heart of Swiss watchmaking. My journey began when I left Nyon on the
northern shores of Lake Geneva (known locally as Lac Léman) to head to
Le Brassus, where I passed buildings emblazoned with names like “Patek
Philippe” and “Audemars Piguet” dotting the landscape of the picturesque
Swiss village. When I reached my destination, the Blancpain Grand
Complication workshops affectionately known as “La Ferme,” the morning
breeze was fresh and the sounds of the river and cowbells permeated the air.
But before I share my experience of the Blancpain Grande Complication
factory visit, I would like to go over some important brand history, which is
marked by a handful of major dates.
Blancpain was founded in 1735 by Jehan Jacques Blancpain in the village
of Villeret in the Jura Bernois region of Switzerland. At 284 years old,
Blancpain is the oldest watchmaking brand in the world. In 1926, Frédéric-
Emile Blancpain partnered with British watchmaker John Harwood to market
the first automatic wristwatches.
With Jean-Jacques Fiechter at the helm of the company working with
Captain Robert Maloubier of the French military’s combat diving corps,
Blancpain introduced the Fifty Fathoms in 1953 as the first modern diving
watch—beating Rolex’s introduction of the Submariner by a few months.
In 1982, Jacques Piguet (of the Frédéric Piguet movement making
company) and Jean-Claude Biver (one of the watch industry’s most
prominent figures) bought Blancpain, and the company set out to revive
mechanical watches from the aftermath of the Quartz Crisis.
In 1992, Blancpain joined the Swatch Group, where it remains today. In
2010, Blancpain took over Frédéric Piguet outright, emphasizing the brand’s
focus on manufacturing in-house movements, in addition to research and
development into technical innovations.
WINTER 2020 | INTERNATIONAL WATCH | 53