Blancpain
Blancpain is a Swiss watch manufacturer in Paudex in the canton of Vaud. Blancpain is now owned by the Swatch Group. Marc A. Hayek, grandson of Nicolas Hayek, the company operates.
History
Blancpain was founded in 1735 by Jehan -Jacques Blancpain in Villeret. Under his great-grandson Frédéric -Louis Blancpain first steps for a series production were initiated in 1815. In 1926, Blancpain brought together with John Harwood the first wristwatch with automatic movement on the market, parallel to Harwood's cooperation with Fortis. After the death of Frédéric -Emile Blancpain, the company sold in 1932 to the employees Betty Fiechter and André Léal. The company was in Rayville SA, succ. de Blancpain renamed, with a phonetic anagram of the production site as the name. 1950 took over Betty Fiechters nephew Jean -Jacques Fiechter the company's management.
The company stressed in its advertising slogan that they have never produced quartz watches and this will not do in the future. The production of watches Blancpain rested during the quartz crisis until 1983.
In 1953, Blancpain has developed on behalf of the French military for combat swimmer unit " Les Nageurs de combat " a mechanical diving watch with one-way adjustable bezel, with the immersion time could be displayed. It was named this because of their automatic water pressure density to a depth of 50 English threads (1 Fathom = 1.829 m ): The Blancpain Fifty Fathoms. They evolved over time into one of the most reliable and widely used diving watches. Among other things, was Jacques-Yves Cousteau to see in his underwater film " Le Monde du Silence " with this clock. It is still not exactly clear whether the Fifty Fathoms or the also legendary Rolex Submariner was the first designed for underwater use clock with adjustable bezel. 1956, Blancpain with the Lady Bird then the smallest automatic movement round out.
1970 Blancpain was acquired by SSIH. During the quartz crisis Blancpain presented a production operation. The naming rights were purchased on January 9, 1983 by Jean -Claude Biver and Jacques Piguet, director of the watchmaker Frédéric Piguet SA, 22,000 CHF. The production plant was then moved to Le Brassus.
When the company in 1992 for 60 million Swiss francs back to the Swatch Group (then SSIH ) was sold, the annual turnover amounted to CHF 50 million. Jean -Claude Biver remained until 2003 CEO of Blancpain. In July 2010, the watchmaker Frédéric Piguet SA, also a subsidiary of the Swatch Group, was incorporated together with the production facility in Le Sentier in the company Blancpain.
Blancpain is known as a manufacturer of one of the most complicated watches, the " Blancpain 1735 ", which has, among other things, an automatic lift, a tourbillon, minute repeater, a perpetual calendar and a chronograph with split-seconds. The clock is produced in a limited edition of 30 pieces, with an annual production of just one piece. In 2008, Blancpain launched the first wristwatch with a carousel, a variant of the tourbillon out.
Series
- Le Brassus
- Villeret
- Léman
- Fifty Fathoms
- L- Evolution
- Women
Involvement in motor sport
Blancpain occurs as a sponsor of numerous motor sports events and teams, especially in GT racing on. Blancpain is sponsoring the FIA GT1 World Championship, the ADAC GT Masters and the British GT Championship. The company is also title sponsor since 2009, the Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo, and since 2011 the Blancpain Endurance Series. In the GT1 World Championship, Blancpain is also the official timekeeper. Additionally, Blancpain has sponsored several teams in GT racing, such as Reiter Engineering.
Blancpain and Lamborghini working in racing closely together. Lamborghini Gallardo brought by his special model Gallardo LP 570-4 Blancpain Edition out. Blancpain is the main sponsor of Lamborghini's 50 - years anniversary.
Since 2013, Blancpain has its own GT racing team called Blancpain Racing. The Lamborghini Gallardo GT3 FLII go Marc A. Hayek, CEO of Blancpain, and Peter Kox.
Vehicle of the Blancpain Endurance Series
Vehicle of the Blancpain endurance series
Cars of the FIA GT1 World Championship with Blancpain logo on the windshield
Lamborghini Reiter Engineering with extensive Blancpain pasting