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Are Blancpain Watches A Good Investment?

If the horological world was referred to as a mob family, Blancpain would be the Godfather of time, offering bits of advice for Haute Horlogerie and ‘making offer’s’ other watchmakers just can't refuse…’. Forget your Jacob & Co editions.

Humorously, “Godfather” director Francis Ford Coppola is an avid wearer of Blancpain as seen through his Blancpain Villeret Automatic. Blancpain really are the old boys in Swiss watchmaking.

Far from doddery though, Timelords. As Junior Soprano said ‘Those dogs can still hunt!’. Like a fine wine, Blancpain has matured majestically, amassing outstanding stats to rival Pele. For starters, there’s the world’s thinnest ever self-winding chronograph and smallest minute-repeater from 1987. Not sufficient? Blancpain produced the world’s first self-winding tourbillon and perpetual calendar in 2000.

Through both World Wars, catastrophic economic failures and not even the tragedy of the Quartz Crisis could keep Blancpain on the canvas. In this way, Blancpain stands head and shoulders above many of the timekeeping luxury giants like Richard Mille, Patek Philippe and Rolex when it comes to heritage. Time to get to it.

Please join Chrono Hunter as today, we discuss whether or not Blancpain is a good investment.

Brief Background Of Blancpain Watches

We already know that Blancpain is old, but not as ancient as Stonehenge. So when was Blanpain founded? Established in 1735, Blancpain is currently 278 years old. To put that into perspective, other highly regarded watch brands like Vacheron Constantin and Patek Philippe were founded in 1755 and 1839 respectively. Well someone had to teach these kids how to walk!

Blancpain - Source - Blancpain

Blancpain progressed rapidly from their inception. Created in Villeret Switzerland by Jehan-Jacques Blancpain, the business was taken over in 1815 by Frédéric-Louis Blancpain who modernised the business by improving production.

Sadly, as what happens with most watchmakers these days, the company was sold to Betty Fiechter and André Léal, removing the Blancpain family entirely from the business. The name changed due to laws at the time insisting there must be family involvement in order to keep the title.

Blancpain was then changed to “Rayville”. By 1962, Blancpain would join Sociéte Suisse pour l’Industrie Horlogère (SSIH) to those with the native Swiss tongue.

Joining Omega and Tissot, Blancpain pumped out watches at an unbelievable rate. However, The Quartz Crisis of the 70s put a stop to the fun of mechanical watches. This resulted in production rates decreasing as SSIH struggled to cope with the downturn of business.

Blancpain was acquired by Fréderic Piguet in 1982. In 1983, Jacques Piguet separated Blancpain from Rayville with the share capital being split 48/48 between Jacques Piguet and Jean Claude Biver. The other 4% fell into the hands of the Secretary of the Boards, Michael Favre.

Blancpain was back with a bang as the brand moved to Le Brauss, home to none other than Audemars Piguet. They began to operate under Blancpain SA. Success followed and business boomed quicker than Richard Branson’s Virgin media empire. The final stop would be after Jacques Piguet sold Fréderic Piguet and Blancpain in 1992.

They would both be accepted by SMH, or The Swatch Company as it is dutifully known nowadays. Presently, Blancpain is still a thriving hub of great horology. See below a table of their greatest collections and releases. We’ll keep you hungry horophiles hanging on for a few more minutes to savour the rest.

Collection Name	Date	Brief Description
Villeret	1980s	The Villeret collection exemplifies the “beauty” side of Blancpain. Typical stylings include circular dials with gentle curves to Roman numeral indices.
Fifty Fathoms	1958	Representing the epitome of Blancpain’s diving models, the collection features highly distinctive features such as the diamond at 12 o’clock on the bezel and prominent crown.
Air Command	1950s	With a history endowed in military aviation, the Air Command collection prides itself on vintage stylings with tapered lugs and clear Arabic numerals.
Métiers d'Art	2017	The Métiers d'Art collection is Blancpain’s canvas for creativity. Imbuing art stylings from enamelling to marquetry, the one-of-a-kind models are created with the sole intention of prioritising incredible design within a refined circular casing.

The Most Popular Blancpain Models

As briefly discussed above, Blancpain has a diverse collection of sublime models that are definitely worth your perusal if you are looking to buy a Blancpain. Chrono Hunter loves to make things easy for you, just like receiving multiple offers from our trusted network of retailers when you come to buy a watch or sell a watch.

So we’ve condensed Blancpain’s luxury lineup into the top three collections. Time to reveal our hot picks of the most popular Blancpain watches

Blancpain Fifty Fathoms

Think of The Fifty Fathoms collection as the kingpin of Blancpain’s portfolio.

Blancpain Tech Gombassa - Source - Blancpain

Upon ownership of the company in the 1950s, Jean-Jacques Fiechter brought his own interests of diving into the watches portfolio. He realised the importance of a watch that could be read underwater.

As such, the watch followed a few ingenious design codes that have stayed true to its integral design since. Featuring an O-ring seal in the crown, it ensures no water could enter while the automatic movement on the crown doesn’t have to be unscrewed regularly.

Anyone who’s been in the murky depths of the sea knows all about the difficulty in reading the dial, never mind the critters that live beneath the waves. While the watch cannot combat against sharks, the dial was created with a pitch black dial filled with luminescent hour markers and hands. Plus, the soon to be patented bezel was lockable, allowing the diver to check elapsed time.

As one of the few high quality dive watches of its era, Captain Robert Maloubier of the Frogmen team in the French Navy requested the Fifty Fathoms be part of the official equipment. Similarly used by deep-sea diver and documenter, Jacques-Yves Cousteau, (rumoured to have used the Omega Ploprof to record deep-sea dive experiments) he got his hands on a Blancpain Fifty Fathoms for his expeditions.

As you can imagine, the collection is extremely popular and is regularly circulated amongst the social elites like well renowned actor, Brad Pitt and Michelin Star chef, Vladimir Kramnik The collection has continued to be popularised and new iterations have since been unveiled. Take for example the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms 70th Anniversary Special Edition.

Released in 2023, the two models were released marking 70 years of this prestigious collection. In particular, “Act 2” is nicknamed ‘Tech Gombassa’ after the watch, tested by professional diver Laurent Ballesta who is the founder of the Gombessa Project. For those who don’t know, the project follows many underwater expeditions that take place globally.

You can buy a Blancpain Fifty Fathoms 70th Anniversary Special Edition ‘Tech Gombassa’ at retail for £24,700 as of June 2023 or on the secondary market for upwards of £20,000.

Blancpain Villeret

Listen up, watch fiends. You will remember that Blancpain’s foundation was based in Villeret. If you didn’t… Shame on you!

Blancpain Carrousel Répétition Minutes - Source - Blancpain

It makes sense that the creation of Blancpain would encapsulate the design codes of times gone by. Don’t get all teary eyed yet…there's' plenty left in this horological tank. Featuring applied Roman numerals on the dial, a gorgeous double-stepped bezel and beautifully tapered hands, the Blancpain’s collection has a few distinguished records under its timekeeping belt.

As the smallest complete calendar moon-phase movement plate made on the Caliber 6395, the collection prides itself on its rich heritage, especially since the collection was one of the figureheads helping bring back mechanical watches and complications after the disastrous Quartz Crisis.

The Blancpain collection brought another record with it in the form of the worlds smallest minute repeater in the 1987 calibre 35. A few years later, Blancpain would hold the title of the first watch brand to use a wristwatch with a flying tourbillon in 1991.

1991 saw the most complicated watch being created at the time. Of course, it was in the Villeret collection! Blending a miniscule size with a moonphase, perpetual calendar, rattrapante chronograph, tourbillon and minute repeater, the calibre 1735 was only 12.15mm in height, offering 80 hours of power reserve and an astonishing 740 handcrafted parts.

Worn by the likes of former James Bond Pierce Brosnan, The Blancpain Villeret certainly has licence to thrill, adorned on the classiest men around. I’ll take that shaken, not stirred…

Then there’s The Blancpain Villeret Carrousel Répétition Minutes. In typical Villeret fashion, the watch is as complicated as Lady Gaga’s fashion sense. Featuring a Carrousel Minute Repeater complication blending both vintage one-minute flying carousel with a minute repeater sounding cathedral chimes, the watch boasts mastery of the highest horological complications around.

Made from red gold, you can buy a Blancpain Villeret Carrousel Répétition Minutes at retail for £379,000.

Blancpain Air Command

Chances are, you’ve never come across the Blancpain Air Command across your searches when you google buy a Blancpain watch. Why would you? After all, you’ve got the phenomenal novelties of the Fifty Fathoms and Villeret from Blancpain’s wondrous collection.

Blancpain Air Force - Source - Blancpain

Now, the Air Command collection has a very vibrant and important role…horology speaking. Unveiled in the 1950s, the collection was actually used by the US Air Force. The history behind the collection ever making it into public consumption is rather sketchy.

In fact, it’s so shrouded in mystery that it’s believed only 12 prototype watches of the Air Command collection were made for the US Air Force. If you happen to have one, you definitely have a potentially excellent investment on your hand.

Featuring two chronograph sub-dials at 3 and 9 o’clock, countdown bezel with twelve markers and highly legible hands, the watch showcased the aviation classic and flyback chronograph function. The heritage of the Air Command is understood only through the occasional watch that is sold via auction markets.

Take for example a vintage Air Command which sold at an auction for Phillips and Blackbird at around 1,125,000 HKD, or around £113,000 in 2019. Come on boys, get the cheque book out!

Before we slip into morbidity, the Air Force collection is back with a vengeance! Take for example the Blancpain Air Command AC02 36B40 63B. With a resplendent red gold case and a beautifully contrasting navy blue dial, the watch prides itself on its epic history.

With highly legible hands and Arabic numerals, the watch features two sub dials. Need we mention it has a flyback function, allowing elapsed times to be measured in quick succession? Time never stands still in the watch world didn’t you know.

You can buy a Blancpain Air Command AC02 36B40 63B at retail for £28,400. As of July 2023, the secondary market value of the Air Command AC02 36B40 63B is around £20,000

Does Blancpain Hold Value?

Well, Timelords… It ultimately depends on what watch you have selected.

Blancpain Bathyscaphe - Source - Blancpain

It must be noted the quality and craftsmanship of Blancpain watches is exceptionally high. In fact, each Blancpain watch is produced by a single craftsman, representing the exquisite level of premium finish and time taken to produce each watch.

As we all know by now however, that doesn't always mean the watches will hold its value and become a good investment

On average, Blancpain watches will diminish in value by around 38% within a year. If we compare this to Rolex watches or any of the so-called “Holy Trinity" members like Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet and Vacheron Constantin, we find they hold and sometimes surpass their retail value.

The Fifty Fathoms collection is easily their most revered and well-respected line. The fairly new Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe is released in red gold and has a complete calendar as well as a moon phase complication.

As one of the more complex versions of the Fifty Fathoms line, you can buy a Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Quantième Complet Phases De Lune at retail for £29,100. As of July 2023, it sells on the secondary market for around £24,000 at the time of writing.

Relax, Time Peeps. You don't need to start weeping into your plush cowhide sofas just yet. Some Blancpain watches do have the potential to retain value. Who would we be if we didn’t instantly jump to the extortionately priced watches for investment opportunities?

The Blancpain Spécialités Tourbillon Diamants laughs in the face of affordability and realism. At 40mm, the watch is crafted with over 20 carats of diamonds.

The case itself is built out of white gold and the diamonds are encrusted all over the piece. On the crown, the clasp, the dial… it's never ending! The movement isn't too shabby either, offering a phenomenal 168 hour power reserve. Enough time for you to cruise around the Bahamas and back!

You can buy a Blancpain Spécialités Tourbillon Diamants for around a cool £1.2 million.

Vintage watches also do very well. It’s all down to supply and demand not to mention rarity which increases value as an investment piece. As we spoke about, the Air Command collection is very few and far between in the horological world.

Anyone that gets their mitts on a vintage model will have a fun time at auction! In fact, a 1960s chronograph in its classic two sub-dial and Arabic numeral construction sold at a Philipps auction in 2019 for around £110,000. Limited to 500 pieces, that’s a great pay day for the lucky individual.

Is Blancpain A Good Brand?

Blancpain is certainly without question a good brand. In fact, we’d go so far as to say it’s one of the best luxury brands in the timekeeping sphere. Having created some of the most technologically astute pieces throughout its huge reign, like the 1735 Grande Complication, you can get to grips with them through our detailed guide.

Best Blancpain Watches To Invest In

So what are the best Blancpain watches to invest in? These tend to be those timepieces that have the special blend of exclusivity or vintage.

Blancpain Grande Complication - Source - Christies

First up is The Blancpain Fifty Fathoms from 1968. Given an old school Bakelite bezel with signatures on the bezel, movement and dial from the old company owners “Rayville”, the model strongly relates to past acquisitions and the dawn of the Fifty Fathoms Milspec 1 collection.

You can buy a Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Milspec 1 from 1968 for around £45,000 at the time of writing. Can’t get enough of vintage Blancpain watches? Stick around there’s more.

Let’s look for just a second at The Blancpain Répétition Minutes from 1991 in 18K yellow gold complete with supple brown leather strap.

Complemented by an opaline dial and phenomenal minute repeating mechanism in its exceptionally small 28mm casing, you can buy a Blancpain Répétition Minutes 0034-1418 58 for around £60,000 at the time of writing.

Of course, rare pieces are adored by the Blancpain watch collecting community. The Blancpain Léman comes in 18K pink gold and enjoys a transparent dial with exposed flying tourbillon, date function and exceptional 8 day power reserve.

Capped at 50 pieces from around 2004, you can buy a Blancpain Léman on the secondary market for around £26,000 at the time of writing.

The rarer pieces fare just as well subject to the model's condition and if it comes with all the necessary documentation and box. As ever, this will ensure the value of a Blancpain remains high.

Take for example The Grande Complication 1735 from the year 2000. As mentioned in our whirlwind history tour, Blancpain sought to incorporate six of their earlier complications and pieces into one beautiful timepiece.

Nicknamed 1735 as an ode to Blancpain’s inception, the watch is crafted out of platinum and features complications like minute repeater, split seconds chronograph and a moon phase.

You can buy a Blancpain Grande Complication 1735 for around £145,000 on the secondary market at the time of writing.

6 Reasons To Buy A Blancpain Watch

Heritage - As the oldest Swiss watch brand, Blancpain are unparalleled in the race of timelessness.
Vintage pieces - Their age entitles them to have a vast portfolio of vintage pieces. We recommend looking towards The Air Command collection for those hidden gems!
Watchmaking prowess - This year is no exception. The release of the latest Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Tech Gombessa shows Blancpain is still hot off the horological press!
Low production - There’s no gimmicks or cheap sales tactics here. Blancpain releases only around 20,000 watches a year making their watches highly sought after.
They are environmentally conscious - In the current climate, brands like Blancpain that work with Pristine Seas Expedition and World Oceans Day are literal lifesavers.
They have an incredible creative flair - One of the lesser known but still adored collections is the Métiers d'Art. Blending dexterity with marquetry, this is undoubtedly one for the artists!

6 Reasons To Buy A Blancpain Watch Through Chrono Hunter

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Conclusion

So, time Peeps. The question begs the answer…are Blancpain watches a good investment? It all depends on the model you have acquired and its condition which is essential for resale value if you want a good return from your investment.

If you land a rare, in-demand or vintage Blancpain, you have a better chance of gleaning a profit than say if you tried to buy a standard edition.

That being said, don’t feel like the quality of the standard editions is low. Blancpain has been in the watchmaking business for more than two centuries with an unrivalled timekeeping history.

Their array of incredible collections stemming from the indomitable Air Command to Blancpain’s chef d'oeuvre and The Fifty Fathoms collection allows this luxury brand to touch the industries of aviation, diving and dress watches with their Villeret line.

We hope you’ve had just as much fun reading this article as we’ve had making it. Hopefully we have spurred you on to buy a Blancpain. Or now might be the time to push the button if you are looking to sell a Blancpain. You have tried the rest, now seek out the best.

Feeling a desire to own a piece of an incredible luxury brand? Want to buy a Blancpain at the best possible price? Perhaps you want to sell a Blancpain and get your hands on an even rarer model? Get in contact with Chrono Hunter and let’s see what we can do.

Contact us here and check out our phenomenal reviews on Trustpilot to see why so many people regard us as their first choice when they want to buy a watch or sell a watch. With our verified network of the best luxury watch retailers, your transaction is in the safest and most secure hands. Receive offers in hours if not minutes and save money the smart way.

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