Founded in 1735 by Jehan-Jacques Blancpain in the village of Villeret in Jura, Switzerland, Blancpain is considered the oldest Swiss luxury watch brand today. Nearly three centuries of existence, and the Maison continues to evolve while remaining true to its ethos of ‘Innovation is our tradition’, and the more informal yet emphatic ‘Blancpain has never produced a quartz watch, and it never will’. These objectives are perhaps most visibly captured in its Fifty Fathoms line, which just this year, debuted iterations for women, introduced a 42 mm steel version in its permanent collection, and launched 38 mm Automatiques. And let’s not forget Blancpain’s most complicated watch to date — the Grand Double Sonnerie, which features 1,053 components, 21 patents filed during development with 13 incorporated in the timepiece.
By comparison, the dressier yet understated Villeret is a quintessential Blancpain without the hype. Launched in 1983 (though the name Villeret was assigned in 2003), when the watch industry was in the throes of the Quartz Crisis with the brand’s then-smallest complete calendar moonphase—Calibre 6395—the line is known for its complications, beauty, and traditional watchmaking. “This timepiece was more than a tribute to horological tradition. It opened new perspectives and reignited interest in mechanical watchmaking,” states Marc A. Hayek, CEO, Blancpain, about the first Villeret watch. Quieter amongst Blancpain’s product families, Villeret is characterised by its more formal aesthetics, style, and purity of design.
This year, the line saw the introduction of 16 new models across its Ultraplate (time and date), Quantième Phases de Lune (date and moonphase), and Villeret Quantième Complet Phases de Lune models (complete calendar), in a collection called ‘Golden Hour’. One such model is the Villeret Quantième Complet Phases de Lune, Ref. 6654N 3646 55B. Read more about complete Villeret collection here.
Before we get into the details of the watch, we’ll clarify what a complete calendar is. Also known as a triple calendar, these watches show the day, date, and month, and have to be set five times a year, in the months of February, April, June, September, and November, i.e, months that have less than 31 days. By comparison, annual calendar watches adjust for 30 and 31 days, and only need to be fixed once a year, at the end of February. The perpetual calendar, the most advanced of these complications, does not need any correction until the year 2100. Though Blancpain has all three in its arsenal, the Villeret line is known for its complete calendar given that the complication played a key role in the brand’s modern revival.
Our digital cover watch Ref. 6654N 1146 55B stands out with its golden brown dial on an 18-karat red gold case - a beautiful autumnal shade that has been introduced in the line for the first time. This dial and the sunburst finishing on it are what grab attention instantly - with every movement of the wrist, the dial colour changes, ranging from brown gold to a deep brown to a grey. Enhancing it is the 40 mm case with a double stepped bezel. The new 2025 introductions feature a range of refined upgrades, one of which is the bezel that now has a slimmer, thinner profile. The crown has also been enlarged, and the lugs redesigned, though they continue to have the under-lug, easy-to-operate correctors (a simple press of the finger is all that is needed) that was patented in 2005. The size and the redesign go a long way to ensure that the watch sits comfortably on the wrist.
Though all elements of the complete calendar feature on the dial, legibility has been given utmost importance, with an elegant, clean and easy-to-read display. There are 18-karat red gold satin-brushed, polished, and bevelled Roman numerals that sit on the periphery of the dial - ‘12’ replaced by ‘JB’- adjacent to which is the date ring. Moving further inwards, at 12 rest the day and month windows. The hands are slender, again 18-karat red gold, and applied with lume, while a delicate, blued, wave-like hand with crescent moon tip points to a date.
A striking feature of the dial is the moonphase at 6 o’clock, a signature expressive design with an enlarged opening on a ceramic disc showcasing a satin-finished and domed applied moon. The moonphase adds to the dressiness of the watch, sitting as it does in a significantly sized aperture, and with a distinct design.
Turn the watch over to see Blancpain’s automatic Manufacture Calibre 6654.4 with a silicon hairspring, and decorated with Côtes de Genève. The movement beats at a frequency of 4 Hz and provides a 72-hour power reserve. Moreover, there’s a new polished and open-worked 18-karat red gold bidirectional oscillating weight featuring the brand’s name and logo and with bevelled edges. Launched in 2014, the movement has previously driven the Villeret collection’s moonphase models. A matching brown, hand-stitched alligator leather strap with an interchangeability (quick-change) system, flanks the case. The watch can be styled effortlessly for a formal setting and for special occasions.
There are four watches in Villeret Quantième Complet Phases de Lune, two in an opaline dial and two in golden brown in 18-karat red gold (our digital cover watch) or stainless steel.
“The Villeret embodies the very essence of Blancpain”, says Hayek in a press note. “Each of its evolutions therefore requires great attention. It is both the expression of our watchmaking tradition and the proof that timeless elegance can always be reinvented with subtlety. One is never overdressed or underdressed with a Villeret”.
