Not all watch movements, especially the most complicated, are eligible for ultra-thin design. But why aren’t three-hand watches with a date, among the simplest, systematically under 5 mm in thickness, case included?
The aesthetic balances achieved by Blancpain nevertheless prove this is well-founded. There is no reason to thicken a case unnecessarily if it is not technically justified. A bulky watch will dominate the wrist, whatever the circumstance. A thin watch, on the other hand, will gracefully and delicately adapt to the conditions of the moment. Want to show it off? Just let it slightly peek out from your sleeve. Want discretion? It will slip effortlessly under a shirt, sweater, or jacket sleeve. Only the thin case will be visible, and barely. Not to mention that an extra-thin watch will more easily be unisex than a case as thick as it is wide.
For all these reasons, which command elegance as much as they honor the horological tradition of the Enlightenment, the extra-thin watch should not remain the exception, but become the rule. An "ultra-thin" watch should no longer be labeled as such. It is all the others that should be called "extra-large." Reversing the semantic paradigm is the only way to make the extra-thin watch part of everyday use.
Ode to Balance
The new Villeret Ultraplate aim for nothing less than to offer an unprecedented standard: versatile, elegant, beyond trends, conventions, and cultural practices. If the collection has recently been enriched with 16 new references, it will probably be best to enter through the most streamlined model, with three central hands and a date. Its positioning also makes it the best gateway to the Villeret universe: in a steel case, the piece remains under 10,000 CHF, with a sumptuous exclusive opaline dial.
The price may intimidate newcomers. Yet, with an in-house caliber, silicon escapement, barely over 3 mm thick, automatic, and boasting an astronomical power reserve of 100 hours (more than four full days), it is a movement without equivalent on the market—especially with its new openworked, gold rotor. Moreover, it is a caliber that is particularly well-finished and pleasing to the eye.
Novelties as Numerous as They Are Discreet
Moreover, the new collection offers a quick-change strap system available in four new shades (brown, blue-gray, honey, and beige velour nubuck) and offered in a Barolo finish, soft and naturally patinated over time.
On the dial side, other changes are more pronounced: new hands are now coated with luminous material for better nighttime readability; the Roman numeral indices are in 18 ct gold, with satin-finished tops and polished bevels on the sides. The traditional "12" is replaced by the "JB" symbol. The whole presents a more sculpted, sharpened relief. Finally, at 3 o’clock, there is a more generous and harmonious date window opening.
As Marc A. Hayek, CEO of the manufacture, emphasizes, "The Villeret embodies the essence of Blancpain. Each of its evolutions requires great restraint. It is both the expression of our watchmaking tradition and proof that elegance can always be subtly reinvented."
