One watch, one movement – you can’t get much more minimalist than that. But Bianchet has definitely not been slacking. Since the brand’s first appearance at the Geneva Watch Days it has continued to develop the model, revised its prices, increased distribution and, most importantly, delivered. In total around one hundred watches have been shipped, all in limited series. Just 40 or so are left, including the model currently in the spotlight, in its sporty orange livery.
A unique path
You’d be forgiven for thinking Bianchet bears some similarity to a certain well-known watch brand that specialises in tonneau-shaped carbon cases and tourbillons. And no doubt Bianchet would be flattered by the comparison! But the newcomer is gradually developing its own aesthetic and technical vocabulary that sets it apart.
One major differentiating element is the obsession with the golden ratio (1.618) and the Fibonacci sequence. The latter is often illustrated as a spiral on the inside of a Nautilus shell. The precise geometry isn’t easy to translate into the design of a watch case, or the way the movement bridges are arranged on the baseplate.
And yet, Bianchet has managed it. The spiral starts in the centre of the barrel. It’s a perfect circle, outside of which sits a second circle whose circumference is 1.618 times bigger, followed by a third circle with the same proportions, and so on. This snail-like figure can be clearly seen from the dial side. Tastes and colours can be debated endlessly, but the originality of this shape, in a watchmaking context, and on a skeletonised movement, is beyond dispute.
A weighty argument
Bianchet has also developed its own personal grammar for materials. First there’s the movement, made entirely of titanium. The metal contributes to the incredible lightness of the piece, but also to its stiffness, which is what makes the B1.618 capable of withstanding shocks of up to 6000 G. This is a particularly fine achievement, given that the first pieces had a shock rating of 5000 G.
Then there’s the case itself, made from carbon fibre arranged in a woven structure that makes it virtually indestructible under normal conditions, injected with titanium powder. According to the brand, “Approximately 1 kilogram of titanium powder is carefully distributed between the 32 layers of carbon fibre to produce the composite material for 10 watch cases.” The purpose of this procedure is not to make the case harder – carbon needs no assistance in this respect – but to add a subtle moiré sheen, which oscillates between different shades of grey. Each watch case is unique, with its own particular pattern of reflections.
The effect is far more refined than the original titanium case we saw last year, which bears some similarities to the approach taken by Lornet. Today, the B1.618 Openwork Carbon has its own distinctive personality. The rubber inserts supplied by Biwi, which are found on the case and the crown, provide the final sporty and highly original touch.
A promising future
Despite having gained an additional CHF 10,000 in a year, the model remains very reasonably priced considering its creativity and technical level. It is fitted with its own exclusive movement weighing just 42 grams and supplying an extremely impressive power reserve of 105 hours, which is well over 4 days. Bianchet has a long way to go, but it’s still young. Its chosen path of modern, affordable watchmaking built around ancient aesthetic principles is very promising indeed.
