Blancpain Watches
In 1735, Jehan-Jacques Blancpain opened a modest workshop on the second floor of his farmhouse in the Jura village of Villeret in Switzerland. These humble beginnings would form the foundation of what is now the world’s oldest existing watchmaker and one of the premier brands within the category of Swiss watchmaking.
Like most horologists at the time, Blancpain’s business was, at the beginning, a family affair: Jehan-Jacques’s son and siblings joined in the work at hand. After all, between the honing, polishing, design and assembly, the making of an innovative watch calls for all hands on deck. Since then, even given its deep history, Blancpain has remained a forward-looking brand.
At the end of the 18th century, Jehan-Jacques’s grandson David-Louis endeavored to turn the family business into an international one, traveling to cities across Europe to proffer the family’s distinctive timepieces, which were known for their roue de rencontre, or meeting wheel, escapements. By the early 1800s, Frédéric-Louis Blancpain, Jehan-Jacques’s great-grandson, had begun work on ultra-flat movements and implemented modern means of production at the factory. Soon, Blancpain built a two-story factory that further bolstered its production capacity.
In 1926, Blancpain partnered with British watchmaker John Harwood to produce the first automatic wristwatch, an innovation that had existed only in pocket watches at that point. Then nearly 30 years later, when the race to craft modern dive watches had gained speed and Rolex was unveiling its iconic Submariner, Blancpain introduced its Fifty Fathoms, a timepiece designed initially for the French Navy to be waterproof up to a depth of 50 fathoms.
After two centuries of family management, Blancpain left the hands of its namesake family in 1932, passing between a few owners before being acquired in 1961 by SSIH, the venerable Société Suisse pour l’Industrie Horlogère, whose other subsidiaries include Omega and Tissot. SSIH would sell Blancpain to a member of another Swiss watch family, Jacques Piguet, in the early 1980s. In 2010, Piguet merged with Blancpain under the Swatch Group. Today, Blancpain maintains its painstaking attention to detail, producing fewer than 30 watches per day, each crafted by a single watchmaker.
Find a wide range of vintage Blancpain watches for sale on 1stDibs today.
1960s Vintage Blancpain Watches
Diamond, Platinum
Mid-20th Century Retro Blancpain Watches
Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
1990s European Modern Blancpain Watches
18k Gold
20th Century Blancpain Watches
Diamond, 14k Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
1990s Blancpain Watches
Stainless Steel
Late 20th Century Swiss Blancpain Watches
Steel
20th Century Artisan Blancpain Watches
Mid-20th Century Swiss Art Deco Blancpain Watches
Mid-20th Century Swiss Art Deco Blancpain Watches
Mid-20th Century Swiss Modernist Blancpain Watches
Gold, 18k Gold
1930s Swiss Art Deco Vintage Blancpain Watches
1940s Retro Vintage Blancpain Watches
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
1960s Swiss Modernist Vintage Blancpain Watches
Diamond, White Diamond, Turquoise, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
21st Century and Contemporary Blancpain Watches
Titanium
21st Century and Contemporary Swiss Blancpain Watches
Diamond, 14k Gold
1960s Vintage Blancpain Watches
14k Gold
Early 2000s Blancpain Watches
1990s Artist Blancpain Watches
Platinum
1980s Swiss Vintage Blancpain Watches
Steel, Stainless Steel
1960s Swiss Vintage Blancpain Watches
Diamond, Quartz, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century Swiss Blancpain Watches
Late 20th Century Swiss Modern Blancpain Watches
14k Gold, Yellow Gold
1950s American Retro Vintage Blancpain Watches
Diamond, 14k Gold, White Gold
1940s American Art Deco Vintage Blancpain Watches
20th Century Art Deco Blancpain Watches
Diamond, Platinum
1960s Swiss Modernist Vintage Blancpain Watches
Diamond, White Diamond, Turquoise, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
20th Century Swiss Blancpain Watches
1990s Blancpain Watches
1950s Swiss Vintage Blancpain Watches
14k Gold, Rose Gold
1930s Swiss Art Deco Vintage Blancpain Watches
Diamond, Platinum
20th Century Swiss Blancpain Watches
Diamond, Platinum
1990s Blancpain Watches
Yellow Gold
1990s Swiss Modern Blancpain Watches
Rose Gold
1920s Unknown Art Deco Vintage Blancpain Watches
Diamond, Platinum
1930s French Art Deco Vintage Blancpain Watches
Diamond, Platinum
20th Century Swiss Blancpain Watches
1940s American Art Deco Vintage Blancpain Watches
Diamond, Platinum
Blancpain watches for sale on 1stDibs.
Creators Similar to Blancpain
- Are Blancpain watches handmade?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022Yes, Blancpain watches are handmade of the finest materials, with an eye on detail. In 1735, Jehan-Jacque Blancpain began the company that carries his name. Known to be one of the oldest watchmaking companies, Blancpain relies on their reputation of excellence for success, even though the company today is owned by the Swatch Group. Shop a collection of Blancpain watches from some of the world’s top sellers on 1stDibs.
- Why is Blancpain so expensive?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertFebruary 7, 2024Blancpain is so expensive for a few reasons. One is due to innovation, which the Swiss luxury watchmaker has a long history of, having created the first-ever automatic wristwatch in 1926. Blancpain is known for being on the cutting edge of design, and many collectors are willing to pay high prices to own both its vintage and contemporary timepieces as a result. The watchmaker is also known for using exceptionally fine materials and employing time-honored crafting techniques that make the quality of its timepieces exceptional. In addition, Blancpain makes about half as many watches per year as some of its biggest competitors, so supply is often low compared to demand. Find a diverse assortment of Blancpain watches on 1stDibs.