61Δ
Blancpain
Ref. 5581
An attractive and collectible platinum perpetual calendar split-seconds chronograph wristwatch with moon phases and leap year indicator
- Estimate
- CHF20,000 - 40,000€21,300 - 42,700$23,300 - 46,700
CHF40,640
Lot Details
- Manufacturer
- Blancpain
- Year
- Circa 1990
- Reference No
- 5581
- Case No
- 26
- Material
- Platinum
- Calibre
- Manual, cal. 5581.0, 29 jewels
- Bracelet/Strap
- Leather
- Clasp/Buckle
- Platinum Blancpain pin buckle
- Dimensions
- 34mm Diameter
- Signed
- Case, dial, movement and buckle signed
Specialist
Full-Cataloguing
Catalogue Essay
In the 1980s-1990s Blancpain was synonymous with fine watchmaking and elegance, two words that catapulted the brand in a few short years to the spheres of the most revered, respected and collectible brands.
Surfing on the success of their 6 Masterpieces: full calendar with moonphases, perpetual calendar, chronograph, minute repeater and tourbillon, by the end of the 1980s the brand started combining these complications and in early 1990s the reference 5581 was introduced: the world’s very first serially made perpetual calendar split seconds chronograph wristwatch (Patek Philippe did not introduce the reference 5004 until 1996).
The present ultra rare platinum example bears number 26, featuring a very legible and well balanced dial and a very discreet split seconds pusher at 10 o’clock.
Now better known for the Fifty Fathoms dive watch it is impossible to overlook the importance of Blancpain in the 1980s-1990s in the reshaping of the horological landscape as we know today.
Surfing on the success of their 6 Masterpieces: full calendar with moonphases, perpetual calendar, chronograph, minute repeater and tourbillon, by the end of the 1980s the brand started combining these complications and in early 1990s the reference 5581 was introduced: the world’s very first serially made perpetual calendar split seconds chronograph wristwatch (Patek Philippe did not introduce the reference 5004 until 1996).
The present ultra rare platinum example bears number 26, featuring a very legible and well balanced dial and a very discreet split seconds pusher at 10 o’clock.
Now better known for the Fifty Fathoms dive watch it is impossible to overlook the importance of Blancpain in the 1980s-1990s in the reshaping of the horological landscape as we know today.
Blancpain
Swiss | 1735As the watchmaking brand with the earliest founding date, Blancpain remains close to tradition, concentrating on classical mechanical watches. Established in 1735 by Jehan-Jacques Blancpain, the Le Brassus manufacturer today continues to innovate with the development of high-quality calibres and is proud of their heritage, having never made quartz watches. One of the firm's greatest successes was the Fifty Fathom wristwatch introduced in 1953 — the vintage models of which are now highly coveted by collectors. The earliest dive watch available to the market, Fifty Fathom came out a year prior to Rolex's Submariner. Another key model is the Air Command from the 1960s, considered one of the most mythical collector's watches due to their extreme rarity. Today, the firm specializes in creative innovated complicated timepieces.
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