Part of the joy of examining and collecting watches is uncovering those “diamonds in the rough” – watches that you didn’t even realize existed until they’re right under your nose. Such was the case with this Blancpain Répétition Minutes, manufactured in the early 1990s. Sized at 28mm, it was the feminine counterpart to a 34mm men’s timepiece. Both are seemingly unobtrusive and rather subtle, housing an ultra-slim caliber visible through a sapphire caseback. A stepped bezel and an opaque, almost enamel-like opaline dial complete the image of a highly classical timepiece.
But the true prize of this Blancpain is the minute repeating mechanism, which defies the diminuitive case size and restrained looks. The tones are astoundingly loud, crisp, and delightful, sounding superb on the wrist or off. The sound rivals that of the minute repeaters of many top tier manufactures and is a pleasure to chime.
Additionally, the watch is accompanied by all its original accessories, indicating it was purchased in Zermatt, Switzerland in the early 1990s. It comes from the original owner and is presented in crisp, overall excellent condition.
As 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.
