Overview
In 1981, Jean-Claude Biver and Jacques Piguet purchased Blancpain and paved the way for a revival that re-established the brand as a powerhouse in traditional Swiss mechanical watch-making. As a direct response to the Quartz Crisis, Biver and Piguet famously centered their efforts around the slogan: "Since 1735 there has never been a quartz Blancpain watch. And there never will be.” Indeed, much of the 11 years of their leadership was spent developing the company’s “six masterpieces”, a collection of classically designed watches that focused on discrete sizes and high complications. The move proved to be a massive success and in 1992 Blancpain was sold to the SMH Group (now the Swatch Group) for nearly 3,000 times what the two had originally paid.
The reference 1151 here comes from the post-Biver period in the 1990s and retains all of the DNA that made his run so successful. It is essentially a variant of the ultra-thin “masterpiece”, leveraging the same white dial, raised Roman numerals, and stepped case, but now with an automatic movement and a date complication for added practicality. The classical design lends itself to a variety of strap fittings, and we particularly enjoy it dressed down with the included Molequin smooth gris calfskin strap. What’s more, the watch comes with the original boxes, strap, and signed guarantee, and was just fully serviced to ensure optimal functioning for years to come.
Specifications
Brand:
Blancpain
Model:
Villeret
Reference:
1151-1127-58
Year:
1993
Case Number:
No. 757
Case Material:
Stainless steel
Diameter:
34 mm
Lug Width:
19 mm
Thickness:
8.0 mm
Lug-to-Lug:
37.8 mm
Dial:
White
Lume:
None
Crystal:
Sapphire
Movement:
Automatic
Caliber:
Blancpain 1151
Bracelet/Strap:
Blancpain navy ostrich strap with signed tang buckle
Max Wrist Size:
Hand model has a wrist size of 6.2 in
Condition
Case: The stainless steel case shows light signs of wear in the form of a couple hairlines, micro nicks, and faint scratches, but the overall impression is very clean. The lugs are thick and well-defined at the edges. The caseback is in fantastic condition with very little wear throughout. The protective sticker from a previous service is still present. The brand and serial number engravings remain crisp and deep.
Dial, Hands, & Crystal: The white dial and polished hands are in pristine condition with no notable imperfections. The sapphire crystal is squeaky clean and scratch-free.
Bracelet/Strap: The Blancpain navy ostrich strap shows moderate signs of wear with a couple scuffs to the leather, some creasing around the buckle holes, and darkening of the backside. The condition of the Blancpain-signed buckle is consistent with the rest of the case. The additional Molequin smooth gris calfskin strap is in fantastic condition with very little wear.
Performance
Functions: All functions including the crown winding, time setting, and quickset date are working as expected.
Service History: The watch recently underwent a full service by D's Time Service that was completed on 05/02/2024.
