Blancpain

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Blancpain SA

Type	Member of the Swatch Group
Founded	1735 by Jehan-Jaques Blancpain
Headquarters	Paudex, Switzerland
Key people	?
Industry	Watch manufacturing
Website	http://www.blancpain.ch

Blancpain is a Swiss watch manufacturer, founded in 1735 by Jehan-Jaques Blancpain. Blancpain was saved from near bankruptcy by Jean-Claude Biver, an executive with Omega. Blancpain is currently owned by the Swatch Group. Nick Hayek, the son of Swatch Group's founder and chairman, Nicolas Hayek, is running Blancpain. Many watch collectors regard Blancpain timepieces as among the best in the world.

Blancpain started making watches in 1735 in Villeret, Switzerland. According to their commercial slogans, the company has never produced quartz watches in the past and has stated in its advertisements that it never will, nor have they ever produced watches with digital displays. In comparison to a large watch maker like Rolex, which makes about 2,000 watches a day, Blanpain produces fewer than 10,000 watches a year. Each watch is made by a single watchmaker.

Blancpain is also famous for being the creator of one of the most complicated mechanical watches ever made, the Blancpain 1735, which is a true grand complication (Tourbillon, minute repeater, perpetual calendar, split chrono), a limited edition of 30 pieces only, production of just one piece per year.

Blancpain is also well-known for its Fifty-Fathoms watch, selected by the United States Navy and worn by Jacques-Yves Cousteau in his award winning film. In 1984, Blancpain launched the world's smallest movement, followed shortly thereafter in 1989 by the launch of the world's thinnest movement.