Inside Blancpain’s New York Boutique — And a Look at Five Exceptional Watches

Haute Time had the opportunity to visit the Blancpain boutique in New York at 781 Madison Avenue, where Brand Manager Adam Bossi showed us some of the brands most unique watches.

This piece is part of the Villeret collection and is Blancpain’s dress line. The dial is made from fired white enamel and features the brand’s signature leafed hands. The back of this piece is what makes is really spectacular, as boutiques in each city will engrave the watch specific to that city. For example, in New York, the “Piece Unique” features the Chrysler Building, the Statue of Liberty, Central Park and the New York skyline.

The Annual Calendar watch premiered in 2011. It is a GMT watch and features dual time zones on a sunburst effect. On the back with disguised buttons, it just takes the click of finger to easily change the complications. The watch is available in 18K white gold and red gold.

X Fathoms is the first dive watch released in 1953. This one features a fly back chronograph and the moon phase at the 6 p.m. sub dial. The back features a sea nautilus engraving and the band is made from sailcloth, which is used on sailboats and parachutes. It is a sapphire crystal dial and has a sapphire crystal bezel.

At Blancpain, they make their ladies watches with the same complication as a men’s watch. The company stands firm that it’s never made a quartz watch, and never will, so this particular piece is mechanically wound. The watch featured a mother of pearl dial and a full diamond bezel with a white crocodile strap.

This is the world’s first Chinese calendar watch and Blancpain is the only watch company to make this complication. It took over five years of research and development to get this watch produced, and this one in particular is platinum. 2012 was the Year of the Dragon so a dragon was engraved on the back. 2013 will feature a snake. The front features the Gregorian calendar, but also the Chinese zodiac, the lunar calendar, the zodiac symbol and the five symbols of water, wind, fire, earth and metal.

Seth Semilof

Co-Founder & COO · Haute Time

Seth Semilof co-founded Haute Living and, with business partner Kamal Hotchandani, launched Haute Time, the brands' luxury timepiece site, to educate buyers about the best watches in the world and to showcase the passion of collectors and the CEOs who lead the great maisons. His love of watches began early: a TAG Heuer at 13, an Omega at 16, and his first Rolex at 20. Through Haute Time he has been honored to visit the greatest watch manufactures in the world and meet the master watchmakers behind them. He has also personally featured private collections exclusive to Haute Time, taking readers inside the watch boxes of Kevin Hart, Carmelo Anthony, Tony Robbins and Swizz Beatz.