Introducing: Blancpain Expands The Villeret Collection With Three New 'Golden Hour' Iterations

What We Know

Today, Blancpain refreshes its Villeret collection with a whopping sixteen new references total in the new Villeret Golden Hour series. Okay, that might sound overwhelming, but hopefully I can break it down into a more digestible manner. In reality, there are only three new models: the time-and-date Villeret Ultraplate, the larger Villeret Quantième Complet Phases de Lune, and the smaller Villeret Quantième Phases de Lune.

Across the board, the aesthetics of the line have been ever-so-subtly updated. The leaf hands have been slimmed down and now feature lume on all three models. On the dials, the applied “12” numeral has been replaced with an applied “JB” symbol, which also appears redundantly on the printed logo underneath the dial. Gone are the quirky serifs and curves of the applied Roman numerals, streamlined and modernized for a cleaner look on the dial. On the caseback, the solid rotors get replaced with a more three-dimensional openworked weight, once again with the “JB” motif. Finally, all of the models get updated leather straps with quick-change functionality.

The simplest watch of the trio is the Villeret Ultraplate, which offers a very traditional three-hand 40mm design, a date window, and a slim case height of 8.7mm. Two dial colors, opaline or golden brown, and two metals, steel or red gold, make for four references total. Inside the watch is the Calibre 1151 automatic movement, in full view through the caseback. It’s uncomplicated and serves as Blancpain’s flagship dress watch.

All the other references in this series belong to Blancpain’s calendar moonphases, which, to me, is an emblematic dial layout of the brand. I mean, who doesn’t love the smug face of that iconic Blancpain moon paired with that pointer date? Across all of these new models, the moonphase gets a bigger emphasis, with an ever-so-slightly larger opening. The gold moons are domed, satin-finished, and applied onto a blue ceramic disc representing the sky filled with gold stars. On the 40mm versions, the smirking moon sits there in the sky, while the 33.2mm versions feature a slightly different, sleepy design.

The 40mm Quantième Complet Phases de Lune are complete (or triple) calendars, showing not only the date via a curving pointer, but also the date of the week as well as the month. The entire case has been refreshed, with proportions of the bezel, crown, lugs, and profile all slightly reworked to feel a bit more refined than before. You can find the full specs below. 

These are not annual calendars, which means for any months shorter than 31 days, you’ll have to manually adjust the calendar. But Blancpain’s calendar, while not fully adjustable through the crown, uses one of the most clever executions of correctors on any watch — under-lug correctors. These four levers sit underneath each of the lugs, connected to the caseback, ensuring that the calendar can be adjusted without any tools, eliminating the need for any interruption to the midcase with pushers. But most importantly, the Calibre 6654.4, with a power reserve of 72 hours, is what the brand calls a “secured” movement. This means that there is no danger zone to the calendar and that it can be adjusted at any time in the day. Available in either opaline or golden brown dials and steel or red gold cases, the new complete calendar represents four of the new references.

Finally, the 33.2mm Quantième Phases de Lune features a pointer date and moonphase. Though there are no under-lug correctors, with the midcase interrupted by the more conventional correctors requiring a tool, the Calibre 913QL.P is still a secure caliber and can be adjusted at any time of day for user-proofed functionality. These models are also available in the two dial colors and two case metals like the other watches, but this time each specific version is also released in a diamond-set variant, making for eight references total.

What We Think

Blancpain’s Villeret collection was bound to get a refresh after so much of this past year’s focus seemed to have rested on the Fifty Fathoms. While yes, we tend to focus quite a bit on the dive side of Blancpain (as the brand also has), the Villeret, especially in its complicated forms, really helps flex the brand’s technical watchmaking muscles. I appreciate the focused emphasis on the under-lug correctors as well as secured movements, things that are quite literally unseen to the wearer, yet are quite a big deal for everyday operation.

Visually, the more modern, streamlined look will definitely appeal to many who found the previous generations of Villeret just a bit too playful, though personally, I’ll really miss those funky numerals because they brought a ton of personality to the Villeret dials. The moonphases are nicely improved, though I think the ‘JB’ at 12 o’clock is a miss, as including the seconds hand, the motif appears three times on the dial. That’s one (or honestly two) too many.

With this new “Golden Hour” series, I like the overall warmth that the dials bring when paired with the red gold cases. Obviously, the steel ones will carry a price tag that’s a bit easier to swallow between the two, but there is something about the old-school charm of a triple calendar in gold that I think makes for quite the pairing.

The Blancpain Villeret Quantième Complet Phases de Lune 40mm

Reference Number: (4) 6654N1142 55B, 6654N364255B, 6654N114655B, 6654N364655B

Diameter: 40mm
Thickness: 10.6mm
Case Material: steel or 18k red gold
Dial Color: opaline or golden brown
Indexes: 18k white or red gold
Water Resistance: 30 meters
Strap/Bracelet: leather, blue or brown, quick change, folding clasp

Caliber: Blancpain Calibre 6654.4
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, day, date, moon phase
Power Reserve: 72 hours
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 28,800 vph
Jewels: 28

The Blancpain Villeret Ultraplate 40mm

Reference Number: (4) 6651N114255B, 6651N364255B, 6651N114655B, 6651N364655B

Diameter: 40mm
Thickness: 8.7mm
Case Material: steel or 18k red gold
Dial Color: opaline or golden brown
Indexes: 18k white or red gold
Water Resistance: 30 meters
Strap/Bracelet: beige or brown leather, quick change, folding clasp

Caliber: Blancpain Calibre 1151
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, date
Power Reserve: 100 hours
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 21,600 vph
Jewels: 28

The Blancpain Villeret Quantième Phases de Lune 33mm

Reference Number: 6126N118755B, 6126N368755B, 6126N114655B, 6126N364655B

Diameter: 33.2mm
Thickness: 10.4mm
Case Material: steel or 18k red gold
Dial Color: opaline or golden brown
Indexes: 18k white or red gold
Water Resistance: 30 meters
Strap/Bracelet: blue grey, honey, or brown leather, quick change, folding clasp

Caliber: Blancpain Calibre 913QL.P
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, date, moon phase
Power Reserve: 40 hours
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 21,600 vph
Jewels: 20

Pricing & Availability

Price: Villeret Ultraplate 40mm starts at $13,100 in steel, $27,200 in gold | Villeret Quantième Complet Phases de Lune 40mm starts at $20,400 in steel, $36,000 in gold | Villeret Quantième Phases de Lune 33.2mm starts at $15,400 in steel, $32,300 in gold.
Availability: Now
Limited Edition: No

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