Blancpain Watches

Blancpain: The Oldest Watch Brand That’s Still Got It

There’s heritage.
 There’s history.
 And then there’s Blancpain — a brand that was making watches before the United States had a president.

Founded in 1735, Blancpain doesn’t need to shout. It just points to its résumé: First modern dive watch. Legendary movements. No quartz. Ever. Oh, and they’re still quietly cranking out some of the most beautifully finished watches on Earth.

If you know, you know. And if you don’t? Pull up a chair.

Brand History: Three Centuries of Doing Things Their Way

Let’s rewind to Villeret, Switzerland, 1735. While the rest of Europe was busy powdering wigs and composing operas, Jehan-Jacques Blancpain was already in the business of making watches — officially establishing what would become the world’s oldest surviving watch brand.

Over the centuries, Blancpain evolved from a small family business into a heavyweight of horology, pushing boundaries in complications, ultra-slim movements, and later — dive watches.

The big turning point? 1953. That’s when Blancpain released the original Fifty Fathoms — considered by many (including me) to be the first modern dive watch. It was made for French combat divers. It had a rotating bezel, luminous markers, water resistance to 50 fathoms (duh), and enough real-world credibility to make the Submariner look like a prom date.

Blancpain didn’t invent Swiss watchmaking. But they did help define it.

Collector Highlights: Complications & Compression Screws

  • Fifty Fathoms – The icon. Still one of the best dive watches ever made. Early “Mil-Spec” and “No-Rad” versions? Holy grail territory.

  • Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe – A more modern, minimalist take — still tough, still gorgeous.

  • Villeret Collection – Dressier pieces with tourbillons, moonphases, perpetual calendars, and finishing that competes with brands double the price.

  • Le Brassus – The high-complication playground. If you want a carrousel minute repeater flyback split-seconds chronograph… welcome home.

  • L-Evolution – Wild cases, skeleton dials, and tourbillon flex — not everyone’s taste, but a reminder Blancpain can do avant-garde too.

And let’s not forget: Blancpain only makes mechanical watches. No quartz. Ever. It’s literally in their marketing.

Why Collectors Care

  • Legit history – They’ve been around since before the word “watch collector” even existed.

  • Serious movements – In-house calibers, high-end finishing, and complications that make your watchmaker sweat.

  • Prestige without flash – You’re not buying this to flex. You’re buying it because you appreciate craft.

  • Dive watch royalty – The Fifty Fathoms is arguably the dive watch blueprint.

Blancpain is for people who’ve moved past the basics. It’s not a starter brand. It’s an arrived-there, stayed-there, don’t-need-to-prove-anything brand.

Current Collection: Still Crushing It

Today’s Blancpain lineup is a masterclass in refinement and depth:

  • Fifty Fathoms Automatique – Bold, luxurious, and over-engineered in the best way.

  • Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe – Modernized silhouette, flyback chronographs, ceramic bezels. Collector catnip.

  • Villeret Moonphase – A complication so beautifully done, it almost makes you believe in astrology.

  • Villeret Ultra-Slim – As thin and elegant as a glass of vintage Champagne.

  • Women’s Collection – Not shrinked-and-pinked — actual mechanical masterpieces made with intention.

Every Blancpain watch feels made, not just produced. And in a world full of mass-market flex pieces, that matters.

Fed’s Take

Blancpain is what happens when a brand doesn’t just rest on its legacy — it lives up to it.

You want real horology? It’s here. Want a dive watch with heritage that predates the Submariner? Done. Want a dress piece with finishing that makes you audibly say “damn”? Easy.

I’ll be honest — they’re not always cheap. But you’re not just buying a watch. You’re buying a brand that actually matters in the story of watchmaking.

And unlike some of their “holy trinity” peers, you can still get into a Blancpain without mortgaging your kidney. That’s a win in my book.

Ready to Own a Piece of Real Watch History?

Blancpain isn’t for everyone. And that’s a good thing. But if you're ready to move past hype and step into legacy, we’ve got pre-owned pieces that’ll change the way you think about collecting.

Delray Watch has a rotating selection of pre-owned Blancpain watches — pieces you won’t find sitting in mall boutiques or flexing on billboards.

To be the first to know when new Blancpain watches are available subscribe for insider access here