Blancpain Villeret Ultraplate 38mm Review

Today, Blancpain introduces a new version of its modern Villeret Ultraplate model with a 38mm case diameter.

In our time, such an event might not instantly capture interest like the launch of a new Fifty Fathoms model. However, the Villeret line, especially now as more people begin to appreciate the neo-vintage Blancpain, deserves close attention.

A History Worth Attention

It's interesting to look back and think about how you might have built your collection differently. Which watches were you lucky to acquire, and which did you miss, only now realizing their true value? Today, Blancpain is perhaps best known as the maker of the Fifty Fathoms, but when the brand was revived by Jacques Piguet and Jean-Claude Biver, the focus was on classic, elegant models and a campaign against quartz watches. Biver not only popularized traditional mechanical watchmaking in the new era of Blancpain but also contributed to the return of mechanical watches as an art form.

In those years, complex mechanical movements came to the forefront again, despite the dominance of quartz watches on the market. Investing in mechanically complex watches seemed risky, but Jean-Claude Biver and Jacques Piguet were one step ahead. The first watches were released in 1983, and by 1985, Blancpain's sales reached 8.9 million Swiss francs. Six years later, in 1991, sales grew to 56 million francs, and in 1992, the Swatch Group acquired the manufacture for 60 million francs.

Blancpain Revival: The Six Masterpieces Series

When Biver and Piguet revived Blancpain, they introduced a series of 34mm watches known as the Six Masterpieces, featuring complications such as a split-second chronograph and a minute repeater. These models were distinguished by their thin and compact cases, thanks to Frédéric Piguet calibers. F. Piguet movements were always renowned for their reliability and quality - used by brands like Vacheron Constantin and Audemars Piguet. Later, Frédéric Piguet became part of Manufacture Blancpain, and this legacy lives on.

The minute repeater is one of my favorite complications, and owning such a watch remains my dream. Blancpain Repetition Minutes have long attracted my attention, and if you knew the prices these complex watches were sold for about ten years ago, you would wonder why I didn't pay attention to them back then. At that time, models up to 38mm, and sometimes up to 40mm, were viewed skeptically, and complex, limited models like the Repetition Minutes were undervalued. This made them accessible to collectors, although they required significant investments.

Today, the cost of Repetition Minutes has increased many times over, and considering that the case of these watches was made by the legendary Jean-Pierre Hagmann, they remain among the most coveted by collectors.

Purity of Time: Models Without Complications

While complex mechanisms were in the spotlight, Blancpain also produced models displaying only hours and minutes. It is on such pure and concise models, as shown above, that you can see a direct connection to the early watches that revived Blancpain. The Villeret line is not just a formality or an attempt to fill the niche of classic watches. It is a collection that played a key role in the brand's revival and the renewed interest in complex watchmaking art.

Cases of the New Models

If you're still reading, thank you for your patience with my little historical excursion. The new Villeret Ultraplate 38mm features a reduced case - 38mm instead of 40mm. In today's market, this size can be compared to 34mm in the 80s-90s: a "golden mean" or slightly smaller. With the growing popularity of compact watches, especially in the classic models category, 38mm is a reasonable choice.

The case thickness is 8.35mm, with a lug-to-lug length of 43.35mm. The cases are made of stainless steel or 18-karat red gold with a fully polished surface, giving the watch elegance and sophistication. Thanks to short lugs that start under the bezel, the watch feels like 36-37mm on the wrist, although the thinner bezel and larger dial create a sense of greater area. It's a successful design decision that makes the watch suitable for both thin and more robust wrists.

Dials

Following the "Golden Hour" series presented in October, Blancpain launches a 38mm lineup with two dial options. The first is a sunburst salmon-colored dial, which, although delayed, has become a long-awaited addition. The salmon color was once as popular as the Tiffany-blue is today. Although demand for such dials is not at its peak now, it remains significant. This is the first use of the salmon color in the Villeret line, and the result looks impressive.

The second option aligns with the collection's classic roots - a gold-opaline dial with a more restrained and matte shade compared to the sunburst salmon. Both dials feature a date, perfectly matching the main background, with 18-karat gold hands and Roman numeral hour markers. The hour and minute hands are filled with Super-LumiNova luminescent material - a modern compromise between classic and convenience.

It's worth noting that the salmon dial is available only in a steel case, at least for now. The gold-opaline dial is presented in both red gold and steel versions, with the steel version featuring an exclusive boutique model with contrasting yellow gold hands and markers.

Straps

Each model of the new Blancpain Villeret Ultraplate 38mm collection comes with a nubuck leather strap. The salmon dial and steel case option comes with an anthracite strap, the steel version with a gold-opaline dial with a beige strap, the boutique steel model with an olive-green strap, and the red gold with a gold-opaline dial with a honey (brown) strap. All straps have crocodile leather embossing and are equipped with folding clasps matching the case color. The clasp supports quick strap changes without tools, convenient for style variety.

Movement

Inside the watch is Blancpain's own caliber 1150. The thin automatic movement, only 3.25mm thick, draws attention with its high-quality bridge finishing and skeletonized rotor. It offers an impressive autonomy of 100 hours of power reserve and is equipped with a silicon balance spring, resistant to magnetic fields. This same movement is used in the Fifty Fathoms Automatique 38mm series. How many classic thin 38mm watches do you know with such a power reserve? After a full wind, the watch can be unworn for up to four days, with an additional 8 hours of power reserve remaining.

Conclusion

While Fifty Fathoms remains and will likely remain Blancpain's main hit, the Villeret line and the new Villeret Ultraplate 38mm collection are choices for those who appreciate classic proportions, refined elegance, and a reliable movement with outstanding autonomy. The price - $12,700 USD for the steel version and $26,100 USD for the 18-karat red gold model - makes this collection particularly attractive given the trend of rising market prices.

Blancpain Villeret Ultraplate 38mm - Prices and Availability

The Blancpain Villeret Ultraplate 38mm collection is already available for purchase.