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In opening their 2012 line, the luxury French watch company at Blancpain is introducing their first model of the Villeret line, the Calibre 7663Q. This is exciting for Blancpain, as it is their first model presented with a flinqué-lacquered dial, in which many layers of translucent blue lacquer are applied to the dial. This is done in order to create the appearance of greater depth.

Blancpain Villeret

On the technical aspect, the Villeret Calibre 7663Q is presented with a 40 millimeter watch-face, which is set with white gold. The interior also contains 244 parts, and overall features “34 jewels has a three-day power reserve,” according to Blancpain’s official website. The new eye-catching model is water-resistant and has an alligator leather strap with a folding clasp for maximum wrist comfort.

In its annual tradition, Blancpain also presented a new and exclusive model especially for Valentine’s Day. The watch was dubbed the Saint-Valentin Chronograph 2012, and is presented in white alligator leather and is surrounded in diamonds and a ruby heart set on it. Clearly, it is designed to sparkle, with a further white-gold casing, a pearl dial, eight more diamonds on the watch-face, and its buttons made of rubies.

the Saint-Valentin Chronograph 2012

Blancpain’s official website details further, “In an additional nod to Cupid, the heart-shaped counterweight of the central sweep seconds hand is delicately hand-painted with a feather, thus endowing it with a distinctive convex shape. The sapphire crystal back of the 36 mm case reveals the complexity of the movement with its 308 parts and 37 jewels, along with the oscillating weight clothed in pink mother-of-pearl.”

The Saint-Valentin Chronograph 2012 is also home to the same mechanism, the self-winding Calibre F185 that was presented in Blancpain’s first women’s “flyback” watch model.

Lastly, Blancpain’s early 2012 models includes the X Fathoms line, which have a more “extreme sports” type of look.  The X Fathoms line, though previously unveiled in Dubai last October, just had its official presentation in Geneva. Blancpain describes these models as diver’s watches, intending to pat homage to its predecessor, known as the Fifty Fathoms. Using the best parts of the Fifty Fathoms line plus new advancements, the X Fathoms contain the “mechanical depth gauge to create the most high-performance mechanical watch of all time.”

the X Fathom

It sounds like Blancpain have truly outdone themselves in the field of diving wristwatches. The X Fathom is capable of measuring depth up to 90 meters, and will remember the maximum depth reached by the diver. The measurements for depth go to centimeters and are also very precise.