Blancpain Villeret Quantième Perpétuel
On the 29th of February 2024 in celebration of the leap year, Blancpain unveiled the newest version of its “Villeret Quantième Perpétuel”, also known as the “Villeret Perpetual Calendar”, a sleek and practical timepiece available in steel, red gold, or a limited platinum edition. Evolving from its predecessor, the reference 6057, the 6656 model has been a standout in Blancpain's lineup since 2018, admired for its refined and timeless design. Now the collection proudly introduces the Villeret Perpetual Calendar 6656 in red gold, featuring a captivating green dial for a renewed sense of sophistication.The round 40.3 mm case is made of 18k red gold with an overall polished finish and a height of 10.8 mm. This is a very sleek and elegantly crafted design with 22 mm lug width. Mounted to the case is a classically stepped bezel that amplifies the aesthetic appeal of the dial.
On the flipside is a sapphire exhibition caseback that allows a view into the inner workings of the mechanical movement. It offers a clear view of various jewels, moving gears, a silicon balance spring, and a red gold oscillating weight decorated by a honeycomb pattern.
It comes equipped with a knurled setting crown embossed by the “B” logo. this timepiece. The case design incorporates Blancpain's patented under lug correctors, ensures convenient calendar adjustments, facilitating seamless fingertip changes while maintaining a sleek profile. Water-resistance can reach up to 30 meters (98 feet).
Time is exhibited on a dark green with applied 18k red gold Roman numerals circling around without any minute markers. This captivating dial lures the eyes due to its sunray-brushed finish with a dynamic interplay of colors, which gracefully shifts with changes in viewing angle and light.
The perpetual calendar is spread out on three snailed sub-dials all with gold hands: a date counter at 3 o’clock, day of the week at 9 o’clock, and the month plus leap-year indicator are positioned at 12 o’clock. Last but not least is a moonphase at 6 o’clock adorned by a golden moon and stars.
This perpetual calendar movement is meticulously engineered to accurately display the date, weekday, month, and leap year until 2100 without requiring any adjustments. Additionally, it features a robust security system, exemplifying Blancpain's commitment to user-friendly design. Tailored for all Blancpain calendars, this system prevents mishandling, such as adjusting the mechanism during the date transition, ensuring smooth and dependable performance.
The central leaf-shaped and hollow hour and minutes hands add an extra touch of sophistication to this timepiece. Despite the lack of any luminescent coating this watch still manages to shine quite brightly. There is also a red gold running seconds hand with the Blancpain “B” logo as a counterweight.
Blancpain Villeret Quantième Perpétuel
The “Blancpain Villeret Quantième Perpétuel” (Ref#: 6656-3653-55B) is powered by the in-house self-winding mechanical movement, caliber 5954.4 with 32 jewels, 351 components, and 28,800 vph.It comes equipped with a silicon balance spring that features anti-magnetic properties. Power reserve can last up to 72 hours (3 days), when fully wound.
Mounted on the watch is a brown alligator scaled strap with tone-on-tone stitchings, secured to the wrist by a red gold folding clasp. For more up to date information visit the official Blancpain website here.
