Let’s take a look at the other watch. Where the Fabergé has a modern Russian theme to it, the Blancpain has a very classical Swiss design to it.
Blancpain’s Villeret collection of watches really focuses on where the brand has come from in terms of design. They put a huge emphasis on the super thin bezels, the slim and long hands and their elegant grand feu enamel dials.
However the Villeret Squelette Tourbillon does away with the dial altogether, favouring instead to use the movement itself as the backdrop for the hands on the dial. There is, however, a small ring around the inside of the bezel that has indices on it so you can tell the hours. The fact that it’s black on both the platinum and the gold models means that the watch itself has a modern hint to it, suggesting that although Blancpain is a deeply historical company it will happily add some of today’s design influences into the mix. The results are stunning.
You’ll find that the Villeret Squellete has the tourbillon mounted up at 12 O’clock, making it the first feature on the watch that your eyes will look to when you want to have a quick glance at it. Next, there’s a power reserve indicator at 6 O’clock, it runs all the way up to 8. That’s right, this watch has a strong 8-day power reserve inside it which is more than enough to keep up with the modern trends. Going around to 9 O’clock you’ll find that the Villeret Squelette has a rotary date indicator which is a nice and simple feature that’s easy to use and does its job. What more could you ask for?
Also keeping with the modern trends is the movement itself. As I’ve already stated, it has a good and hearty 8 days of power reserve on board. However, it’s also an automatic piece, as is the trend in high-end watches lately. This means that you’ll be able to go for a two-week holiday to Monaco or somewhere similar with your Blancpain and it’ll still be running, allowing you to continue relaxing and generally enjoying the time. However for some the biggest deal breaker for this watch is the quite uncommon size nowadays. Despite the fact that the watch has some pretty modern touches to it, the Villeret collection is still a classical themed set of watches. As such, the watch is 38mm in diameter. For some, this isn’t much, but if you have large wrists and you prefer larger watches then the 43mm Fabergé might seem to be a more attractive offer.
I honestly believe I have one of the hardest jobs in the world. I take it in my stride when I possibly can but it’s not always easy. Choosing between two fantastic watches such as these isn’t easy. As I’ve mentioned in other articles, watches with tourbillons in them aren’t going to be bad, they will always be really high end watches that have had a lot of work put into them. So whichever option you go for is going to be a good move, but now to the decision.
It’s simple for me, it’s the Fabergé Visionnaire I. Don’t get me wrong, I love Blancpain watches, my dream diving watch is the Blancpain Fifty Fathom Chronograph Quantième Complet watch for its gorgeous looks. However the Fabergé wins out for a couple of reasons. First off is the design, it’s so bold and out there in terms of design it’s going to be hard to outdo. It’s rare we see a watch dial be cut up into industrial style shapes and yet still keep its beauty, and yet Fabergé manages it well. Also, the contrasting PVD coated gold or platinum cases are an interesting feature rarely seen on such high end watches. Fabergé is one of the most famous independent jewellers ever and their designs can never be outdone by anyone other than themselves.
It’s all personal choice in this game and that’s why the Fabergé wins. For more info, please visit faberge.com & blancpain.com
Stay tuned as there’s a load more watches still floating around out there just waiting to compete.
Pages: 1 2
HARLAN CHAPMAN-GREEN – CONTRIBUTING EDITOR
A keen bass guitar player, Harlan enjoys all the perks modern watchmaking technologies the industry has to offer. Although you might catch him sampling Omegas or the Rolex, Harlan loves all things Haute Horology, with his three favourite brands being Breguet, A.Lange & Söhne and Vacheron Constantin. He hopes to study timekeeping more in depth someday and will never be able to thank his father enough for introducing him to the industry. Read his articles here.
