177 Blancpain Number 1 and striking, Villeret Lady, wristwatch in yellow gold, with rubies-set bezel, skeletonized dial, box and warranty.

Estimate: € 6,000 –⁠ 12,000

A 20% import VAT is due on the final price including premium, only if it is delivered within the EU.

Founded by Jehan-Jacques Blancpain in Villeret, Switzerland, in 1735, Blancpain is one of the oldest surviving watchmaking brand in the world. In 1953, it produced the famous Fifty Fathoms diving watch and later the Grande Complication wristwatch 1735, and since that time, it has specialized in watches with many complications but also in precious time-only creations, such as the present lot. Blancpain’s native village of Villeret lends its name to the most classic collection from the brand. The lot offered here is an exceptional example from Blancpain’s Villeret collection. Cased in yellow gold and adorned with a sequence of perfectly matched, channel-set baguette-cut rubies, the present example was meant to be dressing the wrist of a lady with its refined 28 mm case. The semi-skeletonized dial reveals the beautifully refined manual movement, a mesmerizing labyrinth of meticulously hand-finished plates and bridges, every element an ode to craftsmanship. Framing the skeletonized dial is an elegant white chapter ring, punctuated by Roman numerals, allowing for effortless legibility without compromising the visual spectacle beneath. This Blancpain, number 1, is not merely an instrument of time; it is a jewel, a mechanical marvel, and a testament to centuries-old watchmaking savoir-faire, poised to captivate the most discerning collector.