Overview
In 1981, Jean-Claude Biver and Jacques Piguet purchased Blancpain and paved the way for a revival that re-established the brand as a powerhouse in traditional Swiss watch-making. In response to the Quartz Crisis, Biver and Piguet famously centered their efforts around the slogan: "Since 1735 there has never been a quartz Blancpain watch. And there never will be.” Much of the 11 years of their leadership was spent developing the company’s “six masterpieces”, a collection of watches that focused on discrete sizes and high complications. The move proved to be a massive success, and in 1992 Blancpain was sold to the SMH Group for nearly 3,000 times what the two had originally paid.
Shortly after the sale, Blancpain’s new leadership crafted the next evolution of its traditional watch-making with the sportier and slightly larger Léman line in 1994, as well as several limited production series in the late 1990s that sat somewhere in the middle. The headliner of that group was none other than the infamous 7002 with its C.O.S.C certified hand-wound movement. Around the same time, Blancpain also released an automatic version of the 7002 under the reference 1161. The two shared much of the same design language and sizing, and several of the same dial and case configurations. However the 1161 distinguished itself with the added practicality of a date window and a whopping 100-hour power reserve.
Offered here is an extremely rare and beautiful variant of the 1161 with a cream dial, Breguet numerals, and a platinum case. We speculate this watch was specially produced in very limited quantities, as few have surfaced over the years and the serial numbers of known examples are quite low (this one being 12). Both the cream dial and platinum case subtly elevate the watch's classic style and make for something truly remarkable. For collectors who revere the 7002, this scarce automatic counterpart should not be overlooked.
Specifications
Brand:
Blancpain
Model:
Ultra-Thin Platinum
Reference:
1161-3427-55
Year:
1990s
Case Number:
No. 12
Case Material:
Platinum
Diameter:
36 mm
Lug Width:
19 mm
Thickness:
8.8 mm
Lug-to-Lug:
40.4 mm
Dial:
Cream
Lume:
Tritium
Crystal:
Sapphire
Movement:
Automatic
Caliber:
Blancpain 1161
Bracelet/Strap:
Blancpain navy alligator strap with signed platinum tang buckle
Max Wrist Size:
Hand model has a wrist size of 6.2 in
Condition
Case: The platinum case shows light wear in the form of a few hairlines, faint scratches, and tiny nicks throughout. The case has seen a light polish, but the lugs remain thick and well-defined. The caseback is fairly clean with just a couple minor hairlines to the brushed finish, and some light wear to the back of the lugs. The brand and serial number engravings remain sharp and crisp. The hallmarks show some fading, but remain legible.
Dial, Hands, & Crystal: The cream dial and polished sword hands are in nice overall condition. There is a tiny stain at the edge of the dial near the 1 o'clock lume plot. The hands are original tritium-filled units and match the hour markers. Both glow briefly glow when exposed to UV light. The sapphire crystal is squeaky clean and scratch-free.
Bracelet/Strap: The Blancpain navy alligator strap is in fantastic condition with very little wear. The condition of the Blancpain-signed platinum buckle is consistent with the rest of the case. The brand and hallmark engravings remain crisp and detailed.
Performance
Functions: All functions including the crown winding, time setting, and quickset date are working as expected.
Service History: Unknown.
