2001 Blancpain Ultra-Thin Chronometer

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 mechanical watch-making. As a direct 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.” Indeed, much of the 11 years of their leadership was spent developing the company’s “six masterpieces”, a collection of classically designed 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 (now the Swatch Group) for nearly 3,000 times what the two had originally paid.

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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 a limited production series in the early 2000s that sat somewhere in the middle. The latter was none other than the now revered 7002. These were 36mm ultra-thin watches, primarily encased in stainless steel, with a variety of dials, and specially fitted with the company’s only C.O.S.C certified movement at the time. Much has been written by Walt Odet and others about the finishing and quality of the hand-wound caliber 64-1, which is based on the Peseux 7001.

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It is estimated that fewer than 1,000 pieces of this Blancpain model were ever created. Time-only examples in black and white with Breguet-style Roman numerals seem to be the most sought after, and yet the market hasn’t quite caught up to just how special these watches are. With a seamless blending of dress and sport, the 7002 in all its variations represents an incredible value proposition and is the perfect entry into neo-vintage Blancpain where movement quality and attention to detail were very much the center of their offerings.