At the Swatch Art Peace Hotel Blancpain opens the doors of its second boutique in Shanghaï
As part of its celebration of the 275th year since its founding, Blancpain is opening its second boutique in Shanghai. This is the 37th Blancpain’s boutique world-wide. The new Blancpain boutique at The Swatch Art Peace Hotel may be located in China’s most bustling and modern city, yet the rich wood tones of the walls and farm house windows of the display cases breathe Switzerland and, indeed, are inspired by the finishes of the workshops and watchmaker work benches found in Blancpain’s atelier in Le Brassus.
With the opening of the Shanghai boutique, which joins twenty others located in Hong Kong, Macao, Blancpain has taken another important step in building its presence in China. As it has followed this path, Blancpain has been specially recognized and honored by the Chinese government. When the Forbidden City Museum in Beijing decided to enrichen its enormous collection of historic watches and clocks by adding just one modern timepiece for permanent display in the museum, the watch which was chosen was a Blancpain Carrousel.
The debut of the Shanghai Blancpain boutique comes in an important year for Blancpain. 2010 marks the 275th year since Jehan-Jacques Blancpain recorded his profession as “watchmaker” on the village rolls of Villeret. Rather than focusing on the past in this 275th anniversary year, Blancpain has used the occasion to emphasize its future. Unveiled for 2010 and on display for the opening of the Shanghai boutique are the full range of new timepieces that were featured during this year’s Basel fair. At the top of the pyramid there were two special timepieces showcasing Blancpain’s flying one minute carrousel. The first was a new grand complication, the Brassus Carrousel Répétition Minute; second the Carrousel Saphir, with its movement plates and bridges fashioned in sapphire. Next in line, there was the unveiling of an entirely new Villeret Collection, lead by a signature Blancpain complication, the complete calendar moon phase, for the first time offered with a full fired enamel dial.
Both the L-evolution and Sport Collections saw important debuts including an 8 day power reserve week of the year watch for L-evolution and a moon phase chronograph for the Fifty Fathoms. Finally, born out of its partnership with Lamborghini in the Super Trofeo racing series, Blancpain debuted a new limited edition Super Trofeo chronograph with a carbon fiber dial and case lugs.