Review Blancpain Villeret Quantième Complet

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In March 2020, Blancpain launched two new blue dials in the Villeret Collection. The Blancpain Villeret Quantième Complet comes with a complete calendar and a moon phase in a beautiful sunburst blue background and case in red gold.

My first encounter with Blancpain took place many, many years ago. At the beginning of ‘2000s, the information was scarce and Internet poor. Especially for a young man from the Eastern block (in a city where the very few watch shops had Tissot as the luxury brand). The first watch I have seen was a two hands white dial Villeret. At that moment, I could count on one hand’s fingers the number of dress watches I knew ( I didn’t even knew the concept, but you get the idea). Maybe this is why the Villeret Collection remained for me as one of the most beautiful and stylish collections. Even now, I am still in love with this elegant lines.

Blancpain Villeret Quantième Complet

The Quantième Complet is an established variant in the Villeret Collection. This year bring only the dial variation in blue. This does not diminish the importance or the beauty of this complete calendar. The sunburst dial is a bit tricky to photograph, especially since I had issue controlling the ambient light during the shooting. That is why the dial appears a bit darker and sometimes with a shade of petrol blue.

The Villeret case

The case of the Villeret collection is highlighted by beautiful lines elegantly combined. The convex case body measures 40mm, a very neutral size – at the edge of classic dress watches and modern timepieces. Manufactured in red gold, the entire watch has a thickness of 10.94mm. That means an excellent balanced and comfortable position on the wrist. The lugs with straight sides remind me of the neoclassic architectural style with eloquent simplicity.

The right side is reserved for the subtle crown with embossed logo. The crown is very small and delicate but offers an unexpected good grip. The signature double circles bezel encloses a slightly raised sapphire crystal. The overall polish is well executed. Even the straight inner bezel is mirror polished, creating nice reflections from the beautiful appliques.

Superb blue dial

Villeret‘s collection details are visible in full on the dial of the Quantième Complet. The gorgeous dark blue sunburst layout is split between the functions. The outer areal is dedicated to the time reading with applied gold Roman numerals. The time is indicated by skeletonised leaf hour and minute hands. The central second’s hand with a very slender design is counterbalanced by the Blancpain logo.

The date is displayed with the help of a central hand barely touching a date circular register. The dial’s centre is balanced between the day and month apertures on top and the moon phase complication on the bottom.

The hands hoovering the dial create nice shadows on the blue surface. The dial’s legibility is excellent. For those unfamiliar with four central hands, the accommodation period should be short. The lack of luminescent material is expected and desirable on this kind of watch.

Slim automatic movement

Blancpain Villeret Quantième Complet is put into motion by the Calibre 6654. At only 5.5mm thickness and a diameter of 32 mm, the movement packs a complete calendar with moon phase and an impressive 72 hours of power reserve.

The movement is beautiful decorated but the engraved gold rotor steals the show by far.

But the most important feature of this calibre and a very useful implementation in the Quantième Complet line is the ease of set and manipulation of the calendar function. First, the calendar functions are secured in the way the wearer is safe from damaging the calendar due to manipulation at the “wrong” moments in time (usually between 10 pm to 2 am). Secondly, all the annoying pushers placed on the case body are removed. If you have a look at the movement pictures above, you can notice the presence of the 4 pushers. These are hidden on the exterior of the watch behind the lugs. Please have a closer look at the picture below, focusing on the lugs – there you will observe the smart mechanically and visually elegant implementation of the calendars actuators.

More pictures of the movement can be seen in the gallery at the end of the article.

Final conclusions

Blancpain Villeret Quantième Complet is one of those very practical and beautiful watches. First of all, it looks amazing. The dial is simply mesmerizing in any light and under the sun it has a superb glaze. Secondly, the extensive power reserve makes it a great watch to be worn in rotation. And in the situation it needs to be set and wind, there is no problem, since the risk of breaking it due to mishandling is reduced.

I find complete calendars practical in daily life. Of course, the perpetual ones are attractive, but also are more sensible and need special care (and even a visit to watchmakers in case of mishandling or overset). Blancpain‘s Villeret Quantième Complet proposal is a robust and elegant watch.