Villeret Tourbillon Volant Heure Sautante Minute Rétrograde

Blancpain was the first watchmaker to put a flying tourbillon into a wristwatch, in 1989. Three decades later, the Villeret Flying Tourbillon Jumping Hours Retrograde Minutes watch adds a new level of transparency by replacing the lower bridge with a sapphire disc so that the tourbillon cage, balance wheel and escapement appear to float above the tourbillon's fixed wheel. Additionally, this is the first Blancpain wristwatch to have jumping hours and retrograde minutes complications. A power-reserve indicator features on the reverse side. The Grand Feu enamel dial is crafted using the traditional champlevé technique, whereby the enameller first sculpts hollows into the gold base of the dial. Successive layers of enamel are then hand-painted onto this base, with each new layer fired at 800°C. The case is made from red gold, complemented by a 20-piece limited and numbered edition in platinum.