It is time for another stunning ladies’ timepiece from Blancpain named Blancpain Jour Nuit (Day Night). This feminine timekeeping companion is powered with an exclusive in-house manufactured caliber 1163 that incorporates two retrograde indications.
This impeccable movement is based upon the caliber 1150, but it is a little bit larger. The mechanism is nicely finished and decorated. The winding rotor decorated with the motif of the sun, the moon and the stars in the firmament has been enlarged to enhance the view of the complex movement through the sapphire case back. The movement is built on 47 rubies.
The new Blancpain is housed in an 18-karat red gold case which measures 40mm in diameter and less than 12mm in thickness. The elegant case boasts a stunning bezel which is set with two spiral shaped rows of 140 diamonds. The stepped bezel rounds a gorgeous mother of pearl dial which is divided into three parts on four levels. The differences in height between them creates an impression of great depth.
The Day Night disk turns twice a day. Each rotational change takes place over for about 4 minutes, as the decoration presents itself, thus offering the discovery of all of the details of the day and the night.
The hand-crafted dial comprises the moon, created from 50 diamonds, and the sun, fashioned from 50 yellow sapphires. Furthermore, several yellow colored mother of pearl dots, as well as 14 diamonds of the dial represent the stars.
As I have already mentioned, this novelty boasts two retrograde indications (seconds and hours) which are combined with the minute hand. The minute is displayed with a regulator hand which continuously sweeps over its circle of rotation. When it completes its 60 minute march, the seconds hand is retrograding, which is to say that it has progressed along its arc and returns instantaneously to its point of departure. Similarly, the hour hand retrogrades twice per day, of course, in synch with the minute hand.
Blancpain Jour Nuit (ref. 3740-3744-58B) is attached to an ostrich leather strap which, I must say, looks amazing. Less amazing is the retail price of the watch – $51,500, but for those of you with deeper pockets, it could be a perfect choice.