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Blancpain Carrousel Volant Tourbillon commemorates Chinese history
The Forbidden City of Beijing is the home of the Palace Museum which is something of a mecca for art and international culture. In this museum, you will find a highly impressive collection of national treasures. A great honor of representing contemporary watchmaking art in the Palace Museum has been bestowed upon Blancpain. This is the world's oldest watch brand and it is only apt that the privilege of showcasing the first and only modern wristwatch should be Blancpain's. Blancpain knows what an honor this is and has developed a unique, one of a kind version of its Carrousel Volant Une Minute. This was revealed in an official donation ceremony held at the Palace Museum. Blancpain Qiankun Carrousel technical details according to the press are : "Blancpain has created a one-of-a-kind version of its remarkable karussel watch, christened the Blancpain Qiankun Carrousel. This collection wristwatch is crafted from 18-carat white gold. Its half-open worked opaline dial depicts the "Yin and Yang" symbol and reveals the noble, restrained architecture of the entirely hand-decorated movement. The partially hollowed hour and minute hands are dagger-shaped, while a round dial opening at 12 o'clock highlights the stunning intricacy of the karussel.The back of the 43.5 mm-diameter case is inscribed with the words "The Palace Museum" and "Pièce Unique". Through the sapphire crystal, one may admire the oscillating weight specially designed for this model and bearing the inscriptions "1735", and the names "Qianlong" and "Blancpain". These inscriptions commemorate a striking coincidence in the history of Blancpain and that of the Forbidden City: 1735, the date Blancpain was founded, also witnessed the coronation of the Chinese emperor Qianlong. At the centre of the oscillating weight, the exquisitely and accurately drawn depiction of the Forbidden City serves as an eloquent reminder of the inseparable tie between this exceptional watch and the showcase in which it will now shine.The Carrousel Volant Une Minute by Blancpain is a vivid reflection of the innovative strength and pioneering spirit of the Manufacture in Le Brassus.
While similar to the tourbillon in terms of its capacity to reduce the effects of gravity on the rate of the watch movement, the karussel had sunk into oblivion for almost a century, until the Blancpain master-watchmakers revealed its potential by entirely rethinking its conception. Blancpain has achieved the impressive feat of miniaturising this mechanism to the size of a wristwatch and conceived the world's only flying karussel to perform a complete rotation in exactly 60 seconds. The technical refinement and the eminent complexity of this masterly watch naturally predestined it for a glorious fate." Blancpain is certainly deserving of the honor of being showcased in the Palace Museum.
by kim, on November 12, 2008 - 7:57 AM in Watches | Comments () -
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