jkingston
356
There is much more in Sentier
The Le Brassus "farm" is where complicated pieces and the engraving metier d'art are done. Interestingly, the "farm" building is actual an old mill, which has housed watchmaking since 1860 and was the workshop of Louis-Elysee Piguet who found Piguet which is now Manufacture Blancpain. One more historical tidbit. Many people overlook the fact that the Geneva watch houses depended upon the watchmakers in the Vallee de Joux to construct their complicated pieces. The very famous Graves complication sold under the name Patek Philippe was actually made by Piguet! Thus this famous watch was really a Blancpain.
But I digress.
Sentier is where the cnc machines etc are located. But there is much more there. The less complicated pieces are finished and assembled there as well. Also after sales service is in Sentier. Finally, there is an enormous team of movement designers there.
The combined staff in Le Brassus and Le Sentier for Blancpain is more than 800 persons.
Visitors are usually welcomed in Le Brassus rather than Le Sentier because the workshop there has a nice visitor conference room and it is easier to get around. The Le Sentier building is very complicated to navigate.
Jeff
My visit of the Blancpain Manufacture (Le Brassus)
Me and my 11 friends were lucky to visit the Blancpain Manufacture in Le Brassus (Vall de Joux, Switzerland) The 2 hours visit started with chamfering, decorations, cotes de Genve and so on. Cotes de Genve are made pieces by pieces on this machine Then...
I have been there - it's a wonderful place.
But naturally everybody visiting the "workshop" understands that it's just a showroom. Watches are manufactured elsewhere. Best, Kari
Not quite correct
Blancpain has two workshops in the Vallee de Joux. In this photo report, the visit is to the complicated workshop in Le Brassus. Yes, it may be visually impressive, but it is far more than a showplace. The complicated pieces are in fact made in this works...
I visited just today Blancpain Boutique in New Bond Street
And we by accident discussed also about "The Farm". Let's put it as follows: Each of us have the freedom to believe anything. I have visited The Farm and because of my past profession, I have visited hundreds of industrial companies in very many countries...
The Farm (T1,T2)
Blancpain produce ~25'000 watches a year. High end pieces, complications are assembled in "The Farm". 50 persons work in the Farm. In french we called these processes T1, T2. T0 is the part manufacturing (CNC, stamping machines, raw materials). T0 is in L...
There is much more in Sentier
The Le Brassus "farm" is where complicated pieces and the engraving metier d'art are done. Interestingly, the "farm" building is actual an old mill, which has housed watchmaking since 1860 and was the workshop of Louis-Elysee Piguet who found Piguet which...
interesting information
I find these types of topics very interesting because I doubt I will ever get a chance to see it for myself. Plus, knowing some of the details makes me feel closer to the brand. I do have a question. Regarding the comment about the Patek movement really b...
Frédéric Piguet becomes "Manufacture Blancpain"
Frédéric Piguet becomes "Manufacture Blancpain" Blancpain history
Jeff *must* have said this in joking... (some Piguet-ish backgound)
Piguet was a very common name in the french speaking part of Switzerland, and still is today. Furthermore, the old Piguet, any of the famous names, had nothing to do with the Blancpain watchmakers who resided in Villeret , close to La-Chaud-de-Fonts, some...