Blancpain

Blancpain is a Swiss watchmaker headquartered in Paudex and Le Brassus. The brand dates its founding to 1735, when Jehan-Jacques Blancpain is said to have set up a workshop in Villeret, which makes it the oldest registered watch brand; historians have questioned whether the first generations were actually watchmakers. The modern company dates to 1983, when Jacques Piguet and Jean-Claude Biver bought the name, and it has belonged to the Swatch Group since 1992.

Blancpain is best known for the Fifty Fathoms dive watch, which it dates to 1953, though that claim is disputed. Its 1735 grand complication wristwatch followed in 1991. Today Blancpain designs, makes and sells luxury mechanical watches only. Marc Hayek, grandson of Swatch Group founder Nicolas Hayek, has run the company since 2002.