History
1735
Jehan-Jacques Blancpain registers himself as a watchmaker in the Villeret village records. He is the founder of the eponymous watch brand which will remain family-owned, handed down to his descendants, for almost 200 years.
1815
Frédéric-Louis Blancpain, grandson of Jehan-Jacques, upgrades the Villeret workshops. He modifies the watch escapement design and develops an ultra-thin construction.
1830
Frédéric-Emile Blancpain, son of Frédéric-Louis, renames the company Fabrique d’horlogerie Emile Blancpain and launches the construction of what will become the largest watch manufacturer in Villeret.
1859
Louis-Elysée Piguet opens his watchmaking workshop in Vallée de Joux. He transforms the old mill at Le Brassus, where the workshops for complicated watches and Blancpain Artistic Crafts are now located. His fame leads him to create complicated movements for prestigious brands in Geneva and elsewhere in Switzerland.
1932
Frédéric-Emile Blancpain, representing the 7th generation to be running the family business, dies and leaves the company to his long-term assistant Betty Fiechter. She becomes the first female CEO of a leading watchmaking company.
1950
Betty Fiechter co-manages Blancpain with her nephew Jean-Jacques Fiechter. They will work together for 20 years, until Betty retires.
1961
Blancpain becomes part of the Société Suisse pour l’Industrie Horlogère (SSIH), alongside Omega, Tissot and Lémania. Other than producing watches bearing its name, Blancpain becomes the centre for production of movements for the SSIH group.
1982
Jacques Piguet, heir to the family business created by Louis-Elysée Piguet, buys Blancpain, which becomes the watchmaking manufacturer linked to Frédéric Piguet's watchmaking movements. Then in 1983, Blancpain becomes a subsidiary and Jacques Piguet hires Jean-Claude Biver as vice-chairman of Blancpain's executive committee. Frédéric Piguet and Blancpain will be managed through joint ownership until the official merger in 2010.
1992
Jacques Piguet agrees to sell Blancpain and Frédéric Piguet to the SMH (Swiss Corporation for Microelectronics and Watchmaking Industries) which will later on become the Swatch Group.
2002
Marc A. Hayek becomes the president and CEO of Blancpain.
2010
Frédéric Piguet is absorbed within the Blancpain manufacture.
2022
Simon & Membrez is absorbed within the Blancpain manufacture.