Blancpain The history of the firm began in 1735, when Jehan Jacques Blancpain began making watches on his family farm in the village of Villeret, in the Swiss Jura. At first, Blancpain made only parts for watches, as was commonly the case in the Jura at the time, but production was extended to include the making of pocket watches, which were created from beginning to end. Jehan Jacques Blancpain had a son, David-Louis, who decided to take his father's business a step further, selling the watches in nearby towns. As soon as a number of watches were ready, David-Louis harnessed the horses, and prepared to deliver them to their destinations, across the border. Although in those troubled times, the French Revolution had disrupted commerce and made travel difficult, David-Louis Blancpain nevertheless succeeded in extending the fabrication and the sale of his products throughout all of Europe. By 1815, what had begun as a family cottage industry had evolved into a small firm, called "Blancpain".The following dates mark important steps in Blancpain's history : In 1926, John Harwood, the inventor of the first serially-produced automatic watch, entrusted its finishing to the Blancpain company. This watch was destined for the French market. Blancpain made horological history again in 1931, with the famous "Rolls" watch. This was an automatic, rectangular watch, which the firm produced for Léon Hatot, the well-known jeweler and inventor of Paris' Rue Royale. Another milestone came in 1953, with the diving watch "Fifty Fathoms", which was water-resistant to 200 meters. It was worn by the famous oceanographer Jacques-Yves Cousteau and his team, during the filming of the documentary "Le Monde du Silence", which was awarded the "Palme d'Or" at the 1956 Cannes Festival. In 1956, Blancpain produced the smallest round watch ever made until then. Today, the firm continues the tradition for fine watchmaking in its premises in Le Brassus, in the Vallée de Joux, placing the accent on craftsmanship and tradition. Every Blancpain watchcase is carved from a solid metal block, and is meticulously shaped and finished. From inital shaping to final buffin, a Blancpain watchcase requires no less than 31 separate operations. The firm employs the most modern techniques, as well. It would have been simply impossible to fit the 740 pieces of the "1735" watch movement into the case's 8 cubic centimeters without computerized assistance.