Of watches and whisky

Blancpain enthuasiasts were treated to an evening of craft at the Marina Bay Sands flagship boutique as they immersed in the art of blending with Chivas Regal whisky.

Invited guests who stepped into the flagship Blancpain boutique at Marina Bay Sands on 19 November were greeted by an intriguing sight. Other than the exquisite Villeret collection on display, were specially set up tables holding glassware and whisky components for them to experiment and bottle their own blended malt. As observed by Emmy Tellier, Blancpain’s vice president - Southeast Asia, there is a combination of precise know-how when it comes to watchmaking and whisky making.

While creative canapés from Tim Meijers Fine Catering Services were passed around, guests mingled over bites of roasted pigeon breast and seabass ceviche topped with Oscietra caviar as they admired the sleek lines of the latest timepieces.

In 1735, Blancpain got its start in the village of Villeret, and the namesake collection pays homage to these roots with elegance and tradition.

After a short welcome speech from Tellier, who shared the vision of Blancpain’s savoir fare and partnerships with renowned chefs, it was time for Chivas Regal brand ambassador Matthew Parry to guide the eager participants on how to achieve their own balance of floral, fruity, smoky, citrus and creamy whisky components through blending. Everyone went home with a Blancpain gift, bottle of their own creation and a Chivas Regal miniature collectible as the evening ended on a spirited note.

The new Villeret GMT Date model is a dedication to the GMT complication, enabling the simultaneous indication of two time zones. For stylish globetrotters, the timepiece is as functional as it is exquisite, endowed with the brand’s latest technical developments. The transparent sapphire crystal caseback reveals a côtes de Genève motif on the bridges and a honeycomb pattern embellishing the gold oscillating weight. It is available in 18K red gold with opaline dial or steel version with white dial, both available with an alligator strap or metal bracelet.

The Villeret Extra-plate revisits a classic, putting the emphasis on elegance and discretion. The Villeret style is distinguished by a delicately rounded double-stepped bezel, a luminous dial, stylish hands meticulously crafted in the shape of cut-out sage leaves, applied Roman numeral hour-markers crafted in gold and a delightfully slim case. This timepiece is available with a red gold or steel case, on an alligator strap or a mille mailles mesh-type bracelet corresponding to the case material, marking four new products in the iconic Villeret collection.