Blancarré is a new independent watch brand, born in the Swiss Jura last May and founded in Délémont by Nicolas Mertenat, a watch designer from the Jura based in Geneva. At 53, Nicolas Mertenat decided to leave his position at a major watchmaking brand to embark on an adventure, helped by his brother to develop the company.
After more than twenty years of collaborations with major Parisian and Swiss brands, Nicolas Mertenat launched his own design label.
Blancarré's open, free, and refined universe goes far beyond a simple watch brand. This independent creative space offers a different perspective on the watchmaking world and showcases the founder's experience and personal vision. Blancarré is a family affair, a passion, and a personal achievement.
The founder and designer is passionate about contemporary art and it is no coincidence that he decided to name his company, or rather his creative label, Blancarré.
Blancarré refers to the neutral, white space made available to artists to exhibit their creations in trade shows. With extensive experience working for major Parisian and Swiss brands, Nicolas Mertenat describes Blancarré as a culmination of his work. It's the work of a man who designs and creates the watch he would like to wear. Breaking away from conventional watchmaking, breaking away from a known aesthetic, breaking away from traditional distribution methods. Working with his brother, Claude, Nicolas Mertenat surrounds himself with the best craftsmen and watchmakers in the Swiss Jura region to create the collection he has always dreamed of, without any compromise. Where others would have given up for commercial reasons and/or technical complexities, Nicolas Mertenat stays the course. "The desire to make watches my way, differently," he explains...
With Blancarré, he created a label that stood out from the rest. A label that broke with his own trajectory, bringing a different perspective to the watchmaking world and showcasing his experience and personal vision. It also broke with aesthetics, creating what others rarely do, a simple and refined shape: the square, inspired by minimal art and its cubic sculptures.
The result is the creation of a first, highly structured collection of six square watches, with balanced lines, flat surfaces and very sharp angles.
The watch is square, that's obvious. Its unique aesthetic is inspired by minimal art and its cubic sculptures. It is designed like architecture, fitting together like a puzzle. Simple and refined in appearance, its creation is complex and demands high-quality finishes: very sharp angles, flat surfaces, perfect lines, singular finishes. The materials are noble and contemporary: titanium, ceramic, and rubber. Blancarré collection is the result of exceptional know-how and skills, which have one origin: the Swiss Jura. More than 85% of the watch is made in this region, in partnership with the best craftsmen and watchmakers. Blancarré's first collection, equipped with a self-winding mechanical movement with hours-minutes-seconds, with a large date module and a 2ème time zone, is made up of 6 numbered models.
Combining noble and contemporary materials, such as titanium, ceramic and rubber, these numbered models are equipped with a self-winding mechanical movement, displaying the hours, minutes, seconds, large date and second time zone functions. Already available for sale, they do not follow traditional sales channels. In the digital age and in an unprecedented way, the Blancarré virtual store allows its visitors to discover watches and purchase them online, accompanied in their process by a guide. At the same time, and in order to personalize contact with its customers, Blancarré will set up pop-up stores to discover and try on watches.
Carine Loeillet
The first Blancarré collection has six variations:
– White Square:
Matte black DLC titanium case (Grade 5)
Dimensions: 37mm x 37mm
Logo engraved under the ice
Sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment
Back with sapphire crystal
Polished white ceramic bezel
Matte black dial
Hands and hour markers coated with photoluminescent pigments
Mechanical movement with automatic winding
Power reserve of around 40 hours
Function: hours, minutes, seconds, large date, second time zone at 6 o'clock
Black rubber strap, matte black DLC titanium pin buckle
Waterproof to 50 meters.
– Solid Black:
Matte black DLC titanium case (Grade 5)
Dimensions: 37mm x 37mm
Logo engraved under the ice
Sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment
Back with sapphire crystal
Polished black ceramic bezel
Matte black dial
Hands and hour markers coated with photoluminescent pigments
Automatic mechanical movement
Power reserve of around 40 hours
Functions: hours, minutes, seconds, large date, second time zone at 6 o'clock
Black rubber strap, matte black DLC titanium pin buckle
Waterproof to 50 meters
– Solid Black Matt:
Matte black DLC titanium case (Grade 5)
Dimensions: 37mm x 37mm
Logo engraved under the ice
Sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment
Back with sapphire crystal
Matte black ceramic bezel
Matte black dial
Hands and hour markers coated with photoluminescent pigments
Automatic mechanical movement
Power reserve approximately 40 hours
Functions: hours, minutes, seconds, large date, second time zone at 6 o'clock
Black rubber strap, matte black DLC titanium pin buckle
Waterproof to 50 meters
– Titanium:
Matte titanium case (Grade 5)
Dimensions: 37mm x 37mm
Logo engraved under the ice
Sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment
Back with sapphire crystal
Matte titanium bezel (Grade 5)
Gray-black dial
Hands and hour markers coated with photoluminescent pigments
Black rubber strap, matte titanium pin buckle
Waterproof to 50 meters
Automatic mechanical movement
Power reserve of approximately 40 hours
Functions: hours, minutes, seconds, large date, second time zone at 6 o'clock.
– Black Titanium:
Matte black DLC titanium case (Grade 5)
Dimensions: 37mm x 37mm
Logo engraved under the ice
Sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment
Back with sapphire crystal
Matte titanium bezel (Grade 5)
Matte black dial
Hands and hour markers coated with photoluminescent pigments
Automatic mechanical movement
Power reserve of around 40 hours
Functions: hours, minutes, seconds, large date, second time zone at 6 o'clock
Black rubber strap, matte titanium pin buckle
Waterproof to 50 meters
– Black Square:
Matte titanium case (Grade 5)
Dimensions: 37mm x 37mm
Logo engraved under the ice
Sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment
Back with sapphire crystal
Matte black ceramic bezel
Gray-black dial
Hands and hour markers coated with photoluminescent pigments
Automatic mechanical movement
Power reserve of around 40 hours
Functions: hours, minutes, seconds, large date, second time zone at 6 o'clock
Black rubber strap, matte titanium pin buckle
Waterproof to 50 meters.
