As a pre-Baselworld 2014 announcement Blancpain will release a lovely new dress watch simply called the Villeret that we feel fits into that rare category of a daily-wear formal timepiece. Watches that work as regular daily wear watches must successfully combine versatile style, convenience, comfort, and of course utility. Most of these timepieces tend to be sport watches, and dress watches such as the Rolex Datejust or President that are good for daily wear are a bit less common. So why is the attractive 2014 Villeret a good choice for daily use?

First of all, the watch starts with a new for 2014 Blancpain movement called the Caliber 1335. This builds on top of the caliber 1315, which Blancpain uses in most of its three-hand movement-based timepieces. We recently presented a hands-on review of the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms that uses a caliber 1315, which is an automatic with five days of power reserve. Blancpain hasn’t offered a ton of details about the 1335 yet, but from what I can tell it is more or less the same movement with an upgraded power reserve. That five days has now been upgraded to a total of eight days. That takes it to a new level adding over a week’s worth of power reserve total. That is on top of being and automatic with the time and date.

At 42mm wide the Villeret will be offered in 18k red gold in a relatively slim case. What’s more is that the dial is entirely done in Grand Feu enamel. Enameled dials are more exclusive and look batter than lacquered dials – which is the more affordable means of offering a similar style in most other watches. Enamel dials must be individually baked at a high temperature, which sets the color permanently. Enamel dials tend to be very attractive, and on a piece such as the Villeret, that is really what you want to see on you wrist each day associated with a name like Blancpain.

The dial is elegant and simple. While not to everyone’s taste it is pure Blancpain elegance when one considers their more formal type of timepieces. The traditional leaf-style hands in gold bring it all together for a look that I think has a lot of appeal for those looking for a general purpose dress watch with a degree of brand-name actual watch maker prestige.

Matched to the Blancpain Villeret case is a brown alligator strap. One could just as easily wear the watch with a black strap in order to make it more fashionably versatile. At this early time it is unclear what other versions of the 2014 Villeret Blancpain has in mind to release this year. Overall with a conservative handsome design, Blancpain DNA, and wonderfully long lasting in-house made movement with convenient features, this is a good move for the brand this year. blancpain.com