Blancpain Sponsors the 2007 Peking to Paris Rally

The Peking to Paris classic car rally is the most grueling on earth. Run for the first time in 1907 when it was won by Prince Borghese, the Peking to Paris 2007 edition is only the third competition in the century that has passed. Its 5000 plus mile course is guaranteed to subject the 260 drivers and their 130 vintage automobiles to the most demanding of automobile marathon tests.

The rally departs from the Great Wall of China, passes Mongolia, the Steppes of Asia, Siberia, Moscow and on to Paris.

Blancpain is honoured to be selected as the sole sponsor of the rally. Not only will each of the entrant cars bear the Blancpain logo, but after the triumphant finishers roll into the Place Vendôme in Paris after more than a month on the road, Blancpain will offer a “true grit” award of a special Blancpain watch to both of the drivers of the winning team.

To further cement the bond between the world’s oldest watch company and this venerable rally, Blancpain has conceived a special limited edition Peking to Paris Rally watch based upon the Léman Chronographe Flyback Grande Date. Limited to but 260 examples in stainless steel (two series of 130 watches), the Peking to Paris Rally Edition fully demonstrates Blancpain’s chronograph savoir-faire.

Housed with its 40mm stainless steel case is Blancpain’s thoroughly classic two buttons chronograph movement. Crafted entirely by hand by Blancpain’s watchmakers in the Vallée de Joux, it features an unmatched combination of design elements, including column wheel control of the chronograph (to ensure supple action of the chronograph buttons), vertical clutch actuation of the chronograph itself (producing an unrivaled smooth jump free starting and stopping of the chronograph seconds hand) and a flyback feature (allowing instant stopping of the chronograph, return to zero and restart, all with the push of one button). In addition to the chronograph itself, these special edition watches are equipped with Blancpain’s exclusive big date feature that not only increases legibility over standard size date displays, but changes instantly at midnight. Each of the movement’s 382 parts is hand polished and finished by Blancpain’s watchmakers.

Further distinguishing these limited edition timepieces are special decorative touches. Visible through the sapphire case-back, the solid gold winding rotor of the watch is embossed to commemorate the 2007 edition of Peking to Paris with the rally’s logo. The colors of Peking to Paris are yellow and red which is reflected in the dials and straps. Half of the watches feature red highlights on the dial and red stitching on the straps; the other half offer a yellow theme on the dial and strap stitching. A final finishing touch is a stainless steel deployant buckle.

Offered first to the participants of Peking to Paris and then to participants of two other major vintage automobile rallies sponsored by Blancpain this year, the California Mille Miglia and the Kitzbühel Alpine Rally, these coveted limited edition timepieces are highly rare and destined to be sought after.