Bill Blass
Item no. 40404

Discontinued

Power Reserve Automatic

Bill Blass Men's Watch, Power Reserve Automatic, Black Strap- 18k Gold Bezel See more

$1,350.00

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Overview
Features

Bill Blass Story

Since 1970 Bill Blass has helped women live beautifully through easy, American style designed in New York City.

Today, Bill Blass creates shoes with that same spirit in mind – accessible New York City style for the world.

Feel great all day – and night – in Bill Blass.

William Ralph Blass established his eponymous Bill Blass fashion house in 1970 with the philosophy to bring New York City style to the rest of the world. Over the course of his career, Blass established himself as one of the most internationally recognized American designers of his time, whose designs arose from a dialogue between him and the American woman. Bill Blass was a style innovator whose work left an indelible mark on the fashion world. From sharp tailoring to accessories, perfume, and a multitude of branded product lines, the Bill Blass name remains an esteemed part of American fashion history.

His legacy carries on through the new Bill Blass team who craft a new sprit focused on the modern consumer. While echoing the founder’s vision, this new direction springs forth a modern assortment with unexpected flair.

Bill Blass Story

BILL BLASS

An American Classic

SOME BUILD A WATCH. WE BUILT A LEGACY

Bill Blass was born in Fort Wayne, Indiana. He was the American designer who helped define the relaxed, pared-down elegance that would characterize American fashion in the late 20th century.
Without formal training, Mr. Blass would send his sketches as a teenager in Indiana to the New York fashion houses for ₵.32 a sketch.
In 1942 Blass enlisted in the army. He was assigned to the 603rd Camouflage Battalion with a group of writers, artists, sound engineers, theater technicians, and other creative professionals. Their mission was to fool the German Army into believing the Allies were positioned in fake locations. They did this by using recordings, dummy tanks, and other false materials.
Blass began his New York fashion career in 1946. By 1998, his company had grown to a $700-million-a-year business.
Blass’ designs are best known for being wearable. In a time when other designers were designing clothes which were known more for being a work of art, Blass was designing clothing which even everyday women could wear day or night. As Blass himself would say “The role of clothes is to give yourself pleasure”.
His designs were described by the fashion industry as “The essence of American fashion and sophistication”. When asked what was the “Signature Blass-look” he replied;
“Classy, Timeless & Clean-cut”.
The A-List of people who’ve worn Blass runs the gamut of Nancy Reagen, Nancy Kissinger Barbara Streisand to Eva Mendez, Ann Hathaway & Katherine Heigel among others.
Blass also was an avid watch collector: His private collection included Napoleon’s pocket watch and an original Cartier tank watch.
Upon his passing, a collection of timepieces was created to memorialize this American Legend. Influenced by the elements of the classic Blass designs married with uncompromising quality, the collection draws on the Blass heritage in many ways. The “Double B” Blass logo is an integral design element. Blass’s favorite fabric patterns, such as herringbone or pinstripe, are incorporated in textural motifs. Only the finest materials, high-end Swiss movements and precision technology were utilized in the production of these unique timepieces.

Bill Blass Movements

ETA SA

ETA SA Manufacture Horlogère Suisse is a Swiss producer of mechanical and quartz watch movements. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Swatch Group. ETA is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of watches and movements. In 1998, SMH Swiss Corporation for Microelectronics and Watchmaking Industries Ltd, founded in 1983 through the merger Swiss watchmakers ASUAG and SSIH, was renamed the Swatch Group.
In recent years there has been an increased interest in mechanical watches. ETA supplies the overwhelming majority of mechanical watch movements found in Swiss watches. As such, the ETA movements are considered the workhorses on the industry.
Other than a select few Swiss watchmakers who manufacture their own movements, most Swiss brands utilize ETA movements.
ETA movements can be found in high end timepiece collections as Omega and similar high quality lines.

Soprod SA

Soprod is part of the Festina Industrial Group, whose companies specialize in the production of key components used in the manufacture of mechanical and quartz movements.
The mechanical movements feature Swiss-made escapements developed by group subsidiary MHVJ.
One of the group’s credos is that its products should bear the ‘Swiss-made’ designation.
Headquartered in Sion in the canton of Valais, the company utilizes ETA movements as a base and builds highly complicated movements for the more sophisticated watch lines. They are a very sought after movement in the horological world. The movements by itself are admired as almost art-like.

ISASWISS

ISASWISS began producing watch movements in the 50’s under the name : FABRIQUE D’EBAUCHES de SONCEBOZ, which made mechanical watch movements.

In 2006 ISASWISS decided to stop producing large quantities of lower end movements. The group renamed to ISASWISS WATCH MECHANISMS and ISASWISS refocuses its activity on the production of complicated quartz movements with high value added and possibilities of customization.

RONDA

RONDA has played a pioneering role in the watch market since being founded by William Mosset in 1946. Their quartz movements are utilized in watches all over the world and have done so for over 30 years.

France Ebauches

FE, France Ebauches is a competitor with ETA and Ronda and is found in quality Swiss brand timepieces.

“SWISS MADE”

Defined by Law

“Swiss Movement”
A watch may bear the mark: “Swiss Movement” is considered Swiss if:

• The movement has been assembled in Switzerland.
• The movement has been inspected by the manufacturer in Switzerland.
• The components of Swiss manufacture account for at least 50 percent of the total value.

If the movement fulfills these conditions, but the watch is not assembled in Switzerland, the
“Swiss” indication may be affixed to one of the components of the movement. On the outside of the watch may only appear the “mouvement suisse” or “Swiss movement” indication.

“Swiss Made”
A watch may bear the mark: “SWISS MADE” according to the Swiss law if:

• Its movement is Swiss.
• Its movement is cased up in Switzerland.
• The manufacturer carries out the final inspection in Switzerland

If a watch movement is intended for export and will not be cased-up in Switzerland, but it otherwise meets the criteria to be considered a Swiss movement, the watch may say “Swiss Movement” but it may not say Swiss Made on the watch case or dial.

All Bill Blass Timepieces are certified “Swiss Made”

Packaging

In the spirit and fashion sense of the Blass name, a unique package was designed to house this prestigious collection. Elegant and sophisticated with swept back gull-wing doors accented with embossed Blass double-B logo on top and hand applied metal double-B logos in front.
A presentation worthy of the name.