2023 Jacques Bianchi JB200 Poulpro Blue Limited 42.5mm
Ref: JB200 Poulpro
Specification
Lugs : 20mm
Condition : Pre-Owned
Box & Papers : Box & Papers
Case Material : Stainless Steel
Warranty : Manufacturers Warranty
Points of Mention
This watch is sold with its original Jacques Bianchi case, travel pouch and paperwork. The watch comes paired with its quick-release 20mm blue Tropic-style rubber strap and steel pin buckle plus a white 20mm fabric strap. The watch is from December 2023 and is sold in worn condition but overall it is in very fair condition, as you can see and comes with its Manufacturer's Warranty.
For more photos see here - https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/12ztmqyKhwzyVcfz0oWwBbLfSN-I20tDV?usp=drive_link
4K YouTube video, skip to 21:44 - https://youtu.be/vKdh1JEIEGU
The Watch
Here we have a 2023 Jacques Bianchi JB200 Poulpro Blue Limited No.0028 with its distinctive angled geometric shaped 42.5mm brushed and polished 316L stainless steel case that curves over your wrist with thick tapered lugs. Part of their JBM Collectibles collection, it pays tribute to their 1980s JB 200, a watch issued to French Navy helicopter divers. A lug-to-lug length of 46mm and a case thickness of 12mm give the watch an impressive wrist presence. On the left, we have the signed screw-down "Destro" crown with deep knurling for grip and protection by the crown guards, which are part of the case for added strength. The stainless steel unidirectional 60-click bezel has a blue 60-minute insert coated in Super-LumiNova and deep knurling for extra grip, holding a sapphire crystal above a striking blue dial with the iconic Octopus silhouette logo in the centre, the highly intelligent Octopus can be found all over Marseille in its art, food and culture, in ancient times it was called “póulpro”. A minute track surrounds disc and baton indexes coated in Super-LumiNova marking the hours; at 6 o’clock, a framed date window, baton hour and arrow minute hand are coated in Super-LumiNova and complemented by a sweeping second hand; at 6 o’clock, we have the Jacques Bianchi Marseille motif completing this vintage-inspired versatile sports, dive tool watch. On the reverse, a screw-down case back with the details of the watch around its edge, the Octopus logo and dual branded Jacques Bianchi and MAT Watches (Mer-ar-terre) engraved in the centre, inside a Swiss automatic Soprod Cal. P024, 25 jewels, beating at 28,800 beats per hour; this quality movement is based on the ETA 2824-2. The watch comes paired with its quick-release 20mm blue Tropic-style rubber strap and steel pin buckle plus a 20mm white fabric strap and comes with its original Jacques Bianchi case, travel pouch and paperwork.
Personal Note
This left-handed Jacques Bianchi JB200 Poulpro Blue Limited Edition featuring a wonderful illustration of an octopus is brilliant, especially on the wrist as the dimensions work beautifully, only elevated by the blue tone used and the comfortable tropic rubber strap. If you have been after a dive watch that stands out from the crowd and adds a real talking point, this is the one for you!
The Brand
Jacques Bianchi, a renowned watchmaker, operates a workshop facing the Old Port (Vieux Port) in Marseille, France. He is an accredited repairer for several prestigious brands, such as Longines, Breitling, Jaeger-LeCoultre, and Rolex. Additionally, he became a distributor of Aquastar watches and provided repair and regulation services for the dive watches worn by COMEX professional divers. In 1982, drawing on his expertise in dive watches, Bianchi decided to launch his own watch brand, Jacques Bianchi Marseille. His passion for creating a waterproof dive watch led him to collaborate with Jean-Jacques Cousteau and Jacques Mayol. With their assistance, he developed the JB 200, featuring a distinctive diver logo on the dial, a "Destro" (Italian for right, to be worn on the right wrist, with the crown at 9 o'clock) case shape, and a 200m water resistance. The JB 200 became a favourite of the French Navy. In 2021, Bianchi partnered with Fabrice Pougez, the CEO of MAT Watches, a French watch brand, to relaunch the JB200 on Kickstarter.