What We Know
In 1932, a 36-year-old woman took a massive gamble early in her career at Blancpain. Betty Fiechter, who had worked for the brand since she was 16, faced a dilemma after the sudden death of the brand’s owner, Frederic-Emile Blancpain. Together with commercial director Andre Leal, she helped secure loans to buy the company, even navigating the need to rename the manufacture because the Swiss government prevented anyone but someone with that name from using Blancpain. Fiechter would eventually mentor her nephew, Jean-Jacques Fiechter, and together they would inaugurate two of the brand’s most successful icons: the Fifty Fathoms and the Ladybird.
The original Ladybird Bullet
The launch of the Ladybird in 1956 was a big deal, not just because a woman led a manufacturer in an era when women couldn’t even vote in Switzerland. Inside the original Ladybird “Bullet” was the R55, the smallest round mechanical movement, and one with extra durability, with a fifth wheel to limit the force on the escapement and a shock protector on the balance wheel. It remains the smallest round mechanical movement to this day.
To honor that watch, Fiechter, and the 70th anniversary of the Ladybird, Blancpain is releasing a new Lady B (for bullet, I’m sure, but also Betty and, according to the brand, bijou or “jewel”) with very tiny dimensions. The watch measures a tiny 19mm by 13.2mm in either stainless steel or 18k red gold, with a total volume of only 2.9 cm³. Despite its size, it has 30m water resistance and houses an automatic caliber.
The Blancpain Lady B is meant to be worn on a double-wrapped strap that measures only 10mm wide (a variety of colors are available, but I liked the burgundy below). That’s even more interesting because the watch doesn’t have lugs. Instead, the strap passes through the case, requiring a thin 1.6mm calfskin, and the inside of that pass-through is micro-blasted so the leather slides through more easily. The edges and knurling are hand-finished to reduce any sharp edges.
The dial is finished in opaline and limited to just the essentials. The watch shows hours and minutes—an obvious choice as anything else on such a tiny dial would be a bit much. The indices are applied and, like the hands, made out of either red gold or grey gold to match the case color.
Yes, the Lady B is a bit larger than the original watch, but the original was also manually wound. This seems like an obvious improvement. The Blancpain caliber 615 inside the case has been used on past watches from the brand. It measures 15.7mm by 3.9mm, runs at 3 Hz, and features a silicium balance spring and a 38-hour power reserve. Of course, its small size and pass-through strap mean it has no display caseback. The new Lady B is now available for sale at a retail price of $12,600 in steel and $19,200 in gold.
What We Think
While this certainly isn’t the best fit for my larger wrists or my personal taste, I have to say I find it quite charming. I hear a lot from ladies who remember the small, dainty, adorable cocktail watches that their grandmothers and mothers used to wear, and they often wonder why they don’t find such things on the market anymore. The success of the Cartier Baignoire, on bangle or otherwise, proves that small designs like this can do big things for the right buyer. Compared to the Baignoire, there’s a $3,000 premium here, but with it comes an automatic movement over quartz—not that prospective buyers are likely comparing these kinds of watches on price anyway. Despite being a capable watch, it’s probably viewed more as jewelry than a watch. Its success will depend on how much people take to the shape and size, and it should go over well.
The Basics
Brand: Blancpain
Model: Lady B
Diameter: 19mm
Thickness: 13.2mm
Case Material: Polished stainless steel or 18k red gold
Dial Color: Opaline
Indexes: Applied polished stick hands in either red gold or grey gold
Lume: None
Water Resistance: 30m
Strap/Bracelet: Calf leather double-wrap 10mm-wide bracelet in white, light beige, dark beige, burgundy, fuchsia, or blue, with pin buckle
The Movement
Caliber: Blancpain Manufacture 615
Functions: Hours, minutes
Diameter: 15.7mm
Thickness: 3.9mm
Power Reserve: 38 hours
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 3Hz
Jewels: 29
Chronometer Certified: No
Additional Details: Silicium balance spring and Côtes de Genève decoration
Pricing & Availability
Price: $12,600 (Steel); $19,200 (Gold)
Availability: Now
Limited Edition: No
For more, click here.
