We frequently talk about the rich heritage of Blancpain dive watches reaching back into the 1950s, most recently with the Bathyscaphe 70th anniversary. There’s another type of Blancpain watch with a no less exciting history celebrating its 70th anniversary, the Ladybird. To commemorate the early days of the Ladybird with its unique blend of watchmaking and jewelry the manufacture has just launched the Lady B, so let’s take a closer look.

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B for Betty, B for Bijou, B for Bubble-form

These three phrases are taken from Blancpain’s own press release and I repeat them here as they take us back to the ideas behind the creation of the Ladybird in 1956. 

Blancpain was led by Betty Fiechter, who was the CEO and a co-owner since 1933. In the 1950s she and her nephew Jean-Jacques Fiechter started a very creative period, pushing the boundaries of watchmaking in two very distinct areas: professional dive watches and very small jewelry timepieces.

The astonishingly small and refined Ladybird timepieces were possible because Blancpain had created a masterpiece of miniaturization: caliber R52/R55 caliber (sidewind), soon joined by a variant, the R520/R550 (backwind). 

With only 11.85mm in diameter but still offering the same precision and sturdiness of larger movements (and a remarkable power reserve of 40 hours) these calibers opened up new creative possibilities for jewelers, the next slideshow is proving some idea of the aesthetic variety:

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To this day the R52/55 remains the smallest round caliber ever produced in large quantities, and it was used in countless creations, including cufflinks or rings. When introduced in 1956 it was shown in a shaped timepiece that inspired the new Lady B, the Ladybird Bullet.

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The spherical case is maybe the purest and most timeless expression of the time, and the fact that this tiny object is powered by a masterpiece of watchmaking is a heritage Blancpain can rightfully be very proud of.

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The modern interpretation 

Watches have changed a lot since the 1950s, designs have evolved, preferred sizes are different, movements have technically been improved, new materials have surfaced. Picking up a 70 year old concept and translating it in a modern day object therefore isn’t an easy task. The idea has to shine through, but the new interpretation has to stand in its own right and meet today’s expectations.

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When we talk about watches one of those expectations is presence on the wrist. This is still true for an object that blends the purpose of a wristwatch with jewelry aspects, so the new Lady B comes in a larger size than than the 1956 Ladybird Bullet. It maintains the spirit of the vintage creation, though: a beautiful spherical shape, measuring 19mm in diameter and 13.2mm in height, resulting in a volume of 2.9 cubic centimeters. The Lady B is crafted in either stainless steel or red gold. Of course it also houses a mechanical marvel: caliber 615 with automatic winding, beating at 3Hz with a power reserve of 38 hours and featuring a silicon hairspring.

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This pure, sculpture like watch case is adorned by an opaline dial with applied polished indices crafted from white gold and sober yet refined hands. Another beautiful detail is the comparatively large crown. And with the high polish surface it reflects its surroundings actively, with an ever changing expression.

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The case back holds an aperture for the double-tour calf leather strap and features a satin brushed bottom with the Blancpain Ladybird signature and individual number of the timepiece engraved.

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The Lady B comes with a choice between six calf leather straps, white, beige, mocha, burgundy, blue, or purple in color. These straps are extra long since they are made to do two tours around the wrist before being secured with a stainless steel or red gold tang buckle.

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They pass the sandblasted aperture in the case back effortlessly, the spherical watch case can be moved on the strap freely once it is worn.

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Conclusions 

The Lady B is a somewhat surprising new release by Blancpain. To little has been known about the exciting history of the Ladybird to expect a watch like this, and I really like the fact that this is corrected now. The Ladybird heritage is in many aspects no less exciting than the history of the Fifty Fathoms, but it slipped the attention of the watch enthusiasts for many years.

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A cute little object it is, this Lady B, a thing of beauty, executed flawlessly. Knowing about its finely decorated mechanical heart adds to the attraction. One can easily imagine how it playfully contributes to the style of the person wearing it. With the small size it blends smoothly with other jewelry or any given dress style.

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The Lady B is another example that the scope and depth of the Manufacture’s offerings is based on the same set of virtues. It carries with it the creativity, tradition and horological expertise Blancpain is built on. The Lady B wouldn’t have been a true Blancpain if it not had a sophisticated mechanical movement, reliable and finished to a high level.

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You find the Lady B here on the Blancpain website. Nearly thirty of historic Ladybird creations, exceptionally preserved in Blancpain’s archives, will be brought together for the first time in a traveling exhibition dedicated to the world of Ladybird. In 2026, the exhibition will travel to Blancpain New York City (14–20 September), Blancpain Shanghai Xitiandi (17 – 27 September), Blancpain Paris – Faubourg Saint-Honoré (15–24 October), Omotesando Standby Gallery in Tokyo (17–25 October), and Youthquake in Seoul (11–15 November). Further stops will follow in 2027.

I hope you enjoyed this hands-on and the photos.

Cheers 

Henrik