For too long, Blancpain has hidden its expertise in women’s watchmaking. The Fifty Fathoms and Villeret may be the hero collections today, but during the Great Depression of the 1930s, it was the specialty of tiny calibers, as well as the ingenuity of the company’s female owner Betty Fiechter, that allowed Blancpain to thrive when other Swiss watch brands were barely surviving.

Under Fiechter, Blancpain (then known as Rayville) continued to develop ground-breaking calibers for women’s watches, including the manually wound R55, which measured only 11.85mm across and 3.7mm thick, and remains the smallest round mechanical movement ever produced in series.

The first Ladybird watch featuring caliber R55 debuted in 1956 (Image courtesy of Blancpain)

A familiar name now, Ladybird was first assigned to a Blancpain timepiece in 1956 and has appeared in many guises since then. Now, to celebrate its 70th anniversary, as well as to champion one of the most brilliant CEOs ever to head up a Swiss watch company, the house has launched the Blancpain Lady B, which is inspired by the famous Ladybird Bullet.

Blancpain Ladybird “Bullet”, 1956

The technical achievements of the early Ladybirds are easy to play down. But mastering miniaturization while making a watch suitable for everyday wear was some feat — just ask the brands that are attempting to do it today. In fact, the tiny calibers were so superior to most others in the market that they were supplied to American makers as well as to Omega and Longines.

Blancpain Lady B (©Revolution)

The Blancpain Lady B is a modern triumph from the brand that helped pave the way for creative women’s watches. A piece that has been designed by looking at what women actually want rather than assuming, it is a 19mm sphere with a case volume of just 2.9cm³. Inside is the self-winding Caliber 615, measuring a tiny 15.7mm in diameter and 3.9mm thick, with 180 components, a silicon balance spring and 38 hours of power reserve. The watch head slips easily onto a double-tour calfskin band and is available in either steel or gold.

Tech Specs: Blancpain Lady B

Movement Self-winding manufacture Caliber 615; 38-hour power reserve
Functions Hours and minutes
Case 19mm × 13.2mm; 2.9cm³ volume; polished stainless steel or 18K red gold; two-part construction with integrated strap passage; water resistant to 30m
Dial Opaline; applied polished gold hour markers
Strap Double-tour calf-leather with pin buckle; available in a range of colors
Price Upon request