The Blancpain Ladybird was born more than half a century ago and in 1956, it was considered to be the world’s smallest round watch. This feat was made possible with the unveiling of the smallest round movement made back then, the R550 caliber was impressive and at a mere 11.85 mm in diameter, it boasted a power reserve of up to 40 hours that was quite extraordinary for that period.
The Ladybird enjoyed great success over the years as it became the natural choice for women who seek a timepiece that is sleek, elegant and classy. As its popularity grew, so did the amount of varieties the Blancpain Ladybird came in to meet the different tastes and preferences ladies had; from entirely gem-set models to the avant-garde versions that offers interchangeable straps.
In Baselworld 2016, Blancpain launched the latest edition of the Ladybird to commemorate the collection’s 60th anniversary. This is a limited edition of 60 watches and it features the new automatic 6150 caliber which measures just 15.7 mm in diameter and is considered to be one of the smallest in the world.
The Blancpain Ladybird’s 60th anniversary edition, beautifully decorated with diamonds and features a lovely mother-of-pearl dial.
Case, Dial and Hands
This edition of the Blancpain Ladybird comes in a white gold case that measures at 21.50 mm in diameter and it features a bezel set with a row of 32 diamonds, a feature that is a must-have these days for a ladies’ watch. The diamond bezel gives the watch a luxurious appeal to the ladies and certainly captivates any onlookers’ attention.
This limited edition come in a white gold case and features a bezel set with a row of 32 diamonds.
The Blancpain Ladybird comes with a beautifully decorated mother-of-pearl dial which has eight hour markers made of diamonds and lovely droplet-shaped hands to complement the dial. We liked the mother-of-pearl dial where its wavy patterns resemble a guilloché finish, it is definitely unique and different from past versions of the Blancpain Ladybird. The fact that both the bezel and hour markers are decorated using diamonds, gives the watch a very luxurious feel to it even though the dial size is pretty small.
The Movement
The Blancpain Ladybird is powered by the caliber 6150 movement. This mechanical movement comprises of a total of 180 pieces where 29 of it are jewels. This movement features a power reserve of up to 40 hours and is still considered to be one of the world’s smallest round movements. One of the interesting features of this movement is the use of a silicon balance spring which helps to reduce the need for maintenance and adds to the movement’s durability.
The caliber 6150 movement features a power reserve of up to an impressive 40 hours
The caseback of the timepiece is made using a clear sapphire window that allows us to have a glimpse of the movement which is certainly captivating.
Concluding Thoughts
The Blancpain Ladybird is certainly one of the more popular ladies’ watch around and has enjoyed a successful run over the past 60 years since it was first unveiled back in 1956. This comes as no surprise to us given its simple yet elegant design.
The main drawing point of the Blancpain Ladybird can be attributed to its sleek design which is made possible with its small casing and the housing of a brilliantly designed movement, considered to be one of the world’s smallest movement. We like this variation of the Ladybird especially the mother-of-pearl dial which contains mesmerizing patterns that is certainly different from other models around.
