For the first time in its history, Blancpain has created a special-shaped watch. The Manufacture in Le Brassus is presenting an authentic jewelery creation set with over 500 diamonds and pink sapphires, and housing the world’s smallest self-winding movement, caliber 615. This extraordinary timepiece is to be issued in a symbolically limited edition of 14 to celebrate Valentine’s Day 2010.

Blancpain is reintroducing the famous “Lady Bird” Calibre 615, regarded as the world’s smallest self-winding movement. It can be admired through a sapphire crystal case-back. This unique shaped watch is delivered with two satin straps – one black and the other white. It comes in an elegant presentation box featuring a design reflecting the pure lines of this dainty Valentine’s Day model.

Countering the trend toward lower-priced offerings, Blancpain announces the newest Spécialités Tourbillon Diamants, a 40mm men’s model with more than 20 carats of diamonds. The white gold 3 piece case is set with 571 stones totaling 14.15 carats, and the dial adds another 164 diamonds and 5.17 carats. The clasp, crown and hands add the remaining carat, give or take. The automatic caliber 25A tourbillon movement is composed of 238 components with 29 jewels (not diamonds) with a 168 hour power reserve. If you have to ask, the price is $1,342,700.

Watch aficionados can look forward to a fantastic fall auction on September 17th at Antiquorum Auctioneers in New York City. More than 300 collectible vintage and modern timepieces will be available, including several outstanding timepieces produced by Patek Philippe and an extraordinary Seiko wristwatch that was designed for and worn in space.

Auction highlights include a Patek Philippe Ref. 3939HP, a unique piece in platinum with black dial featuring a minute repeater and tourbillon. A silver dial is also included. The presale estimate is $400,000 to $600,000. Other important Patek Philippe watches offered in this sale include a platinum Ref. 3974 estimated at $450,000 to $650,000, a platinum Ref. 5013 estimated at $450,000 to $650,000, and unique Ref. 5016 in platinum with black dial, plus a silver dial and a solid platinum case back, also estimated at $450,000 to $650,000.

The sale also features Blancpain 1735 Grande Complication No. 28/30 estimated at $450,000 to $650,000 and a Jaeger-LeCoultre Gyrotourbillon No. 1, No. 2/75, estimated at $320,000 to $370,000. Collectors of “flown” pieces (watches that have been in space) will be able to bid on a Seiko Spring Drive Spacewalk created especially for the 12 day Soyuz TMA-13 mission to the International Space Station and worn by private space explorer Richard Garriott. Proceeds from this sale of this piece will go to the Nature Conservancy and the Challenger Center.

You can read more about these and many other timepieces and view large resolution images at the updated Antiquorum web site. The sale will take place starting at 11 a.m. on Thursday, September 17 at the Fuller Building, 595 Madison Ave., 5th Floor, New York, NY.

Below, the Patek Philippe Ref. 3939HP

The Seiko Spring Drive Spacewalk

Blancpain CEO Marc Hayek and driving partner Peter Kox drove their Lamborghini Gallardo to another win in the Super Trofeo auto racing series at the historic Silverstone (UK) road course last weekend. The fourth event in the series took place within the context of the British F3/GT Championship. Renowned for its varied race course enabling top speeds of 190+ mph, Silverstone welcomes all kinds of competitions throughout the year including the MotoGP, Superbike and World Aerobatic championships.

To celebrate the championship racing series, Blancpain introduced the 300 piece limited edition Super Trofeo flyback chronograph at Basel this year. The 43.5mm DLC case houses a NAC-treated Caliber F185 movement with black mainplate and bridges. The 308 part manual winding movement provides hour, minute, small seconds and date display at 6 o’clock, as well as chronograph indications with a central sweep seconds hand, 30-minute counter at 3 o’clock and 12-hour counter at 9 o’clock, and of course a flyback function. The strap is alcantara – the same material that adorns the Gallardo’s interior.

The Super Trofeo race series includes six different events for the 2009 season. The series stars four wheel drive racing versions of the Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 cars delivering 570 horsepower and 398 lb/ft of torque enabling them to reach top speeds of over 185 mph. The season’s last two events will be held at Catalunya (Spain) on September 18th-20th, and on the Paul Ricard track (France) from October 2nd to 4th.

The Super Trofeo Flyback Chronograph

Marc Hayek’s Lamborghini graced the Blancpain booth at Basel this year

Marc Hayek (right) and co-driver Peter Kox on the podium at Silverstone

Blancpain and the Le Brassus Manufacture will be featured in How It’s Made 6: Luxury Watches (episode 8). The episode will air on the Science Channel Friday, June 12 at 9:00 p.m. EDT. Tune in to see Blancpain’s master watchmakers hand assemble a movement and apply delicate hand finishing in accordance with the traditional arts and practices of fine watchmaking.

The show will also air on the Science Channel at these times:

June 13 at 12:00 a.m. EDT
June 14 at 4:00 a.m. EDT
June 15 at 4:00 p.m. EDT

You can also check the schedule at the Science Channel website.

For 2009 Blancpain introduces 2 new movements based on Caliber 13R0. The first is the automatic winding Caliber 13R5 with date and power reserve, and the second is Caliber 66R9 with complete calendar and moonphase displays. Along with Calibers 5025 and 1241H, these movements power 4 watches in a new line called L-evolution. The collection includes the Automatique 8 Jours, Moon Phase 8 Jours, Alarm GMT, and Tourbillon GMT. L-evolution timepieces share 3 instantly recognizable design elements: a sporty 43.5mm case with double-stepped sides, oversized numerals, and multi-level skeletonized dials. Let’s take a closer look…

Automatique 8 Jours

As you might guess from the model name, the Caliber 13R5 powering this piece adds automatic winding to Blancpain’s Caliber 13R0. Like the 13R0, the 13R5 offers a titanium free-sprung balance wheel with 4 gold screws used to control the rate. A quarter-turn of 2 diametrically opposed screws changes the rate by 30 seconds per day. A high-density gold rotor winds 3 barrels that provide an 8 day power reserve. The date can be adjusted forward or back and at any time, including around midnight. The new caliber measures 30.6mm x 4.57mm and has 36 jewels and 243 components.

On the design front, the Automatique 8 Jours has a complex dial with a cut-out central opening that reveals the baseplate’s Côtes de Genève decoration. However the first things you’re likely to notice are the oversized, three-dimensional Arabic 3 and 9. The case is fitted with new detachable lugs, a feature that facilitates attaching a metal bracelet. The Automatique 8 Jours is available in steel or red gold versions teamed with a rubber-lined black or brown strap in alligator leather and a triple-blade folding clasp.

The L-evolution Automatique 8 Jours, pictured below, is priced at $17,300 in steel and $32,600 in red gold.

Moon Phase 8 Jours

This model features Blancpain’s new Caliber 66R9 with moon phase, complete calendar and power reserve. This movement is also based on Caliber 13R0. The complications are not added via plates or modules, but are integrated into the caliber, and we’re told that that the moon phase, at 13.5mm, is the largest in the industry. The movement measures 32mm x 7.6mm and has 325 components including 36 jewels. The movement’s most impressive technical innovation is a system that allows the date, day, month and moon phase to be corrected at any time of the day or night – including around midnight. On many watches, this operation would damage the movement if performed near the date-change time. Like the Automatique 8 Jours, the Moon Phase dial includes oversized numerals and cut-outs revealing the base plate decoration.

The L-evolution Moon Phase 8 Jours is priced at $22,100 in steel and $37,400 in red gold.

Alarm GMT

The L-evolution Alarm GMT is a new model that houses Blancpain’s Caliber 1241H which was introduced in 2003. This 407-component movement took 4 years to develop. It has twin barrels: one to power the watch and one to power the alarm. The alarm hand and date are interdependent with the local time zone display.

Like the other L-evolution models, the Alarm GMT dial creates a multi-level effect. The lower-level cut-away reveals the underlying vertical Côtes de Genève. On the upper level, a skeletonised cut-out features a small 9 o’clock numeral and a larger 3 o’clock numeral. It also displays the small seconds counter at 6 o’clock, the alarm hour and minute indication at 8 o’clock, as well as the alarm power reserve between 10 and 12 o’clock. The rim of the dial incorporates the 24-hour dual time-zone display.

The L-evolution case is water-resistant to 100 meters. The alligator leather strap is secured with a folding clasp. The Alarm GMT is available in steel or red gold versions with a rubber-lined black or brown strap in alligator leather and a triple-blade folding clasp.

The L-evolution Alarm GMT is $23,000 in steel and $38,400 in red gold.

Tourbillon GMT

The L-evolution Tourbillon GMT combines two of today’s most popular complications. This piece is powered by Blancpain’s new automatic winding Caliber 5025 with 8 day power reserve. L-evolution styling cues are evident in the form of oversized numerals at 3 and 6 and dial cut-outs revealing vertical Côtes de Genève on the baseplate and framing the tourbillon opening and the second time zone display. Available in white or red gold, the sporty case is water-resistant to 100 meters. The alligator leather strap is fitted with a triple-blade folding clasp. Each gold color is available in a limited edition of 99 pieces.

The L-evolution Tourbillon GMT in red gold is priced at $129,500 and in white gold the suggested retail is $134,300.

On the eve of Baselworld 2009, Blancpain presents the “big sister” of its now famous Fifty Fathoms watch: the brand-new 500 Fathoms. More high-performance and high-tech than ever, the brand’s latest diver’s watch is water resistant to 1000 meters. The 48 mm brushed titanium case is equipped with a helium decompression valve.

To enhance readability, Blancpain has designed large phosphorescent Arabic numerals that are hollowed
into the sunray-brushed metal appliques. The luminescent coating on the hour-markers, bezel markings and hands, along with the red tip of the sweep seconds hand, enhance readability in all circumstances. The luminescent base of the black dial reveals its fluorescence only in the dark, while the date appears in white against a black background at 4 o’clock. The unidirectional ratcheted bezel facilitates handling and avoids any involuntary extension of the dive time. Crafted in titanium and sapphire crystal, it features a gentle cambered relief that reduces the risk of impacts.

The 500 Fathoms is powered by the self-winding Calibre 1315, specifically designed for use in sports watches. It incorporates a glucydur balance with micrometric regulating screws which helps to prevent shocks from disturbing the smooth running of the watch. Three series-coupled barrels guarantee constant energy and a five-day power reserve. The calendar mechanism offers quick date adjustments in either direction, even at midnight, without any risk of damaging the mechanism. The engraved, propeller-shaped rotor can be viewed through a sapphire case back. The movement measures 30.6mm in diameter and 5.65mm thick, and it consists of 222 parts.

The 500 Fathoms is equipped with a sturdy, watertight 24mm strap in rubber-lined black sail canvas. The triple-blade folding clasp is secured with two pushers on either side. A rubber strap is also included. The watch and straps come in a rugged presentation box designed to handle extreme conditions. The Blancpain 500 Fathoms will be produced in a limited edition of 500 pieces.