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

This exceptional creation is an anthem to Love and to Femininity, starting with the white and pink mother-of-pearl dial forming a heart and framed by a bezel set with over 500 diamonds and pink sapphires. A heart-cut diamond also appears at 12 o’clock, while the pin buckle is set with a pearshaped pink sapphire.

The exquisite beauty of this exceptional two-hand watch also lies in the slenderness of its movement. Blancpain is proudly reintroducing the famous “Lady Bird” Calibre 615, still regardedas the world’s smallest self-winding movement and which can be admired through the sapphire crystal case-back.

This shaped watch is delivered with two genuine satin straps – one black and the other white. It comes in an extremely elegant presentation box featuring a design reflecting the pure lines of this dainty Valentine’s Day model crafted in a strictly limited edition of 14.

“Saint-Valentin 2010”, pink and white mother-of-pearl dial set with 9 round diamonds and a heart-shaped diamond, pin buckle set with a pear-shaped sapphire, self-winding

Caliber

Thickness : 3,90 mm
Diameter : 15,70 mm
Power-reserve in hours : 40
Jewels : 29
Components : 180
Limited edition of : 14

Case

White gold, bezel set with 404 diamonds and 66 pink sapphires, crown set with a cabochon-cut pink sapphire

Thickness : 8,00 mm
Diameter : 48 x 33 mm
Water-resistance : 3 atm/bar*
Sapphire crystal back : Yes
Interhorn space : -

* The water-resistance value expressed in metres corresponds to overpressure expressed in bars or atm. 1 bar or atm corresponds to a 10-metre water column.

Carat weight

Diamonds : ~1,69
Pink sapphires : ~0,38

A partner of the 32nd edition of the International Boat Show, Blancpain is marking the occasion by announcing the worldwide launch of its brand-new 500 Fathoms diver’s watch. The Manufacture from Le Brassus is also presenting the new 500 Fathoms Cannes 2009 limited series.

The Blancpain story is written in “navy” blue since 1953, the debut year of the first modern diver’s watch, the Fifty Fathoms. Blancpain regularly celebrates its historical ties with the maritime world.

The case, in brushed titanium, measures 48mm X 17mm with 24mm lugs. It features double AR-coated sapphire crystals and it is water resistant to 1,000 meters.

Movement is the automatic Blancpain caliber 1315 with 35 jewels and a power reserve of 120 hours.

The 500 Fathoms Cannes 2009 model comes fitted with a black rubber-lined sail canvas strap, while an additional rubber strap and a dedicated tool to secure it lend the finishing touch to this set delivered in an ultra-sturdy watertight presentation box designed to withstand extreme conditions.

Excellence is a tenacious habit. Blancpain is pursuing its successive introductions of innovative high-end movements with the new Calibres 13R5 and 66R9, derived from the 13R0, along with Calibre 5025, all now powering a set of exceptional watches.

Such an unshakable faith in the future deserved a new stellar collection, evocatively named L-evolution. The Blancpain philosophy could be aptly summed up in of Artistotle’s famous maxims : ” excellence is an art won by training and habituation ; it is therefore not an act, but a habit “.

After the two remarkable Calibres 13R0, 1315 and 225, two new movements are now enriching this exclusive series : Calibre 13R5 with date and power reserve; and Calibre 66R9 featuring a complete calendar with moon-phase display. These innovative movements, which are writing a new chapter in Blancpain’s rich watchmaking history, naturally needed to find a showcase worthy of their stature. Therefore, as the founding act of a reinvented future that begins today, the Manufacture in Le Brassus has chosen to create a new line of exceptional models, the L-evolution Collection. The Automatique 8 Jours, Moon Phase 8 Jours, Tourbillon GMT and Alarm GMT watches are thus taking up their appointed place within this new fine watchmaking sanctuary.

A poem in the writing
Blancpain is thus pursuing its well-established “Tradition of Innovation “. More than a mere habit, this is an abiding characteristic of the Manufacture in Le Brassus. Like the first four lines of a poem in the writing, the new models form the classic new L-evolution Collection. Comprising sporty, contemporary and perfectly streamlined cases with a revamped design and an imposing 43.5 mm diameter, this new collection is resolutely geared towards the future. While already encompassing four models available in 2009, its future undoubtedly holds in store a number of other beautiful and fascinating surprises.

The second leg in the Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo competition has just ended on the Norisring circuit in Germany. Throughout the weekend, the Gallardo LP560-4 decked out in the livery of the Manufacture Blancpain vied with each other in the DTM (Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters) championship. As title sponsor, Blancpain once again salutes the remarkable participation of its President and CEO Marc A. Hayek, competing alongside famous driver Peter Kox from The Netherlands.

This second leg sets the seal on the high-powered union of two world-famous manufacturers: Blancpain, the world’s oldest watch brand, and Lamborghini, one of the most iconic car manufacturers of our era. Comprising six events in the 2009 racing calendar, the Super Trofeo features a line-up of the brand-new Lamborghini Gallardo cars in a four-wheel drive racing version delivering 570 horsepower and 540 N/m (398 lb/ft) torque enabling them to reach top speeds of over 300 km/h.

In honour of this unique championship, Blancpain has created an exceptional watch: the Super Trofeo Chronograph, a limited series of 300. Its specs include a black brushed steel case fitted with an alcantara strap, a blackened movement powering a flyback function, and a black dial distinguished by 9 and 12 o’clock numerals evoking those appearing on the Lamborghini racing cars. The result is an eminently sophisticated, resolutely sporty timepiece.

Four subsequent dates for your diary:

1. Spa Francorchamps (BELGIUM), July 23-25
2. Silverstone (UK), August 15-16
3. Catalunya (SPAIN), September 18-20
4. Paul Ricard (FRANCE), October 2-4