Simply Abu Dhabi Magazine XXIII

1 0 4 S I M P LY A B U DH A B I J ehan-Jacques Blancpain started making watches in 1735 in Villeret, Switzerland, and ever since the Blancpain brand has been a sign of refined quality and great heritage. There are many anniversaries in a company with such an illustrious history, and at Baselworld 2016 we saw the launch of the LadybirdUltraplate to mark the watch’s 60th anniversary. When it was first launched in1956, the Ladybird watch was excitingly brave and resolutely avant-garde. Blancpain had created the smallest round watch in the world at the time. With diminutive timepieces for women once more following the cycles of fashion and highly desirable, the Ladybird Ultraplate is sure to be a strong seller. It has endured the decades in style and it still speaks of elegance and modernity, encapsulated in sparking allure. This ground-breaking feminine watch was first advertised as a challenge to distributors – “Be the first importer on your market of the world’s smallest round watch!” It was a challenge that was widely accepted and the watch was widely purchased too. Blancpain’s R550 calibre –the world’s smallest round movement at the time – was a revelation. With an 11.85mm diameter, this movement had a power reserve that topped 40 hours – exceptional for 1956. The crown was relocated to the back of the watch to allow for an uninterrupted aesthetic. Technically impressive, too, the pivot was placed above the escape wheel and was slightly thinner than an average strand of hair, at just 0.07mm. On the heels of the timepiece’s immediate appeal, a variety of styles emerged, each meeting an array of feminine tastes, ranging from entirely gem-set models to more avant-garde versions with interchangeable straps. Six decades later and still the watch is in high demand. Blancpain LadybirdUltraplate