Blancpain Ladybird Colors Zodiaque: Zodiac Display with New Automatic Calibre

Blancpain expands the Ladybird collection with a calendar complication inspired by astrology. In the Ladybird Colors Zodiaque, the new automatic manufacture calibre 2653QZ combines an off-centre hours and minutes display with the date, a retrograde month display and the twelve signs of the Western zodiac. Two versions are available, in rose gold and white gold, each with a nacre perlée dial and over 2,2 Karat of diamonds.

Calibre 2653QZ Unites Calendar and Zodiac

At the technical heart of the new watch is the patented calibre 2653QZ. Blancpain describes the automatic movement as ultra-thin, although the current announcement does not specify its height. Its zodiac display broadens the manufacture’s range of calendar complications with a function appearing at Blancpain for the first time.

The displays chart the course of the year in different ways: alongside the date is a retrograde month display. This type of display moves along a limited scale before jumping back to its starting point, rather than moving continuously in a circle. It is complemented by a display of the twelve Western zodiac signs over the course of the year. Blancpain cites celestial observation and the Graeco-Roman astrological tradition as cultural references.

The hours and minutes are positioned away from the centre of the dial. This gives the time display its own space within a design that brings together several elements of calendar information. The distinction therefore lies in the combination of displays, rather than in the zodiac motif alone.

Mother-of-Pearl and Two Colour-Coordinated Gold Versions

For the dial, Blancpain uses nacre perlée, a distinctive form of mother-of-pearl. It is complemented by a diamond setting totalling over 2,2 Karat.

Both versions display the zodiac signs on a disc in Midnight Blue. On the 18 Karat rose gold version, the signs are in Champagne, paired with a new alligator leather strap in the same colour. The 18 Karat white gold version combines silver-coloured zodiac signs with a strap in Midnight Blue. The models are thus distinguished by the coordination of case metal, signs and strap, while the blue disc provides a shared design element.