HH Magazine

Moonstruck lovers take note! Year after year, Blancpain remains faithful to a romantic tradition of celebrating Valentine's Day. And while February 14th sometimes tends to witness a string of rather dull and uninspiring gifts, Blancpain offers suitors who are stuck for ideas a chance to offer their beloved a graceful and subtle present worthy of their feelings: a gift that beats in time with their conquered heart; an exceptional, timeless watch.

A resolutely feminine spirit

Blancpain has a longstanding tradition of ladies' timepieces dedicated to love. Year after year, the Manufacture creates exceptional and inspired limited series for the famous lovers' day. While many of the feminine Blancpain models introduced in the past represented world firsts in themselves, the Manufacture had never devoted a collection entirely to women until 2006. Conceived and developed in a resolutely feminine spirit, the Blancpain Women collection raises the curtain on new timepieces dedicated to beauty, subtlety and exquisite grace. And it is clearly no coincidence that the Valentine's Day 2007 model draws inspiration from a line developed specifically to meet the expectations and desires of contemporary women. For Blancpain is keenly aware the women are capable of appreciating the expertise and the magic of mechanical watchmaking, particularly when it is combined with the boldness of a resolutely feminine style.

This celebration of love reveals its avant-garde spirit

In a pristine white interpretation of a universal symbol of love, the Blancpain Women Saint-Valentin 2007 limited edition is distinguished by its graceful purity. Two rows of finely set diamonds illuminate the traditional double stepped form of the bezel surrounding the steel case. Water-resistant to 50 metres thanks to its screw-locked case-back and the crown, the 34 mm-diameter case is a study in gently rounded curves. This celebration of love reveals its avant-garde spirit in an infinitely subtle and charming manner through the elegantly daring association of a white sunray guilloché background motif and a white mother-of-pearl heart in the centre. The exuberance of the dial is underscored by the coneshaped hands and the playfully generous Arabic numerals. The famous ultra-thin Calibre 1150, a mechanical self-winding movement, is endowed with a 100-hour power reserve and displays the hours, minutes, centre seconds and the date at 6 o'clock.

Issued in a limited edition of 99

A sapphire crystal case-back offers a stunning vision of the meticulous and entirely hand-crafted finishing and decoration performed, as indeed for all Blancpain movements, in keeping with the noblest traditions of horological excellence. Issued in a limited edition of 99, the Blancpain Women Saint-Valentin 2007 is fitted with a hand-sewn pearly white alligator strap featuring an innovative folding clasp system. Based on two folding arms engraved with the Blancpain logo and accurately guided by an integrated spring, it looks every bit like a classic pin buckle once closed. In an ultimate crowning touch, this exclusive slender timepiece comes in an elegant pink box carved from Maplewood and serving as an exquisite jewel case by providing storage spaces for other fine jewellery creations. ■

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