What is the difference between men’s watches and women’s watches? Once could be that men want a combination of style and engineering on their wrist, while women want a combination of style and jewellery. Watches for women that combine, style, jewellery and engineering are more rare, and an example is provided by its San-Valentin 2015 watch. This is the latest in a series of Valentine’s Day watches by Blancpain that began in 2001, all of which have mechanical movements.

The St. Valentine’s 2015 watch has a mother-of-pearl dial with a rose also sculpted from pieces of mother of pearl, one for each petal. They are tinted pink and then assembled onto the dial. This miniature sculpture is framed by a 36.8 mm case, with a double-stepped bezel with two interlocking rows of graduated diamonds. There are more diamonds on the lugs and crown. The watch has a white ostrich leather strap.

The in-house Calibre 2653C automatic movement is unusual in that the hour and minute hands are decentred. Details can be viewed through the transparent caseback, highlighting the oscillating weight set with pink mother-of-pearl. The movement provides 72 hours power reserve and runs at the classic rate of 28,800 beats per hour (4 Hz).

The Blancpain San-Valentin 2015 watch is made in a limited edition of 14.

 

Here are Blancpain’s Valentine’s watches from previous years:

Below, the Blancpain Valentine’s Day 2014 was a 99-piece limited edition, case size 33 mm, with a mother-of-pearl dial:

The 2013 version featured tinted red mother-of-pearl marquetry hearts,  in a limited edition of 99:

The Blancpain Valentine’s Day 2012 watch was a flyback chronograph, with hearts for the subdial, and a Cupid’s arrow for the chronograph seconds hand. It was limited to 14 pieces:

The 2011 version, a 99-piece series, was a veritable complication, with complete calendar:

The St. Valentin 2010 was exceptional as it was the first Blancpain watch to be made with a special case shape, and it housed the Calibre 615 movement, at that time the smallest automatic movement in the world. This was a limited edition of 14:

The 2009 Blancpain Valentine’s watch was a flyback chronograph with the Blancpain F185 movement, first presented in a 1998 Blancpain watch that was the first women’s flyback chronograph in the world. Limited to 99 pieces:

In 2008, the love was limited to a heart on the subdial at the base of the dial, but no ordinary heart, as it was also the continuous seconds hand and rotated once a minute. The watch was an impressive complication, with complete calendar and moonphase, powered by the Blancpain Calibre 6763 movement with 100 hours’ power reserve. Stainless steel case, mother-of-pearl dial, diameter 34 mm, limited edition of 99:

The principal characteristics of the 2007 Valentine’s watch by Blancpain was the heart motif at the centre of the dial, and the ultra-thin Calibre 1150 movement. Limited edition of 99:

 

2006, it’s all about the precious stones, with a white dial embellished with a constellation of diamonds and heart-shaped rubies. Powered by the Calibre 953 movement. Reference 2102A-4627-55, case diameter 34 mm:

2005, red passion in the straps, with a choice of five straps supplied, all red, in rubber, patent calf, lizard, alligator and satin. The diamonds are on the bezel, with a heart-shaped diamond at 12 o’clock or 6 o’clock. Reference 6102A-4688-95, a variant of 6102-4688-95, an ultra-slim watch with a case 29 mm wide and 8.7 mm thick, automatic movement providing 40 hours power reserve:

2004 Blancpain Valentine’s Day watch, a red alligator strap coordinating with another subtle touch of red, a tiny heart transfixed by the Cupid’s arrow seconds hand:

The 2003 Valentine’s watch was the first in the series to have a specifically Valentine’s theme. The steel case is 33.5 mm in diameter, with a mother-of-pearl dial with moon phase display and small seconds at 6 o’clock, and an annual calendar, with day and month in two windows, and date indicated by a hand on a scale at the edge of the dial. Red strap, limited edition of 99. Reference 2360A-4691A-55, a variant of the 2360-4691A-55 watch:

Blancpain Valentine’s Day 2002, reference 2102-4602-57, an attractive watch for the evening with blue-grey guilloché dial and strap:

The first Blancpain Valentine’s Day model in 2001 was the Leman Flyback Chronograph, reference 2385f-192GC-52, a 34-mm watch, 11.4 mm thick, with a grey satin strap. The dial is light grey with luminous military-type numerals, framed by a bezel set with 32 Top Wesselton VS1 diamonds for a total of about 2.6 carats. Date at 6 o’clock. The watch is powered by the Blancpain Calibre F185 movement, with 308 components and a power reserve of 40 hours.