Marilyn wore a Blancpain

Marilyn Monroe wore a Blancpain.

Long before its existence became known to the public, Marilyn Monroe’s personal watch lay dormant in the shadows of her estate, nearly forgotten.

It resurfaced in 2016 at an auction organized by Julien’s Auctions in Los Angeles, as part of the legacy tied to Lee Strasberg, the legendary Actors Studio director and custodian of a portion of Marilyn’s personal effects. Blancpain decided to bring it back to the Manufacture in Le Brassus. Revealed publicly for the first time in October 2019 in New York as part of the Timeless Elegance exhibition, the watch immediately captivated collectors and horological historians alike.

The piece itself is extraordinary. Likely produced between the late 1940s and early 1950s, it belongs to the pure vocabulary of American art deco. Its extraordinarily elongated rectangular case evokes the vertical, architectural lines of the Chrysler Building, Rockefeller Center, and the Empire State Building. The setting follows the architecture of the case, accentuating that impression of taut verticality.

Crafted in platinum 950, the original watch was set with 71 brilliant-cut diamonds and two marquise diamonds, extending to its hinged lugs. The rectangular opaline dial features yellow gold applied hour markers and the Blancpain logo stretched vertically to match the piece’s exceptionally slender proportions. The bracelet is secured by a double safety chain, a hallmark of jewelry cocktail watches of that era.

Inside is a FHF 59 movement, a miniature baguette caliber produced by the Fabrique d’Horlogerie de Fontainemelon from 1932 onward. Measuring 33⁄4 lines by 91⁄4 lines – just 0.85 cm wide by 2.09 cm long – it belonged to the generation of movements designed specifically for ultra-thin jewelry watches. The movement bore a double signature: “Blancpain” engraved on the ratchet wheel and “Rayville Watch Co.” on the lever bridge. Both signatures are characteristics of an era when the Manufacture operated under the Rayville-Blancpain name, guided by Betty Fiechter, the first woman to lead a major Swiss watchmaking house.

The story of this watch remains shrouded in mystery. Marilyn Monroe was not known to purchase such pieces herself, and while theories abound about the man who may have offered it to her, none has ever been confirmed.

One thing, however, remains certain: the most glamorous woman of her era wore a Blancpain. And like her, this watch has never gone out of style.

Ladybird Tribute: seven interpretations of a legendary watch.
The new creation faithfully draws from the distinctive elements of the original watch: its opaline dial, yellow gold applied hour markers, conical hands, and the geometric art deco setting that structures the rectangular case and gives it its singular architectural silhouette.

Each unique piece bears one letter of the name MARILYN – M, A, R, I, L, Y, N – individually engraved on the case back, transforming this capsule collection into a deeply personal tribute. Each of the seven creations is mounted on a double-wrap calf strap, available in one of seven exclusive colors developed by Pantone® to mark the 100th anniversary of Marilyn Monroe’s birth and inspired by her visual universe.

A jewel named after an icon.
Powered by the in-house Caliber 510 manual-winding movement – introduced in 2020, measuring just 2.60 mm in thickness – the Ladybird Tribute beats at a frequency of 3 Hz (21,600 vph). Its 128 components and 23 jewels deliver a power reserve of 52 hours.

The movement is housed in an 18K white gold case measuring 35 × 16 mm, 6.50 mm thick, water-resistant to 30 meters, and fitted with an innovative sapphire exhibition caseback. The opaline dial echoes the original with its yellow gold applied markers and conical hands. The fully set watch totals 85 diamonds weighing 1.360 carats: 60 brilliant- cut diamonds accompanied by 2 marquise diamonds on the middle case, 20 brilliant-cut diamonds on the intermediate links, 2 brilliant-cut diamonds on the arch attachments, and 1 brilliant-cut diamond on the pin buckle.

More than a reissue, the Ladybird Tribute revives the spirit of a piece that once belonged to one of the most photographed women of the 20th century. A reminder that beyond the myth, Marilyn Monroe maintained an intimate and deliberate relationship with certain objects, preserved as fragments of her private life.

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