MARILYN WORE A BLANCPAIN
Seven watches. Seven colors. Seven letters.
M – A – R – I – L – Y – N.
On the centennial of Marilyn Monroe's birth, June 1, 2026, Blancpain unveils the Ladybird Tribute: a capsule collection of seven unique pieces, directly reinterpreted from the Blancpain jewelry watch once worn by the Hollywood icon and acquired by the Maison in 2016.
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:
"M": Peach Bud — a rose nude
"A": High Risk Red — an intense Hollywood red
"R": Black Beauty — a deep, rich black
"I": Star White — a brilliant satin white
"L": Hot Pink — a vibrant, bold pink
"Y": Golden Touch — a golden champagne
"N": Dynasty Pink — a blush pink with satin shimmer
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 3¾ lines by 9¼ 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.