The path of two divers who inherited the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms name

The Fifty Fathoms was born in 1953 for professional use. Three years later, the Bathyscaphe was released, designed for city use as well. Over half a century later, both models continue to thrive with their irresistible appeal as luxurious heritage and contemporary divers, respectively.

The different characters of "heritage" and "contemporary"

　The history of the Fifty Fathoms is full of legendary stories, such as its joint development with the French Navy and the anecdote of Jacques-Yves Cousteau wearing it in the ocean movie "The Silent World." When it was first released in 1953, it was equipped with a double O-ring on the crown, a water resistance of 91.44m (50 fathoms), and a locking rotating bezel, making it the originator of modern divers' watches.

　The current Fifty Fathoms has two distinct characters: the Automatic, which inherits this great legacy from head to toe, and the Bathyscaphe, which has its roots in the 1956 model. As mentioned above, we have compared the three elements that symbolize the differences between the two watches: the bezel, case, and movement, and it is clear that the materials and finishes are clearly different.

　The Bathyscaphe, with its distinctive modern design, features a press-molded bezel ring and case, and an injected ceramic crown and pushers. Both are manufactured in factories under the same Swatch Group umbrella. Even the buckle is made of ceramic, ensuring the watch maintains its beauty for many years, even with everyday wear.

　In contrast, automatic watches are characterized by an elegant, rounded silhouette from the crystal to the bezel and case. The spirit of the brand is evident in the way they have preserved the original design. For example, there are strict regulations regarding the design and thickness of the sapphire crystal. Meanwhile, the Bathyscaphe's crystal is allowed to be designed to approximate these specifications, while the brand emphasizes contemporary performance by incorporating an in-house movement with modern specifications. In other words, a "super-luxury heritage diver" and a "modern daily diver." Which character would you prefer as your companion through life?

HERITAGE DIVER'S AUTOMATIC

While maintaining the basic style of the original Fifty Fathoms, the new model features a domed sapphire crystal bezel. The minute scale beneath it has been given 15-minute markings, a feature not present in the original model, for improved legibility. The case, slightly larger than the Bathyscaphe, is voluminous, with a mirrored finish for the stainless steel version and a satin-finished finish for the titanium version, both of which are elegant and luxurious. The time-honored three-hand movement, Cal. 1315, has a classic design, but is equipped with a silicon balance spring, a free-sprung balance, and a bold 18K gold rotor with a NAC (platinum alloy) coating.

CONTEMPORARY DIVER'S BATHYSCAPHE

The Bathyscaphe uses ceramic throughout its exterior. The case is carefully beveled and then given a satin finish, while the ceramic bezel ring is filled with Liquidmetal™ graduations to ensure long-term durability. The movement is the highly accurate in-house Cal. F385, equipped with a chronograph mechanism controlled by a vertical clutch and column wheel. To give the base movement modern specifications, it has been upgraded to a high beat of 36,000 vibrations per hour, a flyback function has been added, the balance cock has been fitted with double screws, and a silicon balance spring has been adopted. The power reserve has been extended to approximately 50 hours thanks to the incorporation of a larger barrel.

For Blancpain's Fifty Fathoms and Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe, visit our boutique here!

Blancpain Boutique Ginza Tel. 03-6254-7233

Blancpain Boutique Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi Main Store Tel. 03-3241-3311 (main number)

Blancpain Boutique Hankyu Umeda Main Store Tel. 06-6361-1381 (main number)