In 2026, on Ocean Day, June 8th, when the world focuses on the ocean, Blancpain released the new Fifty Fathoms Tech. This latest diver's watch, featuring pioneering functions, was released to mark the 70th anniversary of the Fifty Fathoms.
A tool watch that measures diving time of "3 hours".
Born in 1953, Blancpain's "Fifty Fathoms" was a pioneer of modern diver's watches. Housed in a waterproof case with an automatic movement and featuring a fixed rotating bezel for measuring diving time, this timepiece was a forerunner to the modern diver's watch.
The advanced features of the "Fifty Fathoms Tech Gombessa," released in 2023 to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Fifty Fathoms, will be introduced along with the latest model on "Ocean Day" June 8, 2026.
Automatic movement (Cal. 13P5A). 35 jewels. 28,800 vibrations/hour. Power reserve approximately 120 hours. Titanium case (47.00mm diameter, 14.81mm thickness). 300m water resistance. 3,410,000 yen (including tax).
In 2023, the Fifty Fathoms Tech Gombessa, jointly developed by Blancpain's President and CEO Marc A. Hayek and French marine chemist Laurent Ballesta, featured a patented "3-hour" bezel. Why was this world-first mechanism created? Blancpain believed that a 60-minute bezel was insufficient for modern technical diving, particularly closed-circuit rebreathers (CCRs), which allow divers to descend silently and blend into the environment with minimal bubble generation during long dives of 2-3 hours or more. Furthermore, they believed that extending the time spent on the seabed would enable close-up observations that would normally be impossible, allowing underwater photographers to capture the moments they long await, and that this is where science is born.
By rethinking the movement in conjunction with this special bezel, they also incorporated a "3-hour dive time indicator hand," which changes the GMT hand that completes a full rotation of the dial in 24 hours to one that completes a full rotation in 3 hours. As a result, they have created a diver's watch that ensures the precision required by technical divers, underwater photographers, and marine scientists throughout the entire dive, which also reflects Blancpain's proactive involvement in marine research and conservation activities.
The black dial, a familiar color scheme for the Fifty Fathoms, features an absolute finish that absorbs up to 97% of light.
While inheriting the advanced features of the 2023 model, it has been updated to suit modern needs. To improve convenience for daily use, a small date display window has been added at the 4 o'clock position.
Furthermore, while the strap on the 2023 model was secured with screws on the back of the lugs, the new model features a strap system that allows for tool-free replacement. The iconic design remains unchanged, as it still utilizes center lugs.
The case is made of Grade 23 titanium, the same as its predecessor, and has a substantial presence with a diameter of 47.00mm and a thickness of 14.81mm. With 300m water resistance, it can be used with confidence both on land and in water.
The watch is powered by the Cal.13P5A movement. This movement, which boasts a power reserve of approximately 120 hours, can be admired by the user through the case back.
This product comes with Blancpain's classic Peli™ case, which is also waterproof, shockproof, and reusable.
Blancpain Ocean Commitment (BOC)
When Mark A. Hayek joined Blancpain, one of his first initiatives was to organize a diving event in Thailand in 2003 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Fifty Fathoms, bringing together renowned underwater photographers and launching the Citizen Science Program with PADI® (Professional Association of Diving Instructors), the world's largest diving education organization, encouraging divers to submit their photos to a shared database. His intuition to leverage the diving community as a scientific resource and support projects with real potential has since shaped the Blancpain Ocean Commitment (BOC). Incidentally, the name BOC was introduced in 2014, but the commitment had existed for more than a decade before that.
A key, enduring aspect of this initiative is Blancpain's continued approach: not merely providing funding, but identifying promising projects, revitalizing networks, and building long-term partnerships to produce tangible scientific and ecological results.
The Bank of Consortium (BOC) has four milestones set for 2025-2026. Each of them reveals the extent of Blancpain's commitment.
One of the key developments is the "formation of the largest partnership in PADI's history." What began in 2003 as a citizen science pilot project, where divers submit photos of whale sharks to a shared identification database, has now grown into PADI's most important partnership with a private organization. Blancpain has further strengthened its long-standing partnership with PADI by launching the Global Shark & Ray Census, a global citizen science initiative that mobilizes divers to protect vulnerable sharks and rays around the world. As a founding partner of the research and a strategic partner of PADI Blueprint for Ocean Action, Blancpain is also supporting a new shark and ray conservation specialist course, transforming diver education into concrete conservation actions and strengthening Adapt the Blue, PADI's flagship marine protected area program, which was initiated by Blancpain.
The second is "Surbay: An Explanation of the Research Center at the Heart of a Network of Eight Marine Protected Areas." In 2025, Blancpain opened the Blancpain x Surbay Marine Research Center in Sharkfin Bay, Philippines. This facility is located near marine protected areas established with Blancpain's support over the past decade, and since its opening, the network of marine protected areas centered around this program has expanded from 5 to 8. This center is more than just a scientific facility. The area has become a hub for youth education, guiding local fishing communities in sustainable practices and providing a platform for local decision-makers to engage in the management of their own marine ecosystems. The model that Blancpain has built in the Philippines, which creates economic alternatives through sustainable fisheries and marine tourism and strengthens genuine stakeholder interest in conservation in local communities, is increasingly recognized as a role model for private sector marine conservation investment to work on a large scale.
The third is "Six Years of Research, One PhD, One Endangered Species." The Tamata Roa Project, a joint initiative of the Mokaran Conservation Society and the Gombessa Expedition, with Mark A. Hayek at the center of the project, is now in its final chapter. What began as an effort by the Mokaran Conservation Society to promote the research and conservation of hammerhead sharks, involving the local community, later evolved into the Tamata Roa Project with the involvement of Laurent Ballesta and his Gombessa team, becoming a groundbreaking long-term scientific program. It resulted in a six-year expedition and the acquisition of unprecedented data in terms of depth and duration. And the research on Tatiana Boube, led and funded by Blancpain, is producing the scientific evidence necessary to advance future management and conservation measures for this endangered species. A new film documents the final stages of this work. This is a record of what can be achieved by tackling a single scientific challenge over the long term, and at the same time, it serves as a reminder that the most important marine conservation efforts often only make headlines when the situation has deteriorated to the point where it can no longer be ignored.
Finally, there's "OCEANA: Advancing Conservation Through Science." In 2025, Blancpain and OCEANA completed a three-year scientific study in California's Channel Islands, combining scientific diving surveys and environmental DNA sampling at 30 locations. The project documented over 13,000 species, generating crucial data on one of North America's richest marine ecosystems. Female Fifty Fathoms Award recipient Lenny Capozzola and OCEANA Ambassador Cobie Smulders participated, demonstrating how science can translate into conservation action. The collected data supports key policy actions, including the phase-out of harmful nets along the California coast.
