The Blancpain NATO is extremely well made, with stitched leather around the holes to prevent fraying and heavy duty hardware that you know is going to last. The flyback chronograph, which measures a succession of elapsed times, eliminates many superfluous repetitive operations. A date window is tucked in between 4 and 5 o'clock and it blends nicely into the dial unless you're looking for it. A Week On The Wrist The Omega Speedmaster 321, 39.7mm In Steel, In-Depth Everything You Need To Know About The Rolex Explorer Ref. You can find all the details from Blancpain here. The bezel is an important part of any Fifty Fathoms watch. The final touch here is the strap. It would be tough to imagine a better made NATO than this. Looking to other price categories though, there is of course the Tudor Pelagos. Luckily, Blancpain CEO Jean-Jacques Fiechter was an avid diver and decided to team up with the commanders to create the watch they needed. Yes, you read that correctly. Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Day Date 70's 43mm... You're already subscribed to the Chrono24 newsletter. Though, 43mm is by no means offensively large for most consumers of dive watches. It brings something new to the current Fifty Fathoms family by recalling some key features from the original Bathyscaphes without totally giving up the hallmarks of the modern collection. That said, this watch suffers a bit in the dark. The 60-minute gradation (as opposed to only large hashes at 10-minute intervals plus numerals at 15, 30, and 45) does have historical precedent, so I'm not as much concerned with that as I am with the proportions and the finishing. One of the most distinct features of the vintage Fifty Fathoms is the bold bezel and this one seems a little weak in comparison. The Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe took its first dive to depths of the sea in the late 1950s, with Swiss manufacturer Blancpain the genius behind the watch. It also combines little touches that make it clearly a luxury watch – white gold surrounds, hand-finished movement and case, and beautiful dial – with all the utility and durability you expect from a tool watch. Professional dealer. It is the latest member of a dynasty that stretches back to the very emergence of the modern dive watch. The Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe features the self-winding F385 movement that gives it a flyback chronograph function, able to make fast measurements of successive time periods. The Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe On The Wrist. The watch takes some design inspiration from the original while still being a thoroughly modern watch, and we had to take a closer look for ourselves. Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Ceramic / Black / Canvas -... Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Chronograph Flyback Green, Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Day Date Seventies, Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe - Ceramic Blue Dial, Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe - 5000-0240-O52A, Blancpain Fifty Fathoms - Bathyscaphe - Ceramic Black - 2020. With an impressive power reserve of 120 hours, it has been in use since 2007 and is based on the manual movement 13R0 from 2006. At the time, this was about as deep as a diver could safely go with a compressed air tank, so this watch was suitable for virtually any dive application. So what does the Bathyscaphe bring that sets it apart from the competition? Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Complete Calendar 43mm... Blancpain Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph Stainless Steel 44mm... Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Meteor 43mm - 5000-1110-B52A. The desert-coloured Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Day Date is for adventurers, enthusiasts and creative minds. Dive watch purists look away. Like the other models, the band is made of sail-canvas with a reverse side made of rubber. Free shipping. I am seeling this one as it's a bit big for my wrist. This watch takes those pioneering watches and gives them new life. The diving watch Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe shares the spirit of those exciting moments and serves as a reminder of this incredible feat. Whilst the chronograph had traditionally been used in motorsport racing, it is just as applicable measuring lap times both in the pool, or on the track. At $10,500 in steel and $12,000 in titanium, the Bathyscaphe certainly falls into the luxury sport watch category, but walking along the beaches of Nice, Cannes, and Villefranche, it felt like just the watch for the occasion. A vintage Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe – photo by Watchonista. Jehan-Jacques Blancpain founded his watch company in 1735 in the Swiss town of Villeret in the canton of Bern. 5000-1110-B52A. Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Quantième Annuel. The brand is one example of high-quality workmanship in watchmaking. Three years after the 1953 debut of the original Fifty Fathoms fulfilling the needs of professional divers in underwater conditions, Blancpain introduced the Bathyscaphe as a civilian version whose size would be adapted to daily wear. The Conversation Readers Respond To Cara Barrett's Inaugural Column, Watch Spotting Referee Sarah Thomas Wearing A Timex Ironman At Super Bowl LV, My Watch Story Staying Connected With The Tudor Black Bay GMT, A Distinct Taste For Watches, An Undeniable Love, And More. The Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe took its first dive to depths of the sea in the late 1950s, with Swiss manufacturer Blancpain the genius behind the watch. Military specifications in the 1950s and 60s required the luminous materials on the watch dials to be radioactive so it would always glow, even though this was knowingly harmful to the wearer. The NATO is thick and sturdy, with leather surrounding the buckle holes, and the hardware itself is thick brushed stainless steel with Blancpain branding. By making the watch self-winding, Blancpain ensured divers would not have to unlock the crown except to reset the time, and the pair of o-rings would be more reliable over time. It's impossible to use screws with a ceramic case, and therefore the watch has a pressure-fit case back. Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Annual Calender Automatic... Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe 5000 1230 B52A, Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe 5000-0130-NABA. The finish on the dial is really beautiful. Over 2,500 successful private sellers each month. In a display of technical prowess, this depth rating is maintained without using … Wearing the watch for a week, I did start to get used to the larger case size, but I would still have preferred a smaller size, especially for a vintage-inspired piece like this. As a nod to their rich history with the U.S. Navy, the new Fifty Fathoms MIL-SPEC Limited Edition for … The Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe was unveiled back in April at the Basel World fair in Switzerland and immediately we knew this was a watch worth taking a closer look at. I took the watch with me on a trip to the Cote d'Azur, home of the combat diving school for which the original Fifty Fathoms was conceived. This offers a lot of the same vintage appeal, but with a different combination of matte and polished surfaces. IT. At first, Blancpain’s Bathyscaphe watches are clearly seen as tool/dive pieces. Blancpain is likewise well known for their mechanical watches with grand complications, which feature perpetual calendars, tourbillons, and minute repeaters. Complimenting the brushed steel case is a radially brushed dial that you know will provide plenty of visual interest under different lighting conditions, with vintage-inspired hour markers that are oblong rectangles at 3, 6, 9, … The other Blancpain series feature distinguished classic designs and modern technology. The Blancpain Fifty Fathoms is known to be the first modern diver’s watch. This nuance evokes the desert, and more specifically Death Valley in the United States, where Ernest H. Brooks II, pioneer… COVID-19 Update: Welcome Back! Well, it is a Fifty Fathoms. Often overshadowed by the bigger brother (the Fifty Fathoms), the Bathyscaphe is still nonetheless a stunning piece that is … But, even within the Fifty Fathoms family itself, there have been many variations over the years, used by everyone from worldwide special forces to civilians working desk jobs. This is one of those dials that you can keep looking at over and over, discovering new things each time. For the rest, the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Complete Calendar is a highly practical watch with handsome aesthetics. It doesn't get much cooler than that. Open your door to 500,000 watch enthusiasts every day. My biggest complaint with the Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe is the bezel. The new Fifty Fathoms BathyscapheQuantième Complet Phase de Lune advances the idea of adding civilian-friendly features with both a complete calendar and moon-phase display. In addition to being a little thin, the combination of Liquidmetal and Ceramic is extremely shiny. The Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe is a tool watch at heart, but the finishing on the HODINKEE Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe rivals many watches twice the price. But the watch this 60th anniversary tribute is based on is the Bathyscaphe, first released sometime in the late 1950s and named for the submersible cabin in which divers could explore parts of the ocean too deep for an exposed diver. A fter the success of the Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Limited Edition for HODINKEE, we knew it wouldn't be the last time that we strapped on a tank with Blancpain. This one has a beautiful sunburst blue dial, and has a 43 mm case size. Consult A Specialist. The brand is one example of high-quality workmanship in watchmaking. You can find all the details from Blancpain here. Here's What To Buy Instead. The Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe was unveiled back in April at the Basel World fair in Switzerland and immediately we knew this was a watch worth taking a closer look at. Our Showroom is Open by Appointment Only! The new desert-coloured Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Day Date is for adventurers, enthusiasts and creative minds. While a basic padded cloth strap is an option, we went for the special Blancpain NATO, speaking to the military heritage of the Fifty Fathoms. Plus, the hours and minutes hands are close in size and shape, which, while not a huge problem during the day, does mean you often have to look a little closer in the dark. There is also a ceramised titanium version available. Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Automatik Herrenuhr... Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Automatic 43mm 5000-0240-o52a, Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Ceramic, Blancpain Bathyscaphe Automatic 43mm 5000-1110-70B. The metallic numbers and markings are a compound called Liquidmetal that sits flush in the ceramic bezel insert, housed in a steel bezel. The vessel submerged to a depth of 10,916 meters, shattering world records. FREE DOMESTIC SHIPPING ON ORDERS OVER $300. Blancpain. Is this a dive watch for everyone? The deep sea was shrouded in mystery up until the 1950s when Swiss scientist Auguste Piccard reached record-breaking depths in his bathyscaphe Trieste. It began as a serious military dive instrument and then continued on to explore the deepest depths of our planet's oceans. The Patek 5711 Is No More. Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Day Date Desert Edition. Though it is noticeably more expensive at $16,900 in stainless steel, there is the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, the original luxury sport watch. Plus it's a chronograph. The Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe was created when a need was seen for a version of the trailblazing diver that would be somewhat more suitable for daily wear. It brings something new to the current Fifty Fathoms family by recalling some key features from the original Bathyscaphes without totally giving up the hallmarks of the modern collection. The Fifty Fathoms line has made this Swiss manufacturer famous around the world. Readability during the day is great and the polished surrounds and hand edges almost glow when the sun is shining. The Blancpain Fifty Fathoms was the original modern dive watch. A noticeable feature of the Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe is its satin-brushed black ceramic case. The brand is one example of high-quality workmanship in watchmaking. There are many other variations and unusual references, but these are the most well known and collectable. The Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Chronograph Flyback touts an impressive 300 metres of water resistance, making it a bona fide diving chronograph that is safe to operate even when submerged. A series of "Aqua Lung" Fifty Fathoms were produced and sold alongside the Cousteau Aqua Lung dive equipment and a tribute Aqua Lung is in the current Blancpain line-up. Finishing off the case is a large crown with no guards that screws down for security. For example, the Villeret watches are classic timepieces, while the Léman series blends traditional and modern elements. Add in an annual calendar to the Bathyscaphe, and we’re entering the world of complications while keeping true to the rugged dive watch heritage of the Fifty-Fathoms. The L-Evolution models entice with their mix of avant-garde design and modern technology. The Bathyscaphe's dial is a radially brushed grey and it bears simple white signatures – "Blancpain Fifty Fathoms" at 12 o'clock and "Bathyscaphe" at 6 o'clock. Water resistance was also a serious concern. 3912. The explorer reached a depth of 3,150 meters in the bathyscaphe. The watches in the Fifty Fathoms series by Blancpain feature trend-setting technology, much like the submarines in years past. This bezel would allow the diver to line up the 12 o'clock triangle with the minutes hand when starting a dive, making it easy to see the number of elapsed minutes underwater. This is one serious strap. Taking some design inspiration from the 1950s original, this sturdy diver is a thoroughly modern watch. Calibre 1315, Through The Sapphire Caseback. Lastly, the lock mechanism is extremely secure though this does make clicking the bezel on the noisy side. Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Titanium 43mm Men's Watch... Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Blue 38mm - New / 2020, Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe - 5000-0130-B52A. The classic Fifty Fathoms is both large in diameter and very thick, with the chronograph models getting on for 45mm in diameter and an enormous 15.5mm thickness, that’s close to the Seamaster Planet Ocean Chronograph. You know that team HODINKEE are big fans of these basic nylon straps, especially on vintage dive and military watches. The hands are similarly vintage-inspired, with luminous rectangular shafts and thin metallic tips. 14270. There is definitely something about this watch that makes it seem like a modern dive watch for the man in-the-know, rather than something more commercial or commonly worn. It has an excellent mech They drew up some requirements for this ideal watch and shopped it around to various companies, but none wanted to invest in what they saw as a niche market. It is an amorphous metal alloy with a Vickers hardness number of 550, making it especially robust. The Bathyscaphe is a legendary name at Blancpain. Though, as I mentioned above, I would prefer a slightly closer resemblance to the earlier Fifty Fathoms, this watch does still have a lot of that cool-factor that people love so much in the originals. Genesis, with a twist: The Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Black Ceramic Editor’s note: The Blancpain Fifty Fathoms is, in the context of a fit-for-purpose dive watch, the original. Inspired by a "desert dive" by Ernest H. Brooks II on his trip to the Death Valley in the United States back in 1962, the 500-piece limited edition Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Day Date watch comes in a spectacular gradient-coloured sandy beige dial with a … The bright, large markings were key to readability at depth. The incorporation of useful features for life on dry land has cemented the success of the Bathyscaphe, and in the 1970s some members of the family appeared in cushion-shaped cases … The Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe is priced at around SGD17,000 or USD12,000. Few companies are going into this territory, and Blancpain does so … Fifty Fathoms // Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe. Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe. When Blancpain presented the Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Day Date 70s at Baselworld 2018, it followed a very long tradition of Fifty Fathoms timepieces. Free shipping. The original Bathyscaphes were some of the first watches to use this style and it would be doing the tribute a disservice to leave them out, but consumer buzz would say that people en masse would prefer this dial with a little less flash. Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Chronographe Flyback with a Green Dial. The silicon balance spring provides protection from magnetic disruption, paying homage to the original anti-magnetic Fifty Fathoms with a new technological development. Part of the reason for this size was to make room for the external rotating bezel, the first of its kind. Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Batyhyscaphe Ceramic Black Dial 43,6mm $ 12,426. It is somewhat Spartan looking with clean, minimal decoration. Curbside Services Continue to be Available - Click here to learn more US. First off, it was 41mm in diameter – absolutely massive for the time.