Introduced in 1953, the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms is widely regarded as the first modern dive watch equipped with a rotating unidirectional bezel with a diving scale. The Fifty Fathoms was born out of necessity. With more humans venturing into the deep, the world needed a reliable, purpose-built tool watch for divers.
The story of Blancpain’s Fifty Fathoms watch demonstrates its pioneering spirit. A quests for a dive watch, one by Blancpain’s then-CEO Jean-Jaques Fiechter and another by French naval officers Bob Maloubier and Claude Riffaud. These quests resulted in the watch that we know today as the Fifty Fathoms. Started in 1735, now in modern times is owned by the Swatch Group and is still manufactured in Switzerland.
Blancpain also supplied the U.S. Navy with Fifty Fathoms watches through Tornek, a jeweler based in New York. At the time, Blancpain could not deliver watches directly as it was not a U.S. company, but thanks to a contract with Tornek, it became possible. After a qualification process, in which the watches were tested and certified in a laboratory, the “Milspec 1” Fifty Fathoms was created and found its way to the wrists of the U.S. Navy SEALs, the most prestigious diving corps in the U.S.A.
So after providing my Product Concept and my requests to Blancpain. Blancpain finally came out with close to the original Fifty Fathoms in a 42 mm Medium Sized Case that is more manageable on smaller to medium-size wrists. And since these beautiful stainless steel watches are now so credibly expensive I requested to offer it sexy Titanium as well.
2019 | 2024 Blancpain, Fifty Fathoms in Size 42 mm Medium Sized Case (Product Concept)
2023 | 2024 Blancpain, Fifty Fathoms in Size 42 mm Medium Sized Case in Titanium Case (Product Concept)