Because Jean-Jacques Fiechter, Blancpain's former CEO from 1950 to 1980, loved diving, the Swiss brand had to develop a reliable underwater timing instrument for the boss.
Fifty Fathoms Ocean Commitment III.
The French combat diving corps also asked for such a timepiece and they were the first to wear the Fifty Fathoms introduced in 1953.
The smaller Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe was released three years later, as a civilian version for daily wear.
A unidirectional rotating bezel and a robust movement while offering clear readability are among the key characteristics preserved in the 2018 models: Fifty Fathoms Grande Date, Bathyscaphe Day Date 70s, Bathyscaphe Quantième Annuel and Fifty Fathoms Ocean Commitment III.
The 45mm titanium Fifty Fathoms Grande Date is fitted with the traditional unidirectional rotating bezel while the redesign has the date display with two windows positioned at 6 o'clock rather than 4 o'clock.
A clear sapphire case back reveals the in-house manufactured calibre equipped with three mainspring barrels providing a five-day power reserve.
The Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Day Date 70s is inspired by watches made in that decade designed with a silvered dial ring, rectangular indexes, Arabic numerals and day of the week and date indications at 3 o'clock.
Like the vintage piece, the new 43mm steel model has a subtle graduated grey colouring to create an illusion of a larger dial size with enhanced readability.
Fifty Fathoms Grande Date.
The vintage piece's aesthetic code is combined with Blancpain's technical advances for the limited edition of 500 pieces with a unidirectional bezel featuring a ceramic insert and the indexes filled with Liquidmetal.
The 43mm steel Bathyscaphe Quantième Annuel also has Liquidmetal markings on the black ceramic unidirectional rotating bezel, accenting its meteor-grey dial.
Powered by a new movement, the model brings a new functionality to the Fifty Fathoms collection through a logical arrangement of the day of the week, date and month indications shown in windows respectively at 2, 3 and 4 o'clock. The annual calendar requires adjustment only once per year at the end of February
The 40mm steel Fifty Fathoms Ocean Commitment III pays tribute to the original 1953 model, but with a blue colour scheme referencing the sea and the watch's purpose in raising fund for oceanographic projects and marine conservation.
The "Blancpain Ocean Commitment" logo appears on the deep blue dial at 6 o'clock while "Ocean Commitment" is engraved on the gold winding rotor of the self-winding movement providing a four-day power reserve. The limited edition of 250 pieces has Super-LumiNova indexes, dial markings and hands ensuring optimal readability in underwater conditions while being water resistant to 30 bar, equivalent to approximately 300m.
Blancpain timepieces are available at Pendulum boutique in Siam Paragon.
