At 38 millimetres in diameter and 10.77 millimetres thickness, the new Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe by Blancpain is an example of what seems to be a new trend, small, slim diving watches. Its colour, named “abyss blue” by the brand, is also on-trend. In 2013, to mark the 60th anniversary of the Fifty Fathoms, the Bathyscaphe was given a new design based on the earliest editions, and this 38mm Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe is a downsized version of that piece.
Small but beautifully-formed
The watch looks back to the historic Fifty Fathoms diving watches that did so much to define the genre back in 1953. The steel bezel has a blue ceramic insert and hour-markers in Liquidmetal. The minute markers all the way around the bezel make the watch more practical than most diving watches, because you can use the bezel with the minute hand to take approximate readings of elapsed time. The case has a water resistance of 30 bar, 300 metres.
Calibre 1150
The Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe is powered by Calibre 1150, which has two series-coupled barrels providing a 100-hour power reserve. The movement has 28 jewels and 210 parts, and a solid gold oscillating weight coated in NAC platinum alloy, with the Blancpain logo in relief. The balance spring is in silicon, which offers advantages connected to its non-magnetic nature, and its lightness that improves shock-resistance.
Price and reference
The Blancpain 38 mm Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe costs €9,030. More information on the Blancpain website.
