Blancpain presented the third act marking the 70th anniversary year of its iconic Fifty Fathoms diver’s watch recently in a series of events that were a fitting backdrop for the famed diver’s watch. We bring you a detailed look at the watch and some glimpses of the various events that marked the launch event and highlighted Blancpain’s involvement in its Ocean Commitment Initiative, including panel discussions and dives
Named “Fifty Fathoms 70th Anniversary Act 3”, this model is inspired by the MIL-SPEC model adopted by the main armed forces of the time. The Manufacture is now offering a 555-piece limited-edition reinterpretation of the timepiece with its trademark moisture indicator. Faithful to its original 41.30 mm diameter, the Fifty Fathoms 70th Anniversary Act 3 is made of 9K Bronze Gold.
The result of a true lightbulb moment, the Fifty Fathoms is the fortunate outcome of a dive whose consequences could have been quite different. One day when then Blancpain co-CEO and passionate diver Jean-Jacques Fiechter was diving in his favourite resort of Cannes in the south of France, he suddenly ran out of air. This dramatic and pivotal experience made him realise the extent to which divers needed a time-measuring instrument tailored to the needs of scuba diving, and led him to create the Fifty Fathoms, the world’s first true diver’s watch.
Although this timepiece established the fundamentals for safe diving, in the 1950s Jean-Jacques Fiechter also developed a moisture indicator, an additional safety feature whose purpose was to provide divers with the confirmation that the watch had not been damaged by another diver on a previous mission. Appearing on the dial of the MIL-SPEC watches in 1957 – some of whose variants are among the rarest and most sought-after timepieces by collectors – this moisture indicator was part of the specifications of the US Navy, which regarded this model as the only one to meet all the strict criteria laid down for its underwater missions. The Fifty Fathoms 70th Anniversary Act 3 pays tribute to that watch.
It is immediately apparent that this third anniversary timepiece is indeed inspired by its non-magnetic parent used by the US Navy. The matt black dial with vintage Super-LumiNova-enhanced moisture indicator and hour-markers; the unidirectional rotating bezel with black ceramic insert featuring a vintage Super-LumiNova diving scale; as well as the two-tone NATO strap featuring the colour code of the original timepiece and made from fishing nets recovered from the oceans are all features that demonstrate their close kinship. They are however distinguished from each other by the material used for the case.
While the MIL-SPEC from which the anniversary model is inspired is made of German silver, the Act 3 is clothed in 9K Bronze Gold, a patented alloy enriched with 37.5% gold (hallmarked 9K), copper – 50%, allowing it to be called “bronze” – silver, palladium, and gallium. Designed to offer a pink hue and pleasing aesthetics, this type of bronze stands out by the fact that it can be worn in direct contact with the skin – unlike traditional bronze – and has a longer lifespan, since oxidation is prevented by the addition of gold.
The 1154.P2 movement is housed in a 9K Bronze Gold case that is water-resistant to 30 bar and measures 41.30 mm like the historic MIL-SPEC. Its twin barrel endows the timepiece with a substantial 100-hour power reserve, while a silicon balance-spring ensures the movement’s resistance to magnetism. For the first time, Blancpain is offering a 1000-gauss version of its movement, thanks to the use of this material coupled with exclusive alloys for the escapement. Unlike the original version – whose movement is not visible because resistance to magnetic fields was only possible at the time by encasing the mechanism in a soft iron cage – the heart of the Fifty Fathoms 70th Anniversary Act 3 can be admired through a sapphire crystal case back, as the use of a non-magnetic spiral enables the timepiece to feature such transparency without compromising its resistance to magnetism. The open case back reveals bridges enlarged to the diameter of the mainplate, enhanced by decoration inspired by that of the period. For its part, the oscillating weight boasts a geometry inspired by the historical rotor – with an opening designed to make it more supple and therefore more resistant to shocks – as well as a snail-shaped finish reminiscent of its rotating motion. The engraved vintage logotype, that sheds light on 18K gold, sets the finishing touch to the watch’s vintage look.
Issued in a 555-piece limited edition, the watch is presented in a box inspired by a historic camera housing, echoing Blancpain’s ocean protection initiatives. Since underwater photography developed at the same time as the diver’s watch, it indeed helped highlight the discovery of the seabed. Thus, uniting the best of two eras, this commemorative timepiece continues to write the history of the world’s first true diver’s watch.
Fifty Fathoms 70th Anniversary Act 3 launch event – Cannes
The series of events that heralded the launch of the Fifty Fathoms 70th Anniversary Act 3 began in mid-September with an open-air exhibition on the Fifty Fathoms collection and Blancpain’s Ocean Commitment initiative, which was open until October 6. Walkers at the famous Promenade de la Croisette in Cannes were able to travel the milestones of the Fifty Fathoms collection on one side and marvel at the wonderful underwater photographs of Laurent Ballesta on the other.
The main event began with a panel discussion on Blancpain’s Ocean Commitment initiative, the ten years of the Gombessa expeditions, and the importance of conserving our oceans – with representatives from relevant organisations. The discussion ended fittingly with Marc A. Hayek – President and CEO of Blancpain – being bestowed with a Lifetime Achievement Award from PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors).
The next day saw the 300 guests offered a chance to dive in the Mediterranean with Hayek and Ballesta, while non-divers enjoyed a short trip on observer boats. The actual unveiling of Act 3 took place on the well-known Île Sainte-Marguerite, famed for its fortress where the historic ‘Man in the Iron Mask’ was imprisoned in the 17th century. The venue itself was an immersive dive into the history of the Fifty Fathoms collection, with the two new editions of the reference 5901 available for a hands-on viewing of the guests.
