Blancpain is diving deep into its archives to celebrate a major milestone. To mark 70 years since the inception of its signature skin diver watch line, the Swiss horologist has unveiled the Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe—a rarefied, 300-piece limited-edition reproduction of a landmark 1968 model.
First registered in 1953 by then-CEO and avid diver Jean-Jacques Fiechter, the Bathyscaphe name officially debuted in 1956 as the everyday civilian counterpart to the military Fifty Fathoms. Designed for recreational enthusiasts, it quickly defined the skin diver genre through its balance of elegance and durability.
The new anniversary model retains the original 37.4-mm stainless steel case size, featuring a compact 46.5-mm lug-to-lug distance and a 12.3-mm thickness. Rather than adapting an existing case, Blancpain custom-engineered the architecture around the movement to maintain true period proportions and wrist ergonomics.
The visual appeal continues on the dial, where a sunburst meteor-grey finish is paired with 18K white gold baton indexes and vintage-toned Super-LumiNova hands. Yet, while the exterior pays homage to the original watch’s mid-century heritage, the mechanics inside are thoroughly modern.
The newly-launched timepiece is driven by the ultra-thin automatic Manufacture Calibre 1150, equipped with an anti-magnetic silicon hairspring, a robust 100-hour power reserve (~4 days), and a standard-setting 30 bar (300 meters) water resistance.
Fitted with an 18-mm chocolate calf leather strap with a pin buckle, the watch is priced at $18,300 and backed by a five-year warranty. The Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe offers collectors a unique opportunity to own a defining chapter in dive watch history.