While the Rolex Submariner may be the world’s most well recognized dive watch, it was Blancpain, with the introduction of the now-iconic Fifty Fathoms in 1953, that was the first to bring to market a truly modern diver. The Fifty Fathoms was a no-nonsense timepiece designed for use by commandos of the French navy, and in its civilian iterations, became one of the most iconic dive watches of the 20th century.
Now, HODINKEE has partnered with Blancpain to introduce a special edition of the Fifty Fathoms modeled on the famed Bathyscaphe iteration. The Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Limited Edition for HODINKEE features distinctive vintage-inspired aesthetics matched with modern tech, including sapphire crystal, applied numerals and markers, an antimagnetic case, a unidirectional rotating bezel, and the Blancpain automatic cal. 1153 movement, crafted entirely in-house by the manufacture.
The cal. 1153 features an impressive four-day power reserve and a custom solid gold rotor finished in grey and engraved with “HODINKEE,” and is visible through a display case back. The watch’s stainless steel case is 38mm and is capped by a satin-brushed stainless steel bezel with ceramic insert and Liquidmetal® hour-markers. Vintage fans will likely appreciate that there is no date window to obscure the matte dial adorned with vintage-colored lume. Water resistance is an impressive 300m — more than enough for any diver.
The Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Limited Edition for HODINKEE is a limited edition of 100 pieces, available only through the HODINKEE Shop and select Blancpain boutiques. Each watch is individually numbered out of 100 and ships with three straps: a Blancpain sail-canvas model in black and two HODINKEE NATOs in black and grey. The LE will retail for $9,900 and will ship with worldwide expedited delivery and an extra year of warranty coverage.
This is a handsome take on a vintage favorite that’s sure to sell out fast — the launch is scheduled for 10AM this morning, July 17th.
