The Fifty Fathoms collection was renewed in 2007.
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Fifty Fathoms. Fifty Fathoms. Fifty Fathoms. Fifty Fathoms. Fifty Fathoms
Launch Year
1953
Functions
hours, minutes, seconds
Movement
mechanical self-winding
Distinctive features
steel diver’s watch, 41mm diameter, rotating bezel
The Fifty Fathoms was born in 1953 from an encounter between three men. They were Jean-Jacques Fiechter, CEO of Blancpain in Switzerland and one of the first recreational scuba diving enthusiasts, Captain Robert "Bob" Maloubier and Lieutenant Claude Riffaud, the two founders of the French military combat swimmers unit.
The trio decided to create their own diving tool, which Bob Maloubier described as “a watch with a black dial, large numerals and clear indications in the form of triangles, circles and squares as well as a rotating outer bezel that picks up the dial markings", the latter serving to display the remaining dive time. It would be larger than the norm at that time (41mm in diameter), equipped with luminescent hands and indexes for perfect readability in the dark, a self-winding movement that would require less use of the crown, an inner cage that would protect it from magnetic fields and, of course, a water-resistant case.
The watch was awarded three patents for a double-locked crown, a caseback secured by an O-ring system and a bezel equipped with a locking mechanism. More than 40 years before the NIHS 92-11 (ISO 6425) standard, this 1953 watch already met all the requirements of a certified dive watch. This pioneering creation was called the Fifty Fathoms (a fathom is a measure of depth equal to 1.8 metres or 6 feet), which was considered to be the maximum depth a diver could reach at that time.
In addition to many military versions, known by other names for legal reasons, the Fifty Fathoms was subsequently issued in a version for civilian divers. It was a remarkable success, particularly after Commander Jacques-Yves Cousteau wore one, under the Aqua Lung name, for the dives that were brought to the screen in The Silent World, winner of the 1956 Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival and of an Oscar one year later.
During the thirty or so years that Jean-Jacques Fiechter spent at the helm of Blancpain, the Fifty Fathoms appeared in many variations and was enriched with several special features. Models were soon equipped with a dot-type moisture indicator that changed from blue to pink to indicate any water infiltration.
The Fifty Fathoms collection was renewed in 2007, with the introduction of the three contemporary models: the self-winding date model with a five-day power reserve, the flyback diver’s chronograph and the flying tourbillon with eight days of autonomy. The latter returned in 2022 in titanium and red gold executions. In 2009 the 500 Fathoms equipped with a helium decompression valve increased water-resistance to 1,000 meters; in 2011 the X Fathoms integrated a world-first high-performance mechanical depth gauge. In addition, the Fifty Fathoms collection was enhanced with women's models from 2008 onwards, as well as an exceptional flyback chronograph with complete calendar and moon phases, in 2010. A complementary line called Bathyscaphe, designed for both men and women, was introduced in 2013.
Past models have also returned centre-stage. In 2017 Blancpain released the Tribute to Fifty Fathoms MIL-Spec that features the same dot-type moisture indicator as the 1953 original. Two years later, in 2019, a 1960s model developed for the German Bundesmarine was given a contemporary revamp as the Fifty Fathoms Barakuda. Complications developed for the Fifty Fathoms have also entered the Bathyscaphe range, including a flyback chronograph and a complete calendar, in 2022.
Key Characteristics
- Steel diver’s watch, rotating bezel, self-winding movement
- Model worn by Jacques-Yves Cousteau in The Silent World, winner of the Palme d’Or in Cannes in 1956