72 Years After Its Debut, Blancpain Finally Perfected Its Pioneering Dive Watch

The new 38-mm references still look the part of the 1953 model: the sapphire bezel insert recalls vintage Bakelite types used in the mid-20th century, while the luminous sword-shaped hands also remain. Other specs have been updated in the intervening decades: applied indices in place of painted luminous ones, sapphire crystal instead of acrylic, unidirectional bezel action instead of bidirectional, 300m of water resistance instead of 100m. Furthermore, Blancpain’s automatic manufacture Cal. 1153 offers a whopping 100 hours of power reserve, which is far cry from what was available in early Fifty Fathoms movements.

© Ben Thouard :© Ben Thouard

Colorways in the new model include both classic Fifty Fathoms hues—steel with a black dial, titanium with a blue dial, and red gold with a blue dial—as well as two new versions targeting ladies with pink or black mother-of-pearl dials. These two MOP iterations, which feature matching bezels and do not include the collection’s slightly contentious 4:30 date window, will, of course, invariably appeal to both women and men. Especially for those who found the Fifty Fathoms perhaps a bit too stark, the fresh injection of color will certainly be welcome. (The titanium version with pink MOP dial, matching pink bezel, and pink and white NATO strap actually looks somewhat like the brand’s mashup with Swatch—only a tad more expensive.)

With titanium or stainless steel bracelets, Tropic rubber straps, sail canvas straps, or NATO straps on offer; a bulletproof movement with a huge power reserve ticking away inside; and a wide variety of case materials and dial colors available, the Fifty Fathoms Automatique 38-mm is one of the most versatile high-end divers currently on the market especially now that it’s more wearable than ever.