Blancpain celebrates seven decades of the Bathyscaphe with a limited edition that reaches back to one of the collection’s most distinctive historical designs. Rather than recreating the original 1956 model, the new Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe 70th Anniversary takes its inspiration from a 1968 reference, preserving the compact proportions and understated character of the vintage skin diver while updating its construction for modern underwater use.
The Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe 70th Anniversary (Ref#: 5903-1110-63A) is housed in a polished stainless-steel case measuring 37.4mm in diameter, 12.3mm thick and 46.5mm from lug to lug. Developed specifically for this limited edition, its diameter precisely matches that of the 1968 Bathyscaphe that inspired it.
The slender mid-case, straight faceted lugs and polished surfaces preserve the restrained character of the original skin diver, while a unidirectional steel bezel surrounds a black ceramic 60-minute insert with lacquered numerals.
Around the back, a screwed stainless steel caseback incorporates a sapphire crystal that reveals the in-house caliber 1150. An openworked 18k gold oscillating weight provides the visual centerpiece, surrounded by movement finishing that includes snail-brushed bridges and polished chamfers. The exhibition back represents one of the more distinctly contemporary departures from the vintage model while allowing Blancpain’s modern automatic movement to become part of the design.
The screw-down crown contributes to the watch’s substantially increased diving capability, while a box-shaped sapphire crystal recreates the raised profile and visual character of the plexiglass crystal used on the historical model. The bezel has similarly evolved from the original bidirectional construction to a modern unidirectional diving bezel, while ceramic replaces the vintage hesalite insert for greater durability. Water-resistance can reach up to 300 meters (984 feet).
The sunray-brushed dial is finished in “meteor grey,” a warm grey tone chosen to reproduce some of the softly faded character associated with the original 1968 Bathyscaphe. Its restrained surface is complemented by the period-inspired Blancpain signature, while the straightforward arrangement reflects the Bathyscaphe’s origins as the more compact, civilian-oriented counterpart to the professional Fifty Fathoms.
Applied 18k white gold hour markers are paired with slender polished baton-shaped hour and minute hands, while the central seconds hand recreates the distinctive arrow-shaped tip of the historical reference. A date aperture at 3 o’clock is outlined by a thin white frame, maintaining the practical functionality of the original while providing a subtle geometric counterpoint to the otherwise minimal display.
Vintage-colored Super-LumiNova fills the applied hour markers and baton-shaped hands, reinforcing the period appearance of the meteor grey dial while providing contemporary low-light visibility. The arrow-shaped tip of the seconds hand also incorporates Super-LumiNova, creating an additional luminous point that makes the movement of the seconds indication readily visible in darkness.
Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe 70th Anniversary
The “Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe 70th Anniversary” (Ref#: 5903-1110-63A) is powered by the in-house self-winding mechanical movement, caliber 1150 with 28 jewels, 210 components, and 21,600 vph. It comes equipped with a double-barrel architecture and silicon hairspring for improved resistance to magnetic fields, along with hours, minutes and seconds indications and a date display at 3 o’clock. Power reserve can last up to 100 hours, when fully wound.
Mounted on this watch is a chocolate brown calf leather strap with contrasting off-white stitching, secured by a stainless steel pin buckle. The warm leather complements the meteor grey dial and vintage-toned luminous material, reinforcing the late-1960s character without resorting to artificial aging of the case itself. At just 37.4mm across but with a relatively long 46.5mm lug-to-lug measurement, the Bathyscaphe retains the compact diameter of its historical inspiration while maintaining enough presence to feel contemporary on the wrist.
The Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe 70th Anniversary is limited to 300 pieces worldwide and is delivered in a Peli™ protective case.
MSRP: $18,300.00 USD
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