Blancpain launches 3rd limited-edition watch to mark 70th year of Fifty Fathoms.

Blancpain’s Fifty Fathoms 70th Anniversary Act 3.

In the 1950s, when the French navy was searching for a diving watch for its newly formed Combat Diving Corps, they discovered that the watch industry had little understanding of the needs of divers.

Their initial test of watches found on the market ended disastrously; the tested watches leaked, were small, and difficult to read underwater.

After that, the navy contacted Blancpain, whose then chief executive officer Jean-Jacques Fiechter was a passionate diver who had already developed the first Fifty Fathoms in 1953 by drawing upon his own diving experiences.

The examples Blancpain presented to the French navy passed all of the latter’s tests. Thus, the Fifty Fathoms became the French navy’s diving watch.

The details of Blancpain’s Fifty Fathoms 70th Anniversary Act 3 should be appreciated up close. — Photos: BLANCPAIN

In present times, to commemorate the watchmaker’s milestones, the media and other guests are treated to an afternoon of canapes and drinks at the Blancpain store in Suria KLCC, Kuala Lumpur.

The celebration is to mark the 70th anniversary of Fifty Fathoms as well as to welcome the newest limited-edition in the family -- the Fifty Fathoms 70th Anniversary Act 3.

Representing Blancpain are Asia-Pacific regional sales manager Jalil El Kouch-Bordier and regional brand manager Carrie Poon.

“The latest launch also pays tribute to the last 70 years of history in watchmaking,” says Kouch-Bordier in his short speech.

“The future of diving is reflected in Act 3 of the heritage of Fifty Fathoms diver’s watch,” he says, adding that it joins the first two limited-editions of Act 1 and Act 2 – launched this year – at the forefront of diving watches today with complex technology.

Inscriptions on its caseback to mark the limited edition, totalling 555 pieces.

The Fifty Fathoms 70th Anniversary Act 3, limited to 555 pieces, with its trademark moisture indicator is inspired by the MIL-SPEC (military specification) model adopted by the main armed forces of the time.

The Fifty Fathoms is the outcome of a dive which consequences could have been quite different. Fiechter was diving off the coast of Cannes in southern France, when he suddenly ran out of air.

This pivotal experience made him realise the vital need for a measuring instrument tailored for divers, and led him to create the Fifty Fathoms.

Its self-winding mechanism (involving less wear on the crown gaskets than in a hand-wound movement); its resistance to magnetism (present in the world of diving); its strength to withstand pressure and stay watertight up to 10 bar; along with its XXL luminescent hour-markers contrasting with the dark dial (for improved legibility) represented a set of key elements presented on the 1953 model.

The crown fitted with a double watertight seal; the caseback sealing system (to prevent any distortion of the O-ring when the case is fitted); as well as the lockable rotating bezel would all be patented.

Fifty Fathoms 70th Anniversary Act 3 is presented in a box resembling an underwater camera from early 1950s. — Photo: ONG SOON HIN/The Star

The relevance of Fiechter’s ideas was such that Fifty Fathoms became the archetypal diving watch for the entire watch industry at the time – and even remains so this day.

Appearing on the dial of the MIL-SPEC watches in 1957 – some of which variants are among the rarest and most sought-after timepieces by collectors – the moisture indicator that Fiechter developed as additional safety was part of the specifications from the US navy, which regarded this model as the only one to meet all the strict criteria laid down for its underwater missions. The Fifty Fathoms 70th Anniversary Act 3 pays tribute to that watch.

The luminosity and big numbers make for high legibility.

While the MIL-SPEC is made of German silver, the Fifty Fathoms 70th Anniversary Act 3 is clothed in 9K Bronze Gold, a patented alloy enriched with 37.5% gold (hallmarked 9K), silver, palladium, gallium, and copper amounting to 50%, as such allowing it to be called “bronze”.

Designed to offer a pink hue and pleasing aesthetics, this type of bronze stands out by the fact that it can be worn in direct contact with the skin, unlike traditional bronze.

Furthermore, it has a longer lifespan since oxidation to a verdigris colour is prevented by the addition of gold.

The 1154.P2 movement is housed in a 9K Bronze Gold case that is water-resistant to 30 bar and measures 41.3mm in diameter like the historic MIL-SPEC.

Its twin barrel endows the timepiece with a very substantial 100-hour power reserve, while a silicon balance-spring ensures the movement’s resistance to magnetism.

Fifty Fathoms 70th Anniversary Act 3 is presented in a box looking similar to this first Rolleimarin underwater camera from 1953.

For the first time, Blancpain is offering a 1000-gauss version of its movement, thanks to the use of this material coupled with exclusive alloys for the escapement.

The heart of the Fifty Fathoms 70th Anniversary Act 3 can be admired through its sapphire crystal caseback, as the use of a non-magnetic spiral enables the timepiece to feature such transparency without compromising its resistance to magnetism.

The open caseback reveals bridges enlarged to the diameter of the mainplate, enhanced by decoration inspired by that of the period.

Its oscillating weight boasts a geometry inspired by the historical rotor – with an opening designed to make it more supple and therefore more resistant to shocks, as well as a snail-shaped finish reminiscent of its rotating motion.

The engraved vintage logotype, that sheds light on 18k gold, sets the finishing touch to the watch’s vintage look.

The Fifty Fathoms 70th Anniversary Act 3 is presented in a box inspired by a historic camera housing, echoing Blancpain’s ocean protection initiatives.