Blancpain "Fifty Fathoms" - Revisited!

[SPACE-DWELLER]

Guys and gals! I just gotta share these pics of the new 45.5 MM "Fifty Fathoms" from Blancpain. Pics are from a German watch forum.























Note the bezel - made out of DOMED sapphire crystal. The indices on the bezel are nightglowing!

[SSD]

I think I have a new Grail Watch. Possibly. Its incredible! The pics are awesome as well! Thanks for posting them!

[doc_colton]

It's a beauty alright

[kcmo]

Wow, that lume is really neat!

[C.J.]

INCREDIBLE!!! If that were a little smaller, I may have found myself heading to the bank by now

[Tools]

That's a beauty, and takes the dive watch to new levels of elegance.

But at 45.5mm, it's a beast of a watch to wear very often..

[boa2]

Truly amazing...enjoy that stunning watch!

[Texsubmariner]

I love that watch, but it would be too large for my wrist!

[Tools]

If I had a spare 100 thousand lying around gathering dust, I would get myself the cheapy Stainless Tourbillon version..

the quarter million rose gold Tourbillon model is a bit over the top.....

[SPACE-DWELLER]

Originally Posted by C.J.

INCREDIBLE!!! If that were a little smaller, I may have found myself heading to the bank by now

Problem is that only 100 pcs. leave the Blancpain manufactory every year. At least that's what BP states. So I guess the waiting lists for the FF make the waiting lists for the SS Daytona seem ridiculously short!

[SPACE-DWELLER]

I am still biased about that sapphire crystal bezel, though! It sure is beautiful. And must be quite difficult to make since it's circular and domed at the same time; pronounced domed!

But at the end of the day, the crystal is made of......yup: GLASS! Yes, it's (virtually) scratch proof, but by no means "shatter proof". You drop it on a tile floor, and you'd be looking at a - say - at least 1,500 $ charge to get a new bezel (just guessing the cost, but IMHO it's a realistic cost, considering that the ceramic bezel of the SS GMT IIc (complete with insert) costs well past 1,300 $).

Still, the nightglowing bezel is beautiful!

[vman]

This is my next watch... I saw one for sale after I got PAM and it made me want to bring the PAM back... Well, at least for a 1 minute :) Very beautiful shots of a legendary watch. It is funny how most people won't even mention these watches when talking about a true diver.

[BigHat]

Originally Posted by SPACE-DWELLER

I am still biased about that sapphire crystal bezel, though! It sure is beautiful. And must be quite difficult to make since it's circular and domed at the same time; pronounced domed!

But at the end of the day, the crystal is made of......yup: GLASS! Yes, it's (virtually) scratch proof, but by no means "shatter proof". You drop it on a tile floor, and you'd be looking at a - say - at least 1,500 $ charge to get a new bezel (just guessing the cost, but IMHO it's a realistic cost, considering that the ceramic bezel of the SS GMT IIc (complete with insert) costs well past 1,300 $).

Still, the nightglowing bezel is beautiful!

Bo, Is it lume or tritium tubes? Seems very bright. I agree it looks awesome.

[SPACE-DWELLER]

Matt,

somewhere on the Blancpain site it states that they chose a special mixture and colour of SuperLuminova. So it is not Tritium tubes.

The information is somewhere in this direct link to the FF:

http://blancpain.com/fiftyfathoms

[BigHat]

Originally Posted by SPACE-DWELLER

Matt,

somewhere on the Blancpain site it states that they chose a special mixture and colour of SuperLuminova. So it is not Tritium tubes.

The information is somewhere in this direct link to the FF:

http://blancpain.com/fiftyfathoms

I like the look of this watch. They did a nice job on it.

Bo, thanks for the link.

[Scooby]

Gorgeous!

I first noticed BP when going through an AD and seeing the Leman Moonphase. Stunning. Love the new "old" look of the FF.

[Letsgodiving]

That is something else! I kind of like this one as well. On the upside they are out of may range so I don't have to choose.

[time]

Nice, but it is like a Sub copy...

[Andad]

Hi Time,

The Sub was the copy.



Bo,

You would need to flip more than two Rolex for that puppy.

A spectacular watch.

[applebook]

BlancpaiN's luminova is very bright.

Also, that movement is indeed completely in-house. It is "inspired" partly by a F. Piguet, but the design is a Blancpain patent and exclusive.

If I had larger wrists, this would be the ultimate diver's watch. Maybe in a few years I'll be able to find the 50th anniversary model used for a good price.

[BiG JeEzY]

Blancpain makes some very excellent dress watches as well as watches with unique complications in them. Besides the tourbillion, they also make watches with a minute repeater feature. The minute repeater is a suuuuper expensive feature to have on a watch. I haven't seen a minute repeater under $50k or even $100k for that matter.

Kudos to Blancpain for the "Fifty Fathoms" model. It is absolutely stunning!! Even the name of the watch screams elegance and ruggedness!

I'm not sure that of the exact price range of the Minute repeater that I have pictured below but the website I borrowed it from says that it is in the $100,000-$250,000 range which is a very broad range.

[haakon59]

Wow that is a beautiful watch, a little big, but a beautiful watch.

[SPACE-DWELLER]

Originally Posted by directioneng

Hi Time,

The Sub was the copy.



Bo,

You would need to flip more than two Rolex for that puppy.

A spectacular watch.

Well, it's 7,940 Euros. So I could actually get it for the price I could fetch for the two Rolex watches I have.

BTW.: I just had a look at the pics again. I just love the domed crystal and especially the way Blancpain has rounded off the edged of it. It makes it look like if it were a plexi crystal, lending it an old-fashioned appearance. Very beautiful. The curved sapphire bezel, resembling the old-style bakelite, also adds to the old-fashioned style of the FF.

[applebook]

Do you mean like this, bo?

The crystal isn't just domed but also "chamfered." Just stunning

[Jedi]

Two days ago I returned to Geneva to pick up a nice little watch. I walked past the Blancpain boutique on Rue du Rhone and realised, WOW, the FF in SS is sitting in the window. I immediately walked in and asked to see it.

The store manager took the watch out of the window and said it's the 3rd example they've been given since the first models started coming out of the factory in October. Then she took out the catalog specifically for the FF and the Blancpain magazine showing the evolution of the watch. She also showed me the case and accessories that come with the watch ie, bulletproof and waterproof case, strap tools, case holder etc.

The watch is simply stunning on the wrist. At 45mm diameter, I was skeptical, but it looked and felt mighty fine on the wrist. The balance is just perfect. My only two gripes would be the low visibility of the date, and the 300m/1000ft markings on the dial under FF. The strap is super comfortable and isn't of the annoying 'deployant' configuration. It's a real buckle with pin, and made of kevlar and rubber... basically sail cloth. It also comes with an awesome rubber strap. All for CHF13,000 with a 7% VAT refund at the airport.

The manager then bundled everything together (all the magazines, catalogs, entire Blancpain catalog and price list) and put them into a beautiful carry bag for me to take away.

If I hadn't bought what I'd bought, I would have purchased the FF right there and then. Great piece. So what if it's owned by the SWATCH group??

The magazine's a great read and the FF catalog glows in the dark, well the cover does anyway as it has a replica of the dial and bezel markings printed with a luminescent ink.

[Jedi]

Two days ago I returned to Geneva to pick up a nice little watch. I walked past the Blancpain boutique on Rue du Rhone and realised, WOW, the FF in SS is sitting in the window. I immediately walked in and asked to see it.

The store manager took the watch out of the window and said it's the 3rd example they've been given since the first models started coming out of the factory in October. Then she took out the catalog specifically for the FF and the Blancpain magazine showing the evolution of the watch. She also showed me the case and accessories that come with the watch ie, bulletproof and waterproof case, strap tools, case holder etc.

The watch is simply stunning on the wrist. At 45mm diameter, I was skeptical, but it looked and felt mighty fine on the wrist. The balance is just perfect. My only two gripes would be the low visibility of the date, and the 300m/1000ft markings on the dial under FF. The strap is super comfortable and isn't of the annoying 'deployant' configuration. It's a real buckle with pin, and made of kevlar and rubber... basically sail cloth. It also comes with an awesome rubber strap. All for CHF13,000 with a 7% VAT refund at the airport.

The manager then bundled everything together (all the magazines, catalogs, entire Blancpain catalog and price list) and put them into a beautiful carry bag for me to take away.

If I hadn't bought what I'd bought, I would have purchased the FF right there and then. Great piece. So what if it's owned by the SWATCH group??

The magazine's a great read and the FF catalog glows in the dark, well the cover does anyway as it has a replica of the dial and bezel markings printed with a luminescent ink.

[somdej]

i must say this is few watch that shake my heart besides rolex.....so attractive!!!!

[leopardprey]

One to add one thing, since I own a FF, is that even though it is 45mm, it wears more like a 42 or 43mm watch. Wears smaller on the wrist than my Panerai 44mms.

Another thing that might interest some of you is the Chronograph version is designed so you can use the Chrono pushers under water, they are rated to 300 meters for operation, just like the rest of the watch.

Blancpain truly makes some remarkable watches, and the Fifty Fathoms has a very detailed military history. Easy to see why Rolex copied the design for thier Submariner.

[Jedi]

I think it's a little harsh to say Rolex copied it, I kind of like to think of it as Rolex adapting the design, and improving on a couple of things like the bezel readability. But the FF design is iconic and rather butch in a nice way

I too think it wears beautifully, but I'm just not comfortable with a 45mm watch.

[watchlady]

I fancy this version.