Traded 14060m for Bathyscaphe - Review 3 months later

[PBJ1925]

Not quite a year but have to ask, has your thoughts / experiences changed in the past 6 months about the Blancpain?

[robinmgb]

I'm about to do a similar thing on Saturday.
Straight swapping my Submariner 114060 against either a fifty fathoms flyback chronograph or Jaeger-LeCoultre Geophysic universal time.
Can't wait to see them side by side and make my decision.

[PBJ1925]

Originally Posted by robinmgb

I'm about to do a similar thing on Saturday.
Straight swapping my Submariner 114060 against either a fifty fathoms flyback chronograph or Jaeger-LeCoultre Geophysic universal time.
Can't wait to see them side by side and make my decision.

That's great, looking forward to seeing what you'll end up with whether its the FF Chrono or JLC.

[yessir69]

Thoughtful writeup. Thanks for sharing.

[alllexandru]

Originally Posted by jrgannon

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Nice watch!
You can’t go wrong with the FF


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[BT1985]

I wore both today. Love them equally.





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[robinmgb]

Originally Posted by poweredbyjae

That's great, looking forward to seeing what you'll end up with whether its the FF Chrono or JLC.

Ended up with neither!
They had a Bathyscaphe Flyback chronograph, black ceramic case and green sailcloth strap, couldn't resist.
I found the fifty fathoms bezel looked very dated and old fashioned, also no exhibition case back.
Bathyscaphe black ceramic case looks stunning and the new F385 movement, so smooth

[PBJ1925]

Originally Posted by robinmgb

Ended up with neither!
They had a Bathyscaphe Flyback chronograph, black ceramic case and green sailcloth strap, couldn't resist.
I found the fifty fathoms bezel looked very dated and old fashioned, also no exhibition case back.
Bathyscaphe black ceramic case looks stunning and the new F385 movement, so smooth

That's awesome, congrats! How you do you like the sailcloth so far?

[robinmgb]

Originally Posted by poweredbyjae

That's awesome, congrats! How you do you like the sailcloth so far?

It's only been 6 hours but good so far!
Olive colour looks really good with the black ceramic I think, it's very comfortable with the rubber backing, brand new strap and flexible straight away

[Efferalgan]

Very unusual move but glad you are OK with the Blancpain. However the post itself screams that you are trying to persuade yourself that you did right and need help of others to succeed... I bought a bathyscaphe once because got a good deal. Tried it several times but didn’t manage to convince myself that its ugliness is actually a feature not a bug. Sold with small margin and will never buy another one regardless the sweetness of the price. My 14060m is still with me as it has been last decade.

[ajw45]

Great upgrade! I went from a pre-ceramic seadweller to a BP 500 Fathoms. While I probably should have kept the SD for the memories, the BP is so much more watch in everyway. If you have a loupe thedifferences become even more obvious.

[robinmgb]

Originally Posted by Efferalgan

Very unusual move but glad you are OK with the Blancpain. However the post itself screams that you are trying to persuade yourself that you did right and need help of others to succeed... I bought a bathyscaphe once because got a good deal. Tried it several times but didn’t manage to convince myself that its ugliness is actually a feature not a bug. Sold with small margin and will never buy another one regardless the sweetness of the price. My 14060m is still with me as it has been last decade.

My understanding is this is a forum to give ideas, get suggestions etc.
I don't need anyone to tell me if I did the right thing or not, I certainly can realise that for myself !
I have exchanged as a straight swap a boring, mass machine made Rolex with a retail price of £6450 for a piece of high horology on a totally different level to Rolex and can't seriously even be compared.
It retails for £14200, has beautiful hand finishing, isn't mass produced, has a flyback chronograph movement beating at 5hz and even beats my Submariner on accuracy.
The only advantage a Rolex is brand recognition with increasing values, sure the Blancpain will depreciate but unlike 90% of Rolex buyers, I am actually interested in horology, I choose to buy the best watch I can for £8500 and not the best investment opportunity.

[double]

A little revival on this thread.

I'll preface this by saying I am a watch nerd and a SCUBA diver. I always wanted a Submariner and have great admiration for the watch, but by the time I could afford one they were impossible to get without paying above MSRP, which I refuse to do.

I have owned an Omega Planet Ocean 2201.50 with the final revision of the 2500D movement for almost 10 years now and it finally needs service due to running +5-6 seconds per day on top of needing new gaskets and a pressure check. I have actually timed a few dives with my PO just for fun, but the modern dive watch is pretty much relegated and replaced by a computer that does a lot more than time your NDL or deco.

I was all set to buy the new 41mm version of the Submariner from an AD only to learn it takes years to get one and preferred customers that buy other watches or jewelry take precedence. I understand supply and demand, but this is a game I'm not willing to play. FWIW I'm still on the list for a 126610LN and maybe I'll get the call one day and consider a third watch, who knows.

I'm quite happy having two reliable divers to rotate from that I actually put in the elements quite often. Like the OP stated, I agree that the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscathe is just as good as any modern diver and as a horology nerd, I'd argue Blancpain has more "cool history" specific to dive watches if you care about that sort of thing.