In this special release, Blancpain offers a limited edition of 555 pieces, featuring the trademark moisture indicator. Staying true to its original design, the Fifty Fathoms 70th Anniversary Act 3 maintains a 41.30 mm diameter and is crafted from 9K Bronze Gold.
The Fifty Fathoms watch owes its creation to a transformative moment in Blancpain’s history. Jean-Jacques Fiechter, co-CEO and avid diver, faced a life-altering experience while diving in Cannes, France. Running out of air during a dive led him to recognize the pressing need for a timepiece tailored to the demands of scuba diving. This experience inspired the birth of the Fifty Fathoms, the world’s first true diver’s watch.
The 1953 model introduced key elements such as self-winding mechanisms, resistance to magnetism, water resistance to at least 10 bar, and XXL luminescent hour-markers for enhanced legibility. Patented features like the double watertight seal on the crown, the caseback sealing system, and the lockable rotating bezel made it a groundbreaking timepiece. The watch’s functions, features, and performance made it the choice for combat divers in several main armed forces, including France, Germany, the United States, and Norway.
Jean-Jacques Fiechter’s innovations extended to the development of a moisture indicator in the 1950s. This indicator, which appeared on MIL-SPEC watches in 1957, confirmed that the watch remained undamaged from prior missions, adding an extra layer of safety. The US Navy recognized this model as the only one meeting its strict criteria for underwater missions. “Fifty Fathoms 70th Anniversary Act 3” pays homage to this remarkable history.
Blancpain’s latest release underlines the brand’s legacy in crafting superior diving timepieces and commemorates seven decades of innovation and excellence.
Blancpain
Whether in improving complications, designs and production methods or in conquering new horizons, it has always been the ambition of Blancpain to take the watchmaker's art to places it has never been before. Thus, from the very first pieces created in the 18th century to the prestige timepieces of today, Blancpain has built up a true tradition of innovation. Contact us today about Blancpain watches in our locations coast to coast.
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