Results for Fifty Fathoms

Introducing: The Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Barakuda Limited Edition (Live Pics & Pricing)

Once for the Bundesmarine, now for the Blancpain boutique.

The Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Revolution Special Edition

Dossier: Brief History of the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms

At the end of 1952 and through the beginning of 1953, the first French navy’s scuba diver unit was created, as a result of cooperation between the French Navy and the Secret Services. The naval branch was to become known as “Commando Hubert”, though the Secret Services branch was not given a specific name, operating […]

Blancpain Fifty Fathoms: A tribute to Fifty Fathoms Aqua Lung

Coast Guard, this is motor-vessel Bonsai, we have a missing diver in the water. Repeat, missing diver.” I scanned the choppy water as we motored in increasing arcs, realizing the near-impossibility of spotting a person in the 7ft (2m) swells. I’d rehearsed this scenario in my head a hundred times, but nothing could prepare me […]

Tornek-Rayville Review: The Collectible Military Dive Watch Reborn

The story of Tornek-Rayville is one that represents a significant chapter in both watchmaking and military history, from the earliest purpose-built watches for divers in the 1950s up to the re-emergence of the cult-classic brand (in a notably new form) in the 21st Century. And it begins with the development of the world’s first modern dive watch: the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms. [toc-section heading="Blancpain Fifty Fathoms History"] Founded in 1735 in Villeret, Switzerland, Blancpain is the oldest luxury watchmaker in the world, but its most famous timepiece in this modern era began its life as a tool watch for military divers in the (relatively) recent year of 1953. Jean-Jacques Fiechter, who headed Blancpain at the time, was an avid diving enthusiast who had long wanted to develop a watch that would be ideal for his hobby. Fiechter worked with Captain Robert Maloubier, a French naval officer, to design a reliable, mission-ready timepiece that Maloubier’s elite combat diving team could wear. The watch’s 42mm steel case - exceptionally large for the time - was water-resistant to 91.45 meters, or 50 fathoms, the maximum depth recommended for scuba divers. Its dial was black and its numerals were luminescent for greater legibility underwater.  It was the first divers’ watch with a self-winding movement, the first with an antimagnetic case, and the first to employ the patented, double-sealed crown that Fiechter had developed. Most notably, the Fifty Fathoms was the ...

The Evergreens - The History of The Citizen Aqualand, The Diving Icon Celebrating 40 Years

Traditional dive watches have never waned in popularity, despite modern diving computers and even smart watches pushing them into technical obsolescence. The dawn of early divers in the 1950s is defined by two brands and two watches – the Rolex Submariner and the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms. State of the art at the time and able […]

Introducing - The Return of the Triton Spirotechnique Dive Watch

While the Rolex Submariner, Blancpain Fifty Fathoms and Omega Seamaster ruled the 1950s enthusiast and military diving scene, it was the Triton Spirotechnique in 1963 that briefly became the most expensive dive watch of its times, although never the best known. It was developed for the Spirotechnique company (Aqualung), founded by oceanographer/filmmaker/French naval officer Jacques […]

Hands-On with the Retro Zodiac Ref. Super Sea Wolf Ref. 691 Diver

I’d be hard-pressed to name a watch more iterated upon in the last few years than Zodiac’s Sea Wolf. The retro-inspired diver has been at the heart of a true brand renaissance and was at the forefront of the vintage revival movement that has so characterized the watch world over the last decade. Today, Zodiac is looking back to one of its earliest dive watches with the new Zodiac Super Sea Wolf Ref. 691. There is, as with most things watch-related and pre-internet, some debate as to the initial launch date of the Zodiac Sea Wolf, but regardless of the date, there’s no doubt that Zodiac released the Sea Wolf as part of the first wave of dive watches back in the 1950s, but while watches like the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms, Rolex Submariner, and Omega Seamaster 300 soared (or dove), the Sea Wolf fell into the background - obscured to all but the most devoted watch enthusiasts alongside other early generation dive watches like the Eterna Kon-Tiki and Enicar Sherpa-Dive. By the time I got into watches in the early 2010s, the Zodiac Sea Wolf was one of the great secrets of the enthusiast world. Great examples could be had for a few hundred bucks, so for not much money, you could have a great-looking vintage dive watch with some real history. That all started to change when Zodiac, under the larger umbrella of Fossil Group, revived the Sea Wolf in 2015. The Zodiac Sea Wolf was immediately brought to the center of the horological world and has continued to stay relevant in t...

A Dial For Diving - The Singer Divetrack Is One Of The Most Impressive Watches I’ve Seen In 2024

Singer Reimagined had quite a surprise in store for us with the introduction of the Divetrack chronograph. It’s not a typical dive watch and even goes beyond the dive watches we already find unusual (okay, the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms X Fathoms might be an exception to a certain extent). The Divetrack offers a dial that […] Visit A Dial For Diving - The Singer Divetrack Is One Of The Most Impressive Watches I’ve Seen In 2024 to read the full article.

Oris Divers Sixty-Five Review

The Oris Divers Sixty-Five collection has found a receptive and substantial audience since its introduction in 2015, firmly establishing itself as one the Swiss brand's most versatile and creatively innovative product families. Whether it's the retro appeal of its original 1960s design, the exclusivity of the Carl Brashear editions, or the playful pastels of the Cotton Candy models, the Oris Diver Sixty-Five has something for just about any type of watch enthusiast. Here is a comprehensive rundown of the line, from its mid-sixties inspiration to today.  1965: The Original Waterpoof Oris started making watches in 1904 in the Swiss town of Hölstein, where it is still based today. The brand made its first purpose-built dive watch in 1965, naming it the Oris Waterproof and targeting the era’s growing masses of recreational diving enthusiasts - many of whom were likely seeking a more affordable alternative to prohibitively priced genre pioneers like the Rolex Submariner and Blancpain Fifty Fathoms. The Waterproof was a product of its time, with a case made of chromium-plated brass, a crystal made of Plexiglas, and a strap made of sturdy but decidedly non-luxurious black rubber. The case, with a dive-scale bezel that rotated in both directions, measured a rather modest 36mm and housed a manually wound mechanical movement, the 17-jewel Oris Caliber 654; at the time, Oris made most of its own movements in-house. This historical divers’ model (above, right), while never a...

Boo! The Spinnaker Fleuss Automatic seconde/seconde/ is a Halloween-ready pun of a watch

This 'Fifty Phantoms' is a spooky, cheeky and very on-trend parody of the much-spoken-about Blancpain Fifty Fathoms.The post Boo! The Spinnaker Fleuss Automatic seconde/seconde/ is a Halloween-ready pun of a watch appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Doxa Sub Review: The Iconic Dive Watch You Should Know More About

If you're seriously into dive watches, you probably know that the Doxa SUB is one of the most important and influential members of that popular genre, but if your interest in underwater timepieces and their history is more casual, you may not be aware of Doxa's unique spot in that pantheon of pioneers that includes household names like the Rolex Submariner, Omega Seamaster, and Blancpain Fifty Fathoms. Here is a brief history of the Doxa SUB and a rundown of where the watch renowned for bringing orange dials to the watch world stands today.  Bound for Glory Doxa founder Georges Ducommon, a native of the Swiss Jura town of Le Locle and one of his family’s 13 children, came to watchmaking early in life. He began an apprenticeship with an established local watchmaker in 1880, and within less than a decade had developed the skills, creativity, and resolute confidence to start his own business. He founded Doxa in 1889, naming it after a Greek word meaning “glory,” a bold harbinger of the successful future Ducommon envisioned for his brand. That success came in fairly short order, with Doxa pocket watches winning accolades at World’s Fairs in Belgium, in 1905, and in Italy, in 1906. With automobile racing becoming a popular pursuit in the early part of the 20th century, Ducommon filed a patent in 1907 for a caliber with an eight-day power reserve, which became standard equipment in the dashboard clocks of Bugatti race cars. After Georges Ducommon’s death in 1936, Do...

How Zodiac started the funky colour trend

The deeper history of dive watches will always be murky, especially on the topic of first-time achievements when simultaneous development had countless brands competing. When it comes to trend-setting however, there are some pretty obvious titans which spread their influence. The Blancpain Fifty Fathoms and Rolex Submariner were both released in 1953, cementing a significant … ContinuedThe post How Zodiac started the funky colour trend appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

MICRO MONDAYS: The Baltic Aquascaphe Classic is a modern diver that oozes vintage style for a startlingly good price

It’s probably fair to say that Baltic owe their current status as an overachieving microbrand to the release of the Aquascaphe in 2018. Blending different elements of 1960s’ skin divers, and 1950s’ legends like the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms, the Aquascaphe found its own footing as a modern diver with perfect vintage style. Since then, it … ContinuedThe post MICRO MONDAYS: The Baltic Aquascaphe Classic is a modern diver that oozes vintage style for a startlingly good price appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

The F.P.Journe Chronometre Bleu is a retro-futuristic classic

In a space where so much history has gone before, it’s nigh impossible to create a timepiece that’s totally unique. For example, just about any dive watch you can name shares at least some DNA with the Rolex Submariner or Blancpain’s Fifty Fathoms. It’s called classic rock for a reason, and for every Omega Speedmaster, … ContinuedThe post The F.P.Journe Chronometre Bleu is a retro-futuristic classic appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Zodiac Watches: A Comprehensive History and Guide to the Modern Collec

If you’ve only recently discovered Zodiac watches - a strong likelihood, as its most well-known and popular model, the Super Sea Wolf, has only been back on the market since 2015 - you may be surprised to learn that Zodiac traces its watchmaking history all the way back to 1882, and that it launched the first Sea Wolf dive watch back in 1953, placing it in the same historical company as other pioneering dive watches debuting in that seminal year, like the much more heralded Rolex Submariner and Blancpain Fifty Fathoms. Today the most prestigious and historical watch brand within the huge, Texas-based Fossil Group, Zodiac continues its longstanding tradition of offering distinctively styled Swiss Made watches at accessible prices, with some of the most popular models reviving its milestone designs from the mid-20th Century. THE BEGINNINGS Second-generation watchmaker Ariste Calame founded the workshop that would grow into the Zodiac watch company in 1882 in Le Locle, in Switzerand’s Jura Mountains. The first timepieces Calame made there were originally branded under his own name. In 1895, the founder’s son Louis Ariste Calame, who had also trained as a watchmaker, took over the business at the age of 20 and registered the name “Zodiac” in 1908, applying it to the innovative flat pocket watches, called Zodiac Triumph, which the company began producing in 1924, equipped with the in-house Caliber 1617 (below, via Watchuseek). In the wake of World War I, however, ...

Peren Introduces the Nera Rogue Diver

Founded by Romanian native Andy Bica-Popi but based in Switzerland, Peren styles itself as a Transylvanian watch brand. The micro-brand’s offerings are characterised by a clean, functional aesthetic, a style encapsulated by the Nera Rogue. Peren’s first dive watch is loosely inspired by the Tornek-Rayville TR-900, a rare and obscure dive watch that’s actually a rebadged Blancpain Fifty Fathoms, which the Swiss watchmaker made for its American agent who in turn supplied them to the US Navy in the 1960s. Utilitarian and cleanly styled, the Nera Rogue takes after the TR-900, which is reflected in the hour markers and bezel, but is evidently not a vintage remake. And in a nod to today’s fashionable colour, the Nera Rogue has dark-green dial. Initial thoughts Granted, the population of micro-brands is ever increasing, especially those making dive watches, but a handful are both interesting and affordable enough to be worth a second look. Since micro-brands typically rely on the same few outsourced movements (often Sellita or Miyota), it falls to design to distinguish one from another. And Peren manages to set itself apart – albeit only on the second try. The Nera Rogue is actually Peren’s second go at the design. What’s really new on the Nera Rogue is actually its bezel – which is the primary element inspired by the TR-900 – while the rest of the watch is actually identical to a past model known as the Nera that was equipped with a smooth, unmarked bezel, m...

Dive watch fundamentals - Why Rolex still wears the crown of the deep

There’s a strong argument that the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms was the first real diver’s watch of its kind… and that’s because it was. It’s also true that the Rolex Submariner, which was also released in 1953, but after the Fathoms, did borrow some stylistic cues from the Blancpain. However, if any one watchmaker can claim … ContinuedThe post Dive watch fundamentals – Why Rolex still wears the crown of the deep appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

IN-DEPTH: Is the Seiko Prospex SLA017 62MAS re-creation their best dive watch ever?

The story in a second The most eagerly awaited dive watch release from Seiko…ever? Seiko were relative latecomers to the professional dive watch game, coming some 10 years after the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms and the Rolex Submariner. Released in 1965, the legendary Seiko 62MAS (ref. 6217) was Japan’s first professional dive watch and inspired a … ContinuedThe post IN-DEPTH: Is the Seiko Prospex SLA017 62MAS re-creation their best dive watch ever? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Blancpain Introduces the Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe 70th Anniversary Limited Edition

You know, I actually wasn’t going to write about this watch. An $18,000 vintage inspired dive watch from a brand that doesn’t hold a ton of personal relevance to me was just not super high on my list of priorities as Geneva Watch Days prep is now in full swing (this time next week, I will be surviving on CHF 10 Coke Zeros). But, over the weekend the collective watch internet kind of lost its mind over the new Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe 70th Anniversary Limited Edition, so I shifted my to-do list around a bit and, well, here we are.  Of course, there have been a lot of memes and jokes about this watch sharing a certain similarity to the Seiko 62MAS and the many, many reinterpretations and reissues of that watch over the years. I’m frankly less interested in those aesthetic similarities than I am in the very conceit of this watch, what it illuminates about Blancpain, and the way it fits into the neverending conversation around price sensitivity that we’ve been having for months as we see MSRPs shoot higher and higher. But what I’ll say about the appearance of the Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe 70th Anniversary Limited Edition is simply that, at this point, 70 years on from the advent of this type of watch, I don’t think any brand really owns the aesthetic identity of something so generic. Lots and lots of watches from all kinds of brands look like this, just like lots and lots of watches look like a Speedmaster, or a Calatrava. The design tropes of these wat...

First Look - Blancpain Goes Vintage with the new Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe 70th Anniversary

While the fact that the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms was one of the earliest dive watches on the market is now well-known, this professional, mostly military-issued model wasn’t the only one produced by the brand. There is another watch in the collection that was created back in 1956, as the civilian counterpart to the Fifty Fathoms […]

Introducing: Blancpain’s New 47mm Fifty Fathoms Tech - Its Fourth High-End Dive Instrument

In a world of shrinking watches, a 47mm timepiece stands out. You could call a watch of this size countercultural, but for the new Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Tech, that’s incorrect. The new Fifty Fathoms Tech is a new version of the 2023 Tech Gombessa, and it’s a proper dive instrument. This aquatic monster is all […] Visit Introducing: Blancpain’s New 47mm Fifty Fathoms Tech — Its Fourth High-End Dive Instrument to read the full article.

Into The Pacific With The Blancpain × Swatch Scuba Fifty Fathoms Ocean Of Storms

The Scuba Fifty Fathoms Ocean of Storms is a wonderful holiday watch. Providing a mechanical caliber and the wearing experience of a Blancpain, this Swatch is a whole lot of fun. It’s good that this plasticky watch has a decent level of waterproofness too. Sydney’s spring has been a tempestuous affair to say the least. […] Visit Into The Pacific With The Blancpain × Swatch Scuba Fifty Fathoms Ocean Of Storms to read the full article.

We chat with Jialing Cai, 2025’s Female Fifty Fathoms winner, on blackwater photography and her new Blancpain watch

Jamie chats with the dynamic young marine biologist about her journey as a diver and photographer, and her relationship with Blancpain.The post We chat with Jialing Cai, 2025’s Female Fifty Fathoms winner, on blackwater photography and her new Blancpain watch appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

We asked Blancpain if the Fifty Fathoms is priced too high, and all your other hard-hitting questions

Is the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms priced too high?The post We asked Blancpain if the Fifty Fathoms is priced too high, and all your other hard-hitting questions appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

New: Blancpain x Swatch Bioceramic Scuba Fifty Fathoms Green Abyss

GREEN ABYSS is the latest model in the Blancpain x Swatch Bioceramic Scuba Fifty Fathoms Collection which celebrates Blancpain’s Fifty Fathoms, the first true diver’s watch launched in 1953. 

Introducing: Blancpain X Swatch Bioceramic Scuba Fifty Fathoms 'Green Abyss'

Just in time for summer, the Scuba Fifty Fathoms is back and verdant.

Blancpain Fills a Niche with Fifty Fathoms Automatique 42mm in Polishe

Blancpain’s Fifty Fathoms, first introduced in 1953, is indisputably one of the most influential and iconic timepieces of the 20th century, basically laying out the blueprint for what we now recognize today as the modern divers’ watch. Also indisputable is the fact that the Fifty Fathoms is a watch that is anything but understated in its proportions - the Automatique at the core of the modern collection, relaunched in 2008, sports a massive 45mm case, and even the vintage-inspired and allegedly more modestly sized Bathyscaphe models, which joined the collection in 2013, hover around 43mm in their male-targeted iterations. In 2024, Blancpain responded to a market-wide trend toward smaller case sizes - albeit without compromising the bold character of its flagship sport-luxury model - by releasing a new version of the Fifty Fathoms Automatique in a middle-of-the-road 42mm version. Curiously, the first two models in this size were in rose gold and titanium; the inclusion of a steel model seemed to be a no-brainer that was conspicuous by its absence in that first wave of 42mm models. Today, however, Blancpain has finally delivered the Fifty Fathoms Automatique 42mm in stainless steel - adding it to the regular collection as well as giving the model a distinctive flair. The stainless steel case of the new Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Automatique, which measures precisely 42.3mm in diameter and 14.3mm thick, sports a gleaming, predominantly polished finish, distinguishing...

Blancpain now has a steel Fifty Fathoms Automatique 42mm in its permanent collection

Steel? Check. 42mm? Check. Regular production? Check.The post Blancpain now has a steel Fifty Fathoms Automatique 42mm in its permanent collection appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Blancpain Scales Down the Fifty Fathoms Tech

Primarily vintage-inspired, the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms was given a modern makeover with the first “Tech” model launched in 2023. Now Blancpain follows up with the Fifty Fathoms Tech Ocean Commitment IV. While retaining the same lug-less case, the latest model is more compact and streamlined than its Tech predecessor, though it’s still 45 mm in diameter. And it features an “absolute black” dial - coated with a substance that absorbs 97% of incident light - ensuring maximum contrast for the luminescent hands and block-shaped hour markers. Like earlier Ocean Commitment editions, which were all vintage-inspired, this watch will help support the Blancpain’s marine conservation efforts, specifically the Blancpain x Sulubaaï Marine Research Center in Palawan, Philippines. Initial thoughts The new Fifty Fathoms Tech offers notable refinements over the earlier Tech Gombessa edition from two years ago. While the oversized, 47 mm Tech Gombessa was designed primarily as a specialised diving instrument, making it arguably too large for everyday wear, the new model adopts a more conventional dive watch dimensions. At 45 mm, it’s still large but more manageable, improving its wearability. The “absolute black” dial is also an interesting upgrade that makes sense in a dive watch given the need for legibility. While Blancpain doesn’t specify the details of the dial coating, it appears to be similar to Vantablack and other blacker-than-black coatings used by other ...