Ruler of the high seas
Two years after its first watch and ten expeditions later, Blancpain has unveiled a second limited edition whose sales will contribute to protecting the deep sea depths.
The first Fifty Fathoms watch was unveiled in tribute to the sea world in 1953. 63 years later and the model has not only produced a watch collection but has epitomised Blancpain’s values and commitment to protecting the oceans since 2014. The Blancpain Ocean Commitment (BOC) was designed that year to help protect and preserve the depths through ocean exploration, publications and forums about the environment and much more. In the space of two years, there were ten expeditions and three million km2 of ocean were protected.
Blancpain is ending the year with a second limited edition watch inspired by the ocean (250 available): Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Chronographe Flyback Ocean Commitment II. For every piece sold, 1000 EUR will be donated to protecting the sea world totalling 250,000 EUR in addition to the financial support Blancpain already provides.
The 43.6mm Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Chronographe Flyback Ocean Commitment II case is 15.25mm thick. Its features (body, sapphire glass back, rotating bezel, Liquidmetal® graduated ring on the bezel, winding and setting crown, flyback chronograph pushers) are all made in blue ceramic whose colour is achieved by injection or adding colour pigments. The ultramarine piece houses the self-winding F385 calibre that fuels the functions and 50-hour power reserve. You can watch the blue oscillating weight stamped with the Blancpain Ocean Commitment logo perform through the openwork back.
The steel grey dial has three counters: hollow and white chronograph minute (at 3) and hour (9) counters and the small seconds with a luminescent dotted hand (at 6). The date display floats between them at 4.30. Two rectangular luminescent hour and minute hands are joined in the centre by the red-tipped chronograph seconds hand. The hour rim has a phosphorescent diamond at 12 and bevelled rectangular and round metal markers.
Price: 18,800 CHF blancpain.com
By Sharmila Bertin