A vintage-inspired diver in a more vintage-inspired size.
Earlier this year at Baselworld, the Fifty Fathoms Bathsycaphe 38mm was released. The latest 38mm edition was a welcome addition to the Fifty Fathoms line up, as way back in 2013, Blancpain released the first edition of the Bathyscaphe with a 43mm case (as well as a 38mm ladies' version with a white bezel and dial, and white NATO strap). The 43mm verison was received with very positive reviews, but the biggest complaint was the size. Now Blancpain has released the 38mm version of the Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe in black or blue, which feels much more in the vintage spirit than the previous iteration. Let's go hands-on, shall we?
The 38mm Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe case was actually borrowed from the ladies' Fifty Fathoms collection.
The first Fifty Fathoms was made by Blancpain in 1953. Technically, it was the original modern dive watch – a nod that is often given to the Rolex Submariner, but truth be told the Fifty Fathoms debuted the year before. The Fifty Fathoms was created by Captain Robert Maloubier and Lieutenant Claude Riffaud, who were commanders of the French Combat Diving School at the time. They teamed up with Blancpain's CEO, Jean-Jacques Fiechter, to create the ultimate dive watch, and the Fifty Fathoms was born. It was 42mm, with a one-way rotating bezel (the very first watch to have one) automatic (to reduce the need to operate the crown and potentially compromise water resistance) and was water-resistant up to 300 ft. Fast-forward to 2013, and the modern, but vintage-inspired Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe was introduced – in celebration of the 60th anniversary of the original 50 Fathoms – in a 43mm stainless steel case and with the automatic caliber 1315.
The latest version of the Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe that you see here, is pretty much the same watch except that it measures 38mm in diameter and 10.77mm thick (as opposed to the 13.4mm thickness of the 43mm version). The watch comes in two versions: one with a black dial and bezel, and one with an "Abyss Blue" dial and bezel, the latter being a limited edition. While the blue version is certainly more vibrant, the black version has a lot of desirable qualities, and after all, blue watches tend to be a little more polarizing.
[/img]The brushed steel case is not for everyone, but the attention to detail is there.
First things first – the case. As I mentioned, the case measures 38mm which is a great size for classic watch fans. The stainless steel is brushed throughout which makes the watch look a bit more substantial than if it were polished. While this certainly makes sense for a tool watch, and certainly makes the watch feel more robust, I personally tend to lean away from brushed cases (there is something about the sparkle of a polished case that I will just never not love). But regardless, I think Blancpain did a nice job adapting this case to accommodate the desire for a smaller Fifty Fathoms, and the faceted lugs are an attractive additional detail. The unidirectional ceramic bezel is a rich black, which gives the watch a little more depth visually, while serving a functional purpose.
The Blancpain Fifty Fathoms boasts sharply faceted lugs and a brush stainless steel case.
While the case size is the Goldilocks of case diameters, the thing that I love most about this watch is the dial brushed anthracite dial. It's a beautiful rich grey color and it gleams when you wear it, something that I look for in a watch. The hours and minutes are indicated by the luminous dot indexes, with trapezoidal markers at the quarter hours. The center seconds hand has a vibrant red tip, which adds a sporty touch.
The anthracite dial is one of the nicest things about this watch.
The one complaint I have about this dial is the date window. Now, you know I am a fan of the date window and its functionality, but there is a way to do it right and there is a way to make it look like an afterthought and sadly, this is latter. To be fair this is where it's always been on the Bathyscaphe, but I feel that any time a window is tiny and placed between four and five o'clock it looks like you're trying to hide the aperture. Don't hide it, people! Embrace the date window!
The Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe 38mm measures 10.77mm thick.
The movement of the watch is the caliber 1150. It's not a new movement, and has actually been used in several existing models including the Ladies' Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathsycaphe, and the Villeret Ultraplate Automatique. Caliber 1150 has a 100-hour power reserve, and you can see the solid gold rotor through the back. Caliber 1150, at 3.25mm thick and 26.20mm in diameter, qualifies as an extra-flat movement and the 100 hour power reserve (unusual for a movement this thin, and under 30mm) is courtesy two mainspring barrels; the free-sprung balance provides better long-term accuracy. While it doesn't contain any major new innovations, it's a solid choice for a tool watch despite the thin profile.
The ceramic bezel is uni-directional and adds depth to the aesthetic of the watch against the grey dial.
On the wrist this watch wears really comfortably (despite a slightly too-stiff strap). It can be worn by someone of just about any build, and I can see this watch easily transitioning from casual-office wear to the beach in one fell swoop. But the thing that is so interesting to me about this watch is that all of it was essentially borrowed from the women's version from the Bathyscaphe's 2013 launch, and made into a "men's" watch, when usually it's the other way around. The only reason for this that I can come up with, is that a lot of people (men and women) wanted a 38mm Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe all along.
The in-house caliber 1150 can also be found in previous ladies' collections.
Whatever the reasoning, the 38mm Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe will surely be a welcome model to the family. I know that when I wore it around the office, everyone was interested in giving it a go. The retail price is $9,500 which is still $2,000 more than a no-date Rolex Submariner, or $950 more than a Sub with a date (which is the ultimate price comparison test for a dive watch). So it is hard to justify the cost of this watch if you are looking to buy your first dive watch – though again, the in-house movement, with its 100 hour power reserve and gold rotor, makes the Blancpain more than just an also-ran technically. Then, too, one could argue that the original 1953 Fifty Fathoms was the first dive watch and therefore any modern version is like buying a piece of history for your wrist. Either way, this watch is a nicely done revision of the 2013 original, in a (for me) much more wrist-friendly size.
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