With Rolex steel sports models impossible to get Blancpain could sell thousands of Fifty Fathoms if they had a smaller case size in their regular catalog. I guess they don’t really want to make money 💰! Great video
I really enjoyed this walk through the greatest hits of the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms collection. I previously owned the Bathyscaphe Ceramic Chrono which ultimately became a stepping stone to the 2021 No Radiation LE, which I’ve worn almost every day since it arrived. I’m not sure why Blancpain have such a proliferation of different models, especially at the higher end of the collection where we see tourbillon and moon phase complications. One positive is that unlike the Rolex Submariner, there are many models to choose from. My favourite pieces tend to be their heritage reissues. I recently bought the Bathyscaphe Jour Date 70S which appeals to me as something different within the collection and doesn’t have the unoccupied space that we see on the dial of the regular version.
The story behind the ff is simply fascinating. From the iconic name, wich is actually relevand to divers, to being issued to the German navy and US seals!
Nice and very deep detailed work, thanks for that! I´m totally in love with the 2007 version. After this appearance there is (was) no need to bring out any other 50 Fathoms. Or any other dive watch 😎
I was lucky enough to get one of the 500 editions of the 'Barakuda' Fifty-Fathoms when it came out (selling it for a small profit after wearing it almost every day for almost a year.) It was a magnificent little watch in many ways. The dial was stunning - maybe the best sports watch I have ever owned in that regard. The time-keeping of the caliber was truly superlative - certainly right up there with the best that I have owned (including JLC, Patek and Lange.) The 100 hour power reserve was also outstanding - in practice it seemed as if you could take it off for the best part of a week and it would still be running! But it had one or two irritating drawbacks too. The 'back-hacking' technique which the handbook suggested for stopping the seconds hand was pretty awkward and felt anachronistic for a 21st century watch. The fully polished case and curly-sided Blancpain-lugs felt wrong for a sports watch - especially one made as a tribute to a military issued diver. The sole option of medium size for the tropic strap was also a bit of an annoyance, seeing that it happened not to be ideal for my wrist. All in all it was a great watch, even though I've never felt any massive seller's remorse.
This was a great video! Loved seeing all of the Dial variations and size variations! For me, I would have enjoyed hearing more about the movements. Thank you so much!
Nice review loads of information to digest. I still think that the original vintage designs are by far the best clean, user friendly, uncluttered and affordable.
Excellent video - loved the quick potted history of the reissues. While I love all the reissues - I'm still stuck on the ref. 5015-1130-52A which is the one in my collection. The 45mm sits great on my wrist and is a power watch for sure - nice too that there are really not too many of them about. If I were to pick up another it would probably be the ref. 5015-3603C-63B - but I despise the cheap looking blue strap with white stitching. It would look amazing on deep blue crocodile.
I'd like to see a version of the Fifty Fathoms Grande Date with a blue sunburst dial and no logo on the caseband. And if only they could get the case thickness down to below 15mm.
I could buy a grey market Submariner for the price of this and the Submariner is built far better. Like an old tractor. Rolex would turn this out like a $20 French Ho. Rolex limits Submariner production to only 200,000 pcs per year. BlancPain probably can't produce more than 4,000 of these inferior watches per year. Submariner is the best dive watch ever made. Not this, nor JLC, AP, GS can hold a candle. Just kidding. Rolex models are outdated, way overpriced and are bought by investors not for love of horology. Just another commodity.
If you want my honest opinion, i'd prefer an Aquastar ( grey dial) over any of these. Nevertheless an interesting and obviously comprehensive compendium of these. I had no idea there were so many variants. Great content as always Armand.
Heard Rolex could not use the uni directional bezel until the 80s due to the patent of BP FF . Also the FF was the first to use double O rings for the crown.
