Everyone hating on these needs to actually try one on. Great dimensions, fantastic power reserve, well within CSOC accuracy and a fun color? And the lume is second to none.
The relationship between diving and the Moon is that the Moon's gravitational pull affects the tidal waves of the oceans on Earth. Perhaps Swatch should have used this as a marketing speil. Also a fun fact is that astronauts perform their training underwater in their spacesuits to simulate zero gravity. Scott Carpenter was famously both an Astronaut and an Aquanaut involved in SEALAB.
I think this is a GREAT idea for these high end brands and their collaborations. How else would you go about drawing in a new crowd to become a possible pretentious watch collector... look at the many fields of everything going away..
I don't mind this one, though i would almost certainly go for a different strap. One thing I will say, this collection has made me look a lot more closely at Blancpain so from that perspective I believe it has served a purpose for the master brand.
@@dermotbarry-murphy9451 I find it visually appealing. I appreciate what Blancpain brings to the table but I don’t have the wrist for it. This watch can give some of that Blancpain experience without being a design ripoff.
@@dermotbarry-murphy9451 It’s not a total and utter rip off lol. Just don’t buy it if you don’t want, or cannot afford one. Go buy some Chinese slave/child labour sweat shop crime funding fake/fakagé instead 😉
Love what you do, so thanks! Minor moon facts: the lunar 'seas' aren't remnants, they're just called oceans because ancient astronomers thought that's what the dark patches were. And if you've heard of Procul Harum (they did Whiter Shade of Pale), that's more like how you pronounce this sea, because that's where the band got their name (at least some say, anyway). And lastly, the moon really is made of cheese. True story.
Hi Britt! This is the version I’ve waited for! And I remember many reviewers who mentioned that it is a pity because there is no black version. Okay, the Swatch Scuba probably isn’t the watch you’re going to give to your child in 30 years from now. But my Sistem51 Swatch is 10 years old and still works fine. The Bioceramic is basically made from castor oil and is fully recyclable. The movement isn’t serviceable - yes. But a Powermatic 80 has the same issue. And who is going to serve a simple Seiko or Miyota movement when you could get a brand new one for half the price of a service? My only complaint is the availability. The next Swatch flagship stores are a two hour drive away from my hometown. So, it’s nearly impossible for me to get one for the normal price. Best wishes, Claus
I'm so glad you did an episode on this! I actually quite like this one! Swatch is usually all about popping colours for me, but this black one just seems to work. At least visually. I agree about the poor messaging.
I love the new Blancpain x Swatch Fifty Fathoms. I want the new Ocean of Storms. The quality of the Blancpain x Swatch is much better than the MoonSwatch. I have a few of them already. The dial is really the same as the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms, and the Blancpain x Swatch is affordable.
I bought this on launch day then went into a Blancpain AD to make a comparison with the real FF. Aside from the larger 45mm case of the original, the dial and bezel look almost indistinguishable. I'm super happy to own a $400 replica of a $20k watch I couldn't ever afford. Not for a lot of people and lots of snobs or haters but if you just want to have fun and can afford it why not? Forget the Swatch milking the collaboration chip on your shoulder and enjoy wearing it for yourself not others. I actually have become partial to wearing the bio ceramic case watches because they're extremely light. I can't go back to wearing my heavy steel expensive watches. I can bang this around without a care about scratching it. The lume is awesome and power reserve is 3-4 days! It's got 2 year warranty. Cost per wear is less than $1 per day. If you bought a $400 serviceable watch and theoretically needed to service it after 2 years you'd probably be better off selling it as it wouldn't be worth servicing anyway. No use whingeing about a disposable watch. How many people have the same mobile phone after 2 years? or resole their designer sneakers? You haters are the biggest polluters on Earth and worse because you fail to see your flaws
I just recently got into watches, and Ive never really looked into Blancpain before until the Swatch collaboration! Maybe the Swatch collab is a two-strategy thing? Selling plastic watches with branding markups because money of course, but also putting Blancpain on the minds of people who dont even know about the brand. I know about Blancpain now, so theres bound to be other people who are like me that also have lots of cash laying around. Either way, the Swatch Group makes money, either from their collab watch or from the real Fifty Fathoms.
Having seen the watches, i have two issues. One is the texture of the bioceramic plastic. But most importantly, the price difference. 390 euros when the standard System 51 is sold from 180 to 220 euros at the Swatch stores. Best Regards
It weird how everyone has jumped on the bandwagon about this watch not being serviceable when indeed it is. I watched another RU-vid who decided to do his own research and contacted swatch to enquire about that fact what every other RU-vid I've watched has said. They came back to hime and said the watch is indeed serviceable, the slots on the back of the watch are placements where the watch dack is screwed off. Please RU-vidrs do your reasearch
I literately just watched Watch Yourself Jorge's video on this (i know you two are friends!!). I'd actually consider getting this. Much better than the other colourful versions.
Awesome, I can finally wear my spacesuite in the sea! Or is it my aqualung on the moon? Either way, history is made, as 2024 marks the year of the Astro diver. ( let's see if Rolex release one and claim they did it first with the MoonMariner.)
Very nice pieces. Next one is with a gold seconds hand I guess. Humour aside, the 1960s no-date NoRad remains one of my top 6 unattainable grails, at the same level as a Rolex 5517 or 6542.
The seas and oceans have tides, the tides are caused by the Moon (and the Sun to a lesser degree). Perhaps it's a bit of a stretch, but there's connection between the Moon and the seas. I give them the benefit of the doubt that that was the thought process.
I actually just bought one at a little premium from a flipper.... I have to say this model is REALLY cool! I personally like this collaboration concept, I have the real moon watch but I bought the moon swatch just for fun. I always wanted to buy the genuine 50 fathoms, but the regular model is too big (45mm) and the limited editions are too expensive. IMO this Swatch 50 fathoms is a much better watch than the Moon Swatch, the system 51 movement is giving it a sweeping second hand, the bezel action is crisp, sun burst dial, decent quality nato strap.... no regret at all even I paid more than retail.
You're paying for brand, marketing, research & development. But the real FF costs $20k so $400 for a replica is cheating out on a luxury item that has already been well established. You can view it as a scam or bargain depending on your value for the Blancpain brand. If this was branded Rolex I'm certain a lot of haters would be buying it.
Next we could have the Blancpain X Swatch Mission to Mars "Mare Ertyhraeum". And green men on the rotor that glow in the dark. Or a gold plated seconds hand that glows in the dark. With green men on it, no strawberries.
Swatch has hit another one out of the ball park! Can't wait to add this one to the Indian and Arctic models I already own! Can't explain it to haters - IYKYK. Mwaaaahhhhh!!!!
I don't get it either, as a marketing tool to lure folk towards the original its quite clever perhaps. Not for me, but a friend collector bought and is happy with the swatch Moon Omega thing. Im happy they're happy.
You don't remember when we went diving on the moon? I actually think the white and grey, or black and blue, is the "boring one". I'm not getting any but I think I'd get the white and grey one if I did.
The connection between diving and the moon isn't so far unrelated. The ocean tides on Earth are affected by the moon and astronauts do their training under water in their spacesuits to simulate zero gravity in space. Also there are several astronauts that were certified dive instructors or pioneers of SEALAB experimentation.
Also the moon was thought to have oceans by early astronomers- they co time to call many sections of the darker surface of the moon seas - in homage to those early pioneers. So the link is pretty obvious and actually quite cool. People just want to hate to look like they are better watch enthusiasts than others and to get attention or views.
I just bought the Swatch Blancpain Fifty Fathoms X Scuba Storm of The Seas. I have a few homages of this model that are much better etc. So, why did I buy the Swatch Blancpain with the mission sistem 51 movement? With so many Swiss movement watches in my collection, it did not warrant buying The Real Deal. IMHO it is the first iconic historical diver watch that set a bar for others to follow. So, it is commemorative and I will only wear it on the very odd occasion indoors and may be outside, for fun. I am under no illusions what this watch is. I can say it is genuine, Swiss made and from the company that owns Blancpain with dimensions to the real deal that costs 20 times more! If it ever needs servicing, the module movement to be thrown away and replaced as it is not serviceable. If it were serviceable, it would cost more than the watch! There is a rationale for you!
its a very nice looking watch- this is probably my pick on the blancpain swatch watches…but the price…for that money, i would have a seiko baby tuna save the ocean and dinner with my wife.
FYI, Typo in title. Blancapain? As for the watch.. I like the look. Ignore the marketing crap. Best "affordable" BPFF homage because it's actually from the brand, technically. But, I'm not getting a disposable watch for $400+.
Would definitely never happen because Swatch Group doesn't own Rolex. The next big target would likely be Breguet and of that, the only one that makes any sense would be the XX series. The rest of the breguet lineup is far too dressy to turn into a happy meal watch. The Breguet XX could easily be played around with to have some fun colors and still be a tool watch.
Why you hate it ? Im a proud owner of the real blancpain fifty fathoms 45mm, and i owned it because i love it even though only some people (the real watches enthusiast) knows BP. And when swatch make the collabs, im ok with it, and it make many more generations knows BP. Thats a good thing. And of course Swatch will not stop (as your title that said "swatch dont know when to stop ?") Because it is a brilliant move. More people knows about BP... plus swatch get sales... why should they stop ?
Good job being honest and 100% true with the “unrepairable” watch that is going to be trash. This is fast consumerism at it’s best, very wrong and bad from a company like Blancpain, tho… Swatch does this forever.
Ouch! I feel attacked! I've worked with Disney/Marvel folks. LOL If I didn't already have an Atlantic Ocean model I'd definitely get this one in black. I could wear a disposable plastic watch under the radar. 😂 I already decided when my Fifty Fathoms stops running it's just going to be a Christmas ornament I put on the tree each year.
OH NOOOO JOBER!!! 🤣🤣🤣 obviously YOUR WORK IS PERFECT! 🤣🙈🙈🙈🎉🎉👻 You KNOW! I keep toying with the idea of buying one of these! I’ve been so scathing but I haven’t been hands on with one! So I’m not sure I have the right to be such a hater! 😝 OMG. THATS A BRILLIANT IDEA LOL!! Making it into a Christmas tree decoration!!! Absolutely brilliant!!! I’m going to do that with my MoonSwatch now!
I like this one! The way of getting a sixth ocean is a bit whacky but I'm glad they didn't just give it a gold hand... again. They were really starting to p*** me off.
Good Review, covered most of what needed to be said with regards to this watch, one thing though, if you do get one and then decide to change the strap, be aware that it's not going to be an easy fix. As you have to buy a strap with the tools to remove the bars. (Not a great idea, as these are Allen keys?) And very fine at that, I busted one of them trying to remove the bar, but lucky, the place where I got the strap from, included two more, otherwise the "watch" would have been shelved. As for the watch, they (Swatch) should have just released this along with the rest, as it was shown in the original ad, on the date of release last year? As for the price and the way Swatch sells these to the markets, they are not doing watch enthusiasts any favours by still going through their store, especially since they are closing them? (In Melbourne, Chadstone shopping centre) for example, do they take us as fools. As that only leaves the one in the center of Melbourne, and that is unacceptable as the distance to travel, it great. (I got mine, paying through the nose from a guy on Ebay?) While I like this version more than the moon one (I have both) it's mostly for the movement more than anything else. I know it's got a limited life-span, and I'm pretty sure, that by the time it does fail, something else will take its place. Final thought, do not buy, as it's not worth it.
I was looking at these a few days ago and thinking, the only one i'd want is a black one, the most like an original, but that was the one they didn't do. Maybe they had a lot of complaints - Hey Blancpain, Omega have done it with the black one, why haven't you!? I think it could be interesting if Swatch did it with other watch group brands, like Richemont's Panerai or Louis Vuitton's Heuer, A Panerai Swatch Radiomir, a Heuer Swatch Monaco.
Head canon: this is Swatch’s attempt to link up this line to the MoonSwatch level of success. Because the Ocean of Storms was the area where Apollo 12 landed in December 1969. This is also set up to compete with the Seiko 5 Sports “5KX” line of watches, mechanical movement watches about the same price, but with more Euro-heritage and none of the “SKX fanboy” baggage.
I don’t sweat the contradiction of product versus message with Swatch Watch; Their whole thing is about impulse buying, not about making thoughtful choices.
A dive watch on the moon? Like a moon watch? Still, at least there’s something interesting with the Blancpain name on it, finally. How many bigger and bigger Fifty Fathoms models can live in the Submariner’s shadow for 50% more money? I still want the white BlancSwatch, but since it’s the perfect summer watch, I’m happy to wait, just like I’m waiting for my Mission to Mars.
I don't mind this one. As you say, a sensible colour. I agree about the System 51 movement. Will try to get it. Totally agree about Disney. I've given up on those franchises a long time ago.
I would buy it for the design actually but that it is not possible to repair it and the fact that you get a proper diver from e.g. VAER for the same price changes my opinion a bit ;)
I like it aesthetically, but 400ish for a non serviceable, less robust watch? Nah. Id rather get a fun quartz non colab swatch that i can at least change the battery on. Colorful is their thing! So no shortage of better options in that realm. For that price a seiko, glycine, or certina etc diver is a better investment you can enjoy for life if water sports are your thing.
02:57 I don't know if the backstory is stupid, but do you not realise that tides oscillate between neaps and springs? That means tides with a small range and tides with a large one. Divers need to watch out for strong tidal currents which could carry them off the dive site and will often choose to dive across slack water when the tide is turning. I imagine in a neap (a time twice a lunar cycle when tidal range is at a minimum and therefore so is the flow) they have longer before the current reaches concerning speeds. IN THEORY then the display of a moon phase on a dive watch is not silly at all, apart from cluttering up the face. That doesn't stop people embracing dive chronographs, even though they've a rotating bezel as well! Edit: I forgot to mention the crucial part. The phase of the moon is caused by the position of the sun and moon relative to earth, determining how much of the side of the moon permanently facing us is illuminated. Spring tides are caused by the gravity of the sun and moon either pulling on opposite or the same sides of the earth since the tides are an ellipse of water pulled out by those bodies and sloshing around the earth rotating underneath/through it. When sun and moon are at right-angles to the earth they try to pull out elipses across each other, partially cancelling out and resulting in a more circular shape of water and thus less movement of water from low to high tide: a 'neap' tide. Obviously I mean more spherical form of water lying around the globe, when I say circular I am thinking of a cross-section. Since they both depend on the relative position of the sun and moon, the oscillation between strong and weak tides is in sync with the moonphase. In a strong (spring) tide the tidal currents will pick up faster after slack water and have more chance to catch a diver out.
Whoa….. that’s a whole lot of mansplaning just to miss the point Britt’s making. These aren’t watches based on the oceans of Earth (which you go into great detail to explain) they’re based on the marias or “seas” on the moon.
@@watchpapi I was reacting to 'a dive watch and the moon...what?!' because I think there is a link via tides. I rarely comment without watching most or all of a video, but I did in this instance so I guess I should suck up the response. I even did see her mention a lunar map with 'mare' this and that marked without realising they were trying to suggest a link with seas on earth (which was stupid of me, I was tired and should have gone to sleep instead of commenting). No need to be sexist though: 'mansplaining' is sex based dig which my comment is free of. I didn't design, purchase, or intend to purchase this watch so I am not defending it, just pointing out there could be a link, as you say poorly connected in this watch. Edit, rereading my comment, OK so the backstory is stupid then. Edit 2: read the Blancpain marketing now. These X Swatch models are more extensive than I thought. 'The fifth' isn't fifth Swatch X brand collaboration, it's fifth in this Blancpain series already, and the others have real ocean names not lunar mare names. Apologies I'm sure that was all explained in the video.
I'm going to have a bit of bias being an owner of the boring "Ocean of Storms"..I even told my wife that I was going with the safe boring option while buying it. That said, once I get the correct strap for it and off the NATO, it should be a great daily wear, and then we'll see.. Personally though, I feel like this is more of a watch and a better buy than shelling out for the quartz Moonswatch. Nearly everything on that watch aside from the actual watch face matching the Speedmaster is gimmicky. At least with this we get some decent performance specs that put it in a class of a reasonable buy: 90hr power reserve. You can't touch anything above 80 for less than $400 and that's on heavy discount from RRP. Still an in-house mechanical movement Grade-A SuperLuminova, which I've tested....blasted it before laying down at 11pm and still have a legible faint glow at 6am. A perfectly legible dial in all situations Applied indicies and markers Sapphire exhibition caseback, not a huge wow factor, but it is there. Bezel lum I believe when you objectively look at the watch for it's specs and skip the "Blancpain x Swatch", it still caries value. You can ignore the lunar ocean reference. Objectively it's a good looking watch. Most importantly though, what does it say (whether you care about what others think or not), it says you are a watch person with an appreciation for watch, and you're willing to have a little bit of fun with it, and 'bite the bullet' on a purchase without actually forking out the 12s of thousands of dollars for the real thing. You kind of sort of get a pass without being too snobbish or serious about it.
I'm not a big fan of the Swatch collab watches with Omega or Blancpain, but not a hater. I do find the Blancpain collab a bit silly. I can get a plastic Blancpain for a few hundred dollars or the real thing for....15-20k? There is no in between. At least with the Omega Speedmaster there is a range of prices depending on the age/model. What's next a plastic Breguet?
It's too big, too thick and I don't like that fact that the movement can't be serviced. And yet ... I really like the look of this one - probably because it's visually closest to an original Fifty Fathoms. Thank God that my wrist is too small for a diver of this size ... :)
As someone who can never afford a fifty fathoms. This is right in the price range i can stomach. Watches are a want, not a need. Buy within your means. Happy collecting!
Swatch overplayed the concept. This Swatch/Blancpain collab offers a lot less mass appeal than that with Omega. The colorful and playful colors of the first batch overcame some of that - but this traditional/safe colorway is just going to be "meh" to many consumers.
I can't help but crack-up when I hear Anglophones pronounce "Blancpain". I'm primarily Anglophone myself but, being from Quebec, I'm bilingual and "blanc pain" means "white bread" in French. To pronounce it properly (at least as properly as an Anglophone can), say "Blon-Pay" because "Blon-Pon" isn't even close. 😁 Having said that, I roasted the Fauxmega MoonSwatch because it was a serious insult to the Omega name. I never thought that it could be worse, but, here we are with Blancpain being crucified on a plastic cross. What's next, Breguet? Sheeeeshh....
A colleague has the Omega Swatch, which is way overpriced for what it is. Feels very cheap but it's basically a novelty. The Blancpain Swatch is supposedly selling for way over retail and the automatic movement is unrepairable, so when it loses time, or stops, it is a paperweight. If I had to buy a cheap automatic, it would be a Seiko 5. Personally I think Blancpain and Omega are cheapening their brand names on these plastic toys. You certainly will never see Rolex doing this.
