Why is Nobody Talking About the 42mm Blancpain Fifty Fathoms? 

A watch that most of us have been asking about for almost a decade? Blancpain has finally delivered on a model that is both a more wearable size and a mainline produce (non-Limited Edition) but alas the Price, Swatch Scuba collab and lack of a refreshing design for this 42mm model has left most of us cold. How do you think they could've better launched this new line? 🥃

I’m so excited about the new size. I’ve been very bummed that so little has been on RU-vid about the new watch. This will be my next big watch purchase.

Hey @IDGuy , I don't know if you noticed, but the watch you featured in your video thumbnail is the 45mm titanium version in blue; not the new 42mm as implied. The new 42mm ones do not have the step dial. Instead the 42mm's dial is a cleaner single level with an edge to edge sunburst. Also, those looking at this watch, and wanting a 40mm instead, consider this: that is exactly the same case design as it's 45mm sibling. The same case design with features that mitigate the 45mm size; like the lug design and the way the case flanks are curved inward. The same features that make the 45mm wear slightly smaller than the 45mm stat would suggest, are also present on the new 42mm. So that 42mm will actually wear smaller than the 42mm headline might indicate. The message here is: don't be put off; try one on if you can, you may be surprised. The real sticking point has to be the price of these things. They are just as expensive as the 45mm versions. But whereas you can find the 45mm 5015 at some steep discounts (as I did, I got my 5015 at a smidge over 25% off), it's going to be a while before you will be able to find the 42mm 5010 at some more reasonable prices; perhaps a year or two. If you're up for one of these, be patient.

Nailed it. Blancpain really needs a change in management. Glasshutte and others offer far more in the price range.

I can’t stop laughing. For ten years all I’ve heard is “the FF in 42mm would be perfect”. Now me, I don’t care I’m a Big Guy (8.5” wrist) so the 44mm suites me. 47mm Panerai. Nothing under 42mm. Now they give you EXACTLY WHAT TOU ALL ASKED FOR and “they don’t change the dial”… “it’s dull”… you remind me of my kids, I give them exactly what ask for for dinner and all of a sudden they don’t like it!

A timeless design. Elegant in its simplicity.

Saw these in person.... and fell in LOVE!!! Must try on 💯

If they release a stainless steel black dial 40 mil case that’s 12 mm thick, 20 mm lug width and on a bracelet. I’d happily fork out 10k 😃

The Fifty Fathoms is a watch that all enthusiasts love …. but few actually purchase. The X in the clip is a serious, serious piece of kit ;)

I agree. 42 mm diameter dive watches are perfect as long as you have a short lug to lug of 46 mm to 48 mm. But, it's all down to personal preference. That's what makes this addition of ours so fascinating 😂

Say what you will. The fact is that the FF is the true king of the divers throne. Always has been and always will be. Style. Elegance and quality. It's only challenger being the Glashutte original Sea Q. But there is only one king.

Thank you for the video. A SUPER luxury watch. If they were serious about selling it, they should price a model one thousand dollars bellow the Rolex Submariner (esp. w that fabric strap). This would open their entire brand to enthusiasts.

In a perfect alternate universe, Blancpain would still be an independent brand owned by Jean Claude Biver and would bring one disruptive yet hertiage-honoring banger year after year.

I think the problems the FF has, along with BP in general, is the same problem they had with the Swatch x Blancpain - they don’t ACTUALLY give people what they want. They think they are, but they seem to wiff every swing. Now, really what most people actually want is a Submariner or “new hat” Black Bay, but be that as it may - new hat syndrome is common at BP with the Fifty Fathoms and Aqua Lung, and Bathyscaphe too being sufferers of such a condition. Except it seems you hit it right on the head, saying if these things came out 5 or 6 years ago, and in a 40mm size that 85-90% of people agree is perfect territory for office-divers (whose worst fear is a vigorous handwashing or extended rain shower) then they would have been a smash hit. Great video mate! Cheers 🍻

I personally hope everyone forgets about this watch. I had a 45mm for several years. Bought it pre-owned for $9k, sold it 3 years later for $9k. I loved it and it fit my 7.25" wrist fine. The problem was the 45mm was just a little to big to wear as much as I wanted. I have a sub too, and the 50 was always the pick to wear over the boring Rolex (orig Kermit). So I sold it in the patient hopes of a smaller 50 someday. That day has come, but the patience will continue until the forgotten downsized 50 comes at a steep pre-owned discount in a couple/few years. The Kermit will again play the ubiquous brides maid and the king of dive watches will once again adorn my wrist. Keep it secret, keep it safe.

To each their own, as a big fan of Blancpain I went out to the Blancpain Boutique and tried all three two in Titanium 23 blue and black dial and one in 18K solid gold they are all lovely the date which I never understood in previous times disappears the case proportion are more balanced and compact the movement we all know it's amazing with excellent finish. Long story short I ordered the blue on tropic style with pin buckle it should arrive in two weeks.

BECAUSE IT'S TWENTY THOUSAND PHREAKING DOLLARS!

Owning the 5015 and no need for me to go smaller, this watch is just amazing. But if they came with the "seaweed green dial" you shared, I would think to go for a second one.

I recently came across your video. I always refrained from purchasing the 45mm 5015 model as I believed it would be too large for my 7-inch wrist. The new 42mm watch appears to be truly stunning and suitable for everyday wear at last. I will definitely consider trying it out. Cheers 🥂 my friend. It is always a pleasure to watch your videos 🥃. Hisham.

Sometimes people have already lost interest when they finally get what they once wanted.

Hi! I’m talking constantly about the new releases. Since I purchased the Ocean of Storms Scuba-Swatch a couple of weeks ago. I would be willing to swap some of my core collection pieces to get one 42mm Fifty Fathoms in titanium. It’s less than two Subs brand new. But I’m not sure whether it’s possible to get a decent discount on the new models yet. Best wishes, Claus

45 or 42mm, this design is perfect… except for the date at 4:30. I think I‘d prefer no date at all. And Blancpain written on the side of the case is quite a special design choice.

You had me right to the end and "...finish off a collection..." Oh har har...finish the collection..."This is the last watch i'll ever buy, darling...promise..."😂😂

I tried the Titanium 42mm on the tropical rubber strap and the full titanium bracelet in the Blancpain London Boutique and they wear amazing. It was as comfortable as my Explorer 40.....fits perfectly. But I think the price was £17k.....but will Definately have it on my grail list

Love your channel man! The fifty fathoms will always be my holy grail. I live in Malaysia, and in South East Asia, Blancpain is simply too expensive. For context, a sales/marketing manager (mid level) at a m&c company would earn max of 15 000 malaysian dollars. A Blancpain (with inflation and weak currency) here costs around 60 000 malaysian dollars (rolex explorer 1 costs 30 000 malaysian dollar). Prob why this brand has been alienated by Asians which is a shame.

The Blancpain Fifty Fathoms is the best made diver on the market, and definitely a 42mm model will be amazing as a lot of people, including me, scared of the 45mm size. I would love to have maybe a 40-41mm model, that would be my perfect range. Thanks brother for great video.

I think you've nailed the mild response to this new 42mm Blancpain. My take: "Oh gee, another Blancpain that looks just like the older 45mm model, and it doesn't come on a standard bracelet and it's close to 70% over the price of a Rolex." Maybe I should take a spin with the Blancpain/Swatch to get a feel for it?

I agree with you to a large extend. Too little is made out of a wonderful and unique diver watch, not just this time, but over many years. A big pity. The last FF that impressed me was the 500 Fathoms. After that a lot of insipid variations. I dont share this overblown discussion on watch diameters. A few mm more or less dont matter at the end of the day.

Really appreciated your point about a lack of imagination when it comes to dial, hands, color… it seems that there are few brands that get away with tiny to no iterations in their watch design. It might be that Blanc Pain has simply lost the interest of collectors because its design does not have a modern feel. When I think of adventure and sport, I think more of Rolex, Tudor, heck, even the SeaQ has a sportier feel than the 50 Fathoms. Dare I say that the 50 Fathoms feels more steam punk than Jonny Quest aesthetically?

I love these watches, by far my favorite diver design. Main reason I'll never buy one is price, second reason is the thickness.

I just overlooked that green color variations. That would be awesome at max 12,5 thousand, but better around 10-ish an instant buy! 😍😍😍

Agreed. The series 1 dial and hands are terrific. Look modern. Looks great. And...Blancpain can't be bother making them available for retail to those whom want one. Crazy business is the watch making business. Thank goodness the supermarkets and the vehicle manufactures don't follow in the watch manufactures footsteps. We'd all be out hunting and gathering. Who here owns a horse?

So to conclude: you wanted 42 mm FF and after they made it for you, you know want 40mm. Just go and buy it :) or go and buy the Submariner (after n years of waiting) …

Too expensive for me but still my favorite dive watch, I agree with you that they are late for the party and need more and unique color options.

No hype? ✅ maybe too many divers to choose from? ✅ Maybe too expensive. ✅ This is good. When no one remembers maybe I will buy one.

If there’s one RU-vidr who makes watch horology sound important, it’s you.

At some point, I would like to see these up close. But I would want to see some of the choices that they used to offer at 45 mm (like the guilloche dial), before seriously considering this. And I, too, had the underwhelmed reaction of: “It’s an update after more than 10 years, and the only thing that changed is the case got smaller?” Just seems like there should have been something more to it.

Let's be honest- the biggest obstacle is price! If these were priced close to the Rolex Submariner and marketed aggressively-- illustrating it's rich history, it wouldn't necessarily outdo Rolex sales but come in a respectable 2nd place finish. The Swatch version is sort of baffling- do they really expect the people buying the bioceramic version to pony up 2x the price of the Rolex Sub eventually? Non-sensical. The Submariner was/is/and will remain the gold standard of dive watches- it's #1 for very good reason. How can you expect people to pay nearly 2x the price of the gold-standard?

There aren't that many of us here in Canada, but having to pay in US dollars, euros, or GBP has been a deal breaker for me personally. Paying 20-25% more than anyone else for the same item has always been a hard pill to swallow. It's just too expensive for most of us.

I want it but it’s so damn expensive

Love my ocean of storms. My most worn watch. I’d really prefer it in titanium to plastic - but it’s 44 times the price!

Blancpain’s mistake was the Hodinkee limited editions not being in their standard catalog. I’ll like it better at a 50% off used price in a few years! Too little, too late, and too expensive for me 😎. Have a great weekend IDGuy.

It seems like a really nice watch! Your video is actually the first I’ve heard about the 42mm!, though. I suspect their marketing is lacking. Also, I just jumped on their website & it wasn’t terribly easy to navigate…and when I did find a SS version on a bracelet, it was a limited edition at $17,500! I couldn’t even find their “proletariat” model…

Potential buyers have moved on or have purchased a replacement. With todays economy, this is also a big ask , but trust me , the potential buyers are there watching and waiting for the right moment.

In the metal I personally don’t think it works very well at 42mm. The crystal bezel is so big and the watch is so deep that it seems odd somehow. The watch is kinda like a polo mint where the hole in the middle is the dial. The dial looks too small, it doesn’t look right for the watch, it’s too small. I think it’s tough to compare Omega Seamasters or Rolex Subs to the Fifty Fathoms. It really compares with the likes of the RO Offshore, it’s on another level to a Seamaster 300 or a Tudor Pelagos, it’s properly haute horology. Price comparisons just don’t work here. Just like you can’t compare a Datejust or an Aqua Terra with a VC Overseas or similar. They are in different levels and it’s not about tech specs. That said the Fifty Fathoms movement is technically better than pretty much any other diver but it’s finished to a haute horology level aswell. Too many people overlook the Bathyscpathe, it’s got the same movement, the same level of finishing. But it’s a much better size than this new one. Most are put off by pictures, see it in the flesh. It’s amazing and can be had for next to no money in comparison with these and in finishes like ceramic/titanium etc.

The Blancpain Swatch Fifty Fathoms is better looking.

You only buy the BPFF after you own your Submariner and scratch that itch of public perception of Brand Name vs High Horology. People are vain!

Great video so thanks. Sadly there is no pleasing the watch enthusiast collective😂 no matter what brands like Blancpain do with their product line up, people are never satisfied 🤷🏻

It’s about value for money IMO. You’d have to be a massive fan of the brand and model to drop over £15,000 on a 14mm thick stainless dive watch on a sailcloth strap.

Price, 430 date, and more desirable limited editions (Hodinkee mil spec). They should have done this 42mm during Covid. That would have been a perfect time. I’ll just enjoy my Swatchpain Arctic.

It's just price. not low enough for the masses and not exclusive enough for the elites.... There isn't really much hype about any watch in the $15k-$25k range.... anything lower you are in the rolex, cartier, and omega group... any thing over and people want AP, Patek, and VC..... i think it's in a tough area to get people excited about... but in the $15-30k range you can get other wonderful but less hyped pieces from the likes breguet, Moser, and Chopard LUC I really like this. Ive been looking for a non-submariner daily black dive watch. I think if I can get the typical 15-20% off I would consider selling two of my omegas to buy one on the bracelet.

Actually the 14 mm I’d not a minus … this is a diver style watch .. just like there are no pilot watches online the styles … so for a diver it’s supposed to be big … just like iwc big pilot … you want a thin watch to get date just 36. but I give you - the green dial would go been phenomenal

They should bring the other swatch dial into a regular production watch as well with that one in a 40mm but this 42mm is already the release of the year for me

As the owner of a 5015, even I won’t pick this one up. It’s simply too expensive for what I already have. I think many folks who want this will wait until it’s available on the preowned market in a year, for $12,000

A couple of years ago I was in Feldmar Watches in LA which sells the fifty fathoms. I expressed my admiration for the watch yet stated that I wished it was a bit smaller. Well, the salesman clutched his pearls, stuck his nose up in the air, and almost fainted. 😂 I wonder what he thinks now? Anyway, this is definitely one of my grail watches,however, the significant price increase is moving it way down my list.

These are great watches, but as you said no one talks about them. In the mad rush for Rolex, and the many broken hearts for the people who could not get a Rolex, and were willing to spend Blancpain money, why didn't they get a Blancpain ?? Hype is a monster...

This watch has 120hr power reserve and deep history while maintaining an original design. There isn't much in this category at this price and it shouldn't be compared to Tudor or Seamaster. To have the type of movement and make it any slimmer would only drive the price. I would say this piece is a stealth wealth diver. It can fly under the radar while mechanically out performing even more expensive rivals.

What's the Seiko Diver beside you ?

Spot on. I don’t think Swatch diluted the FF, if anything, they gave it some life. BP has simply failed to live up to our expectations. Cheers 🥃

I must admit that this is my grail watch. Having a new 41 mm Submariner no date myself (which I love), I find the FF much more aesthetically pleasing. BUT, as you mentioned, the elevated price, compared to other excellent choices, makes in my opinion a poor value proposition. In addition, I would like to add that, after owning two Omegas, I dislike the watch service policy of the Swatch Group. Their recommended intervals for servicing a watch (Blancpain is not different) is around three years, due to its luxury... Well, Rolex recommends ten years for their new watches... Great video 👍

Well, the media may not be talking about them, but customers are absolutely snatching them up. I was planning to cover the release at a boutique in LA, but they completely pre-sold out.

40mm is just fine as a dive watch and will look more harmonious on most wrists, IMO. 40mm, no 4.30 date, matte dial (no sunburst) and no white gold applied indicies and you’d have a winner. Basically a 40mm Nageurs de Combat.

If it were priced like an omega I’d buy one

The swatch collaborations are, from my pov, a case of The Emperor's Clothes. A plastic watch is a plastic watch... whatever. Hype is an illusion.

The Fifty Fathoms is my grail but I'd probably go for a Bathyscaphe for a bit less money, because I like the sleeper aspect for a high horology watch like that. I also like the gold versions of any FF or Bathyscaphe, but especially the 70th Anni Act 3 in 9k (but I'd still opt for the 18k Bathyscaphe Moonphase, for the price, maybe). I _did_ buy a sapphire crystal IWC Aquatimer 2000 (IW356809) though, because of my love for the Blancpain (and IWC). It's great. Especially when the lume is beaming.

Pukka video as always, I’d love a Fifty Fathoms, but at that price there are other pieces I’d rather own.

The Act 3 in stainless steel with solid case back please!

Was waiting fpr a decade for it to happen... But prices are €10.000,- up from normal prices around €10.000,- in my opinion now and that's makes it not worth unless prices decrease dramatically...

One major problem - people are turned off by brands that don’t listen to their customer base. Give people what they want and you will sell your product. Only offer people want you want them to have and you will fail. That’s not only true for brands of any industry as a whole, but also to individual products within the brand.

Blancpain just made both the Skydweller and Ti Yachtmaster look like value propositions.

Great looking watch. I'm fine with them tanking in the retail market so used ones can be had at a great price. My one hang-up on this watch is the swatch collaboration: That cheapened the FF image in my opinion....but maybe that will also help keep prices down on the used market.

Sizewise it competes with a 42mm PO, a watch that is cheaper and imho designed better.

I still love BP FF but the price increase is a hard pill to swallow. I can buy a doxa with a microadjustment clasp for a fraction of the price when at the same time its to big of a challenge for BP to engineer one. With my 8inch wrist i will be tryiung to get old 45mm version i guess

I actually like the fact that the design hasn’t changed because I love it; however, they downgraded the dial by taking away the step. To answer the topic question it’s the price. To be perfectly honest, the FF uses a haute horology movement and is finished to a standard to and above its retail price. That said, people don’t care because you can easily get a 45mm FF for under $10k. Only crazy fanatics and people with deep pockets are going to buy this release, even then BP will struggle because those people were the ones who bought the anniversary model. Would I buy this watch? Possibly but on the secondary market around $10k. I will say it’s unfair to compare it to the FXD, which I own. The FXD has some of the most mundane finishing with the lowest grade titanium. Not even in the same league as the FF but it’s still the best diver ever made imo from a functional point of view. Love your point about 42mm. As you know, I also use my watches actively and came to the same conclusion that 42mm is the perfect size for functional legibility. Any more and it’s just size for size sake and less you lose legibility.

I love Blancpain watches and have had 2 Bathyscaphes (ceramic and stainless), both were insanely accurate but wore too big for my 7" wrist. I forever wished for a 40 to 42mm Fifty Fathoms as that is what I really wanted versus the Bathyscaphes. Blancpain kept teasing me with the limited editions in the perfect size but with eye watering unrealistic prices. I was so excited when I got the press release email about these watches until I saw the prices. Sorry, but $18,000 just isn't realistic for a titanium dive watch, I guess I will continue to live with my Seamaster 300m (if and until) Blancpain decides to actually give it's fans what they really want, a 42mm Fifty Fathoms in stainless for Rolex Submariner money.

I bought a Fifty Fathoms last month largely due to my enjoyment of the Scuba Fifty Fathoms I bought last year. Had I known Blancpain would release a 42 mm variant, I would have waited. Otherwise, I’m happy with my Swatch collab and Blancpain models. Excellent video as always.

Love the clean look. Almost sad to say but due to the price and as you pointed out the competition in that segment, off the radar of most people. The Swatch collab May have given them a slight bump. Maybe when work economies rebound (or govs go on another currency printing spree) the 42 will attract some buyers.

Beautiful pieces (agreed that Act 1), but the price proposition just doesn't sync for me.

Deal breaker is the damn sunburst dial, the price $30.5 k AUD for the bracelet( that you can’t see on the site properly),. and ah well my deepsea is going nowhere 😊

funny, I've been awaiting this new FF for awhile albeit I've never been very serious about pulling the trigger on this +10k watch. But really I'm about to pull the trigger on the first gen PO 45mm after trying it on and deeming it appropriate. No need to try on the 42, the 45 felt good

50 Fathoms is god damn gorgeous and useful. So tired of dials without numerals as well. After my sub and gmt ii, im leaning towars a 50 FF 42mm...and i owe that to Swatch x Blancpain collab - i wouldn't have really been paying attention to the brand until i bought the Ocean of Storms. 🎉

Dear Mr IDGuy, psst, did you hear, there is a new 42mm Blancpain Fifty Fathoms…😅 If I gotta be nit picky, the bezel is too thick also. It’s a little girthy as you said. I’m sure once on the wrist it would be easy to live with though. ☺️

Absolutely spot on

The price is fair for the 42.3 mm FF but it does indeed push the envelope to a smaller group of customers.

They talk about it like they would buy it. Then they remember the value retension that they where born with from rolex and forget about it.

When you’re ready to buy a Porsche, you buy a 911. Same thing here. You pay for the original. It’s very expensive and exclusive but if you’re gonna do it, do it right as it was intended. 45 mil. It is obscenely expensive but desirable, and extremely exclusive and rare to be honest. You have to chutzpah to buy this instead of a multitude of other watches for the same money.

I admire and respect blancpain and their history (especially as a seiko fan) but these prices are nuts. I understand how they like to position themselves as this luxury diver but so many options at 16-18k. Even in their own line up they have the Bathyscaphe Quantieme Complet at 16k that’s a better value than this. Maybe they thought those swatch collabs created enough hype that people would aspire for one of these and took advantage of the pricing. I don’t know who’s buying them but i’ve never seen anyone with a blancpain except a bathyscaphe (rarely) but maybe the sizing might change that.

Nice video mate 🥃

I think the 42 is 6 or 7 years too late. If they are going to come up with a 39 or 40, it too is a few years too late. That is why I see this and say meh, it is late to the party. I lusted the look of this almost a decade ago then saw it was 45mm which totally tuned me off.

Blancpain missed the timing. Had they released it 5 years ago this would make a huge impact. Instead, they decided to release it when the watch market was crashing down hard, brand new stainless steel Submariners are barely over retail now! Same reason why the IWC Ingenuir barely made a splash, they released the thing AFTER people have already gotten tired of the Gerald Genta hype.

In 1959 the us navy experimental diving unit tested 3 commercialy availabe dive watches, blancpain ff us 55 , enicar sea pearl $37.50 and rolex submariner $95 , average household income in 1959 was somewhere around 5000 us $ , i think average male income was between 4000 and 5000 , so a FF blancpain was less than a weeks wages , for a solid waterproof tool watch, not a prestiege desk diver watch . I got my scuba ticket in 1986 had a $150 NZ watch that lasted 10 years , bought a seiko kinetic for about $800 NZ in 96 , lasted for 15 yrs , now have two divers one quartz cost 200 NZ $ , one auto cost 350 NZ $ , if i splashed out i could get a real nice diver tool watch for $1000 NZ (600 US) auto, quartz , 200 - 500 metre rated,from several reputable manufacturers. I love the fifty fathoms look and history same as the sub 3:14 but they are no longer tool watches for the average person , maybe a rig diver who earns a boat load of cash or a collector, but not joe average, i could put a kid through 2 years of university for the cost of these watches

“So Beautiful Or So What” -Paul Simon. I’m on the “so what” end of the spectrum with these. And no amount of Why-aren’t-you’s is going to change that.

The biggest anti is surely price. It's in a range that most enthusiasts don't go so I wouldn't expect a big uptick in sales. Even lower down the price scale the "If it were smaller, bigger, cheaper, had an in house movement, had greater or lesser WR, etc etc" brigade often make their comments with no intention of buying if manufacturers made the change they requested. We all like to take a view however unlikely to purchase a particular watch. Found my A384 on bracelet at a very good discount so pulled the trigger, A solid addition I think

With BP you can’t argue value. It’s pointless. The 42 will come later in steel and with other dial variants. And it will cost what they want it to cost. As you said, aspirational or dontgiveaF kind of money. Personally, I think it has it all: history and (artificial) rarity due to price. I’d still buy a 45. And maybe will one day.

Blancpain has the history and the legacy, all they need now is new leadership with common sense to take this brand where it belongs!

Still. Going to get blue one on bracelet. In several days all the surrounding thoughts would settle and I would just appreciate a great timeless watch. With all respect to Rolex - way more elegant without loosing ‘toolness’. I own Mil Spec and although it is a fascinating watch, sometimes it’s simple dial and markers leave me wishing for more. A detail that would say “I’m Blancpain, oldest brand on a planet and inventor of dive watches”. Something “swiss” and “traditional”. Mil Spec almost look like a german watch, if you know what I mean. I agree about anniversary act and it’s blocky lume numerals are great, and it’s a bit boring that this one looks like 45mm before it. But again, I think that after several days, when time of acquaintance will end and days of growth will begin - this watch will bring nothing but joy and appreciation.

1908 - 1913 black wasn't an option for the model t

All the guys that said "If that were 42mm I would push the button all day long" left the chat 😂

I do like the 42mm FF, and have wanted to buy a FF for many years now, however, having seen the 70th 3rd Act in Bronze Gold, I realise what I want is the vintage styled case, so hopefully they will release that in steel or Ti.

Try it on it would blow your mind. It’s absolutely perfect. I was very surprised. Salud 🥂