Blancpain’s Fifty Fathoms is arguably one of the most recognisable designs in watchmaking, a lineage that has subtly evolved over the past 70 years. The large turning bezel was a technical necessity at the time, which lead to watch with a sizeable 42mm diameter, much larger than what was considered wearable outside of professional applications at the time of its introduction in 1953. The Fifty Fathoms would be followed by a diving watch called the Bathyscaphe, presented in a more classical 37mm diameter in 1956.
Fast forward to modern watchmaking, and a few years after Blancpain became of the maisons that would lead the charge out of the quartz crisis, the Fifty Fathoms would again become one of its pillars, starting from the late ‘90s until today, albeit in primarily its classical, original design with the larger bezel. It wouldn’t be until 2013 that the Bathyscaphe design would get its modern interpretation.
Since then, Blancpain has clearly carved two paths for the Fifty Fathoms collection: one based on the original design, with a focus on classical designs and materials, and another with the Bathyscaphe, where the maison has taken to more contemporary interpretations and materials, such as ceramic.
It’s this material that brings us to Blancpain’s latest timepiece, the Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Quantième Complet Phases de Lune (to give it its full moniker – a complete calendar, i.e. one that shows day, date and month, but requires adjustment of the date at the end of each month that is less than 31 days, with a moonphase, to give it an added technical touch), which was already present in the collection, but for the first time, is presented on a full ceramic bracelet.
Cynics may think that this is a trivial detail, but it is actually quite a challenge to craft a full ceramic bracelet, particularly given how complex Blancpain’s sports bracelets tend to be. It took the maison quite a while before its bracelets evolved from steel to titanium, and now ceramic.
The material has been used for a number of years in watchmaking, often as an alternative to using a coating to achieve a black finish. The material is quite hard and scratch resistant, and also lighter than its metal alternatives, making it a natural fit for active lifestyles, but these properties also make it challenging to work with, particularly when it needs to be finished to a watchmaking standard. Each part of these ceramic bracelets is finished by hand for its satin look.
This new ceramic bracelet bears the same proportions as the ones dedicated to the classical Fifty Fathoms line, with a noticeable thickness but one that is extremely comfortable on the wrist, thanks to the multi-part construction of each individual link. The ceramic did not allow though for the hidden spring-loaded screws from the metal bracelets though, so the links are now attached with a new type of screw specifically made for it. While there is no micro-adjustment, there are two different lengths of links within the bracelet which make it easier to find the perfect fit for your wrist.
The ceramic bracelet is now an option for any of the ceramic-cased Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe collection, which, beyond the complete calendar with moonphase, extends to a time-only model and a chronograph. You can opt to maintain the all-black aesthetic of the ceramic case and bracelet combination with either of the three models, or you can also go for some interesting colour options, with the chronograph also presented with a black or dark green dial with matching bezel, while the complete calendar can be had with either a black, or a dark blue dial, each with black bezels, or a dark green dial with matching bezel.
