News 
Blancpain presents the third act marking the 70th anniversary year of its iconic Fifty Fathoms diver’s watch. This timepiece is inspired by the MIL-SPEC model adopted by the main armed forces of the time (France, Germany, the United States and Norway… to name but a few).
The Manufacture is now offering a 555-piece limited-edition reinterpretation of the timepiece with its signature moisture indicator, an additional safety feature whose purpose was to provide divers with the confirmation that the watch had not been damaged by another diver on a previous mission. Appearing on the dial of the MIL-SPEC watches in 1957, this moisture indicator was part of the specifications of the US Navy, which regarded this model as the only one to meet all the strict criteria laid down for its underwater missions.
It is immediately apparent that this third anniversary timepiece is indeed inspired by its antimagnetic predecessor used by the US Navy, as confirmed by the matt black dial with vintage Super-LumiNova-enhanced moisture indicator and hour-markers; the unidirectional rotating bezel with black ceramic insert featuring a vintage Super-LumiNova diving scale; as well as the two-tone Nato strap featuring the colour code of the original timepiece.
They are however distinguished from each other by the material used for the case. While the MIL-SPEC from which the anniversary model is inspired is made of nickel silver, the Fifty Fathoms 70th Anniversary Act 3 is clothed in 9K Bronze Gold, a patented alloy enriched with 37.5% gold (hallmarked 9K), silver, palladium and gallium. Designed to offer a pink hue and pleasing aesthetics, this type of bronze stands out by the fact that it can be worn in direct contact with the skin.
The 1154.P2 movement is housed in a 9K Bronze Gold case that is water-resistant to 30 bar and measures 41.30mm like the historic MIL-SPEC. Its twin barrel endows the timepiece with a substantial 100-hour power reserve, while a silicon balance-spring ensures the movement’s resistance to magnetism. For the first time, Blancpain is offering a 1,000-gauss version of its movement, thanks to the use of this material coupled with exclusive alloys for the escapement.
Issued in a 555-piece limited edition, the Fifty Fathoms 70th Anniversary Act 3 is presented in a box inspired by a historic camera housing, echoing Blancpain’s ocean protection initiatives.
October 05, 2023