Blancpain celebrates the 70th anniversary of the Bathyscaphe with the new Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe 70th Anniversary Edition (Ref. 5903 1110 63A), a limited edition inspired by a 1968 model.
Combining the compact proportions and understated character of the original with contemporary mechanics, the 300-piece edition brings a historical expression of Blancpain’s civilian diving watch into the present day.
Introduced in 1956 as a smaller, more wearable counterpart to the Fifty Fathoms, the Bathyscaphe reflected the growing popularity of recreational diving in the 1950s and 1960s.
While the Fifty Fathoms was conceived as a professional diving instrument, the Bathyscaphe adopted a more discreet design intended for everyday wear. Its name had already been registered in 1953 by Blancpain CEO Jean-Jacques Fiechter, an enthusiastic diver who sought to extend the brand’s diving expertise beyond professional applications. The name itself refers to the deep-sea exploration vessel developed by Swiss scientist Auguste Piccard in the 1940s.
For its 70th anniversary edition, Blancpain has chosen a Bathyscaphe from 1968 as its historical reference. The new model retains the original 37.40 mm diameter and stainless-steel construction, while the case has been developed around the modern movement to preserve similarly compact proportions.
A vintage Blancpain Bathyscaphe from 1968
Measuring 12.30 mm in thickness and 46.50 mm from lug to lug, the case combines polished and curved surfaces with carefully shaped lugs.
A steel bezel fitted with a ceramic insert and lacquered numerals replaces the original black hesalite construction, providing greater resistance while retaining the appearance of the historical model.
The sunburst meteor-grey dial continues the vintage character of the watch, with the mid-20th-century Blancpain logo, baton-shaped hands and 18-carat white-gold baton indexes.
Both the hands and indexes are filled with vintage-coloured Super-LumiNova, reproducing the warm appearance associated with the luminous materials used on historical watches.
The hand-stitched chocolate calf leather strap further reinforces the period-inspired character. Designed to develop a natural patina over time, it is secured by a pin buckle and attached to the 18 mm lugs.
Despite its vintage proportions and appearance, the watch retains the 300 metres / 1,000 feet water resistance associated with the Fifty Fathoms family.
Behind the sapphire crystal case back, the modern side of the watch becomes visible. Blancpain equips the Bathyscaphe with its Manufacture Calibre 1150, an automatic movement measuring 26.20 mm in diameter and 3.25 mm in thickness.
Operating at 21,600 vibrations per hour (3 Hz), it features a silicon hairspring, 28 jewels and 210 components, and provides a 100-hour power reserve. The movement displays the hours, minutes, seconds and date.
Unlike the closed case back of the 1968 model, the transparent back of the anniversary edition places the contemporary movement and its finishing on view.
The open-worked 18-carat gold rotor takes its design from the oscillating weight of the original Fifty Fathoms, creating a direct visual link with the brand’s early diving watches.
Limited to 300 individually numbered pieces, the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe 70th Anniversary Edition, Ref. 5903 1110 63A, is delivered in a Peli case and is priced at CHF 13,800 / €16,500 / US$18,300. blancpain.com
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