Steel the Show: Blancpain’s 42 mm Fifty Fathoms Gets a Polished Upgrade

Going beyond transitory trends and innovations, luxury watch brands seem keen on returning to their roots. By rediscovering what has made them tick through generations ― exquisite craftsmanship, a rich history, and a strong emotional connection with their audience ― luxury timepiece businesses are not only honouring their past, but also forging the future of real luxury. Revisiting archival designs, ancient techniques, and timeless ideals, watchmakers seem to be prioritising depth over glitter and soul over spectacle. Embodying this philosophy, Blancpain has released its new Fifty Fathoms Automatique 42 mm variant in stainless steel (Ref. 5010-1130-71S), which pays homage to the Fifty Fathoms of 1953.

In 1953, Blancpain delved into the depths of horological innovation with the unveiling of Fifty Fathoms, the first modern diving watch. With its robust design and unmatched functionality, the Fifty Fathoms whispered secrets of the deep, inviting daring divers to dive into the mysteries of the ocean while keeping impeccable time in the face of relentless pressure and darkness. This model had a secure crown system, an automatic movement, a contrasting dial with luminescent hour markers for maximum readability, a lockable rotating bezel, and a water resistance of 300 ft or 91 metres.

The Fifty Fathoms Automatique of 2025 is a 42 mm variant that gets a polished, stainless steel case, lugs, a crown at 3 o’clock with guards, and a unidirectional notched 60-minute black bezel with a glossy black ceramic insert with a diamond 12 o’clock and luminescent markings. This diamond represents the start of a dive, allowing divers to easily track elapsed time underwater. When starting a dive, divers align the diamond on the bezel with the minute hand, enabling them to quickly see how much time has passed. The bezel features minute markings at 15, 30, and 45 minutes. 

The sunburst black dial has a Liquidmetal™ luminescent inverted triangle, and Arabic 12 o’clock, 3 o’clock, 6 o’clock, and 9 o’clock hour markers with a black background date window at 4:30 matching the dial colour. The luminescent coating can also be found on the hour, minute hands while the central second hand gets a red tip. Powering the watch is self-winding Calibre 1315 with a 120-hour or 5-day power reserve due to its three series-coupled barrels, while its silicon balance spring ensures protection against magnetism and optimal precision, even in the most extreme conditions. 

Turning the watch showcases the sapphire caseback with an 18 ct red gold oscillating weight featuring NAC treatment; the characteristic design of the rotor of the 1953 model has been reprised here. A type of platinum-based alloy has been used by Blancpain as a coating. The model is offered on a stainless steel bracelet or a tropic rubber strap with a pin buckle or deployant clasp. This watch has a water resistance of 300 metres.