Those that learn the primary instalment of this sequence final 12 months will discover that I didn’t buy any of the opposite items on my record. In fact, the truth that reference 5443 is a manual-winding rectangular watch struck the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso, Rado True Sq. and Nomos Glashütte Tetra off my record. This doesn’t imply that there are not any different targets in my sights, though I confess to being circumspect about what I talk about publicly. To proceed one thing of a practice at WOW Singapore although, I’ll as soon as extra advocate for a bit by a model that I’ve lengthy championed — this time, it’s Blancpain. What would possibly shock a few of you is that it’s a conventional Fifty Fathoms, not a Bathyscaphe variant.
Like quite a lot of manufacturers, Swiss and in any other case, Blancpain has a variety of depth within the dive watch vary, together with two very totally different base fashions within the Fifty Fathoms, and the Bathyscaphe (the complete identify is Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe, however I’ll simply use Bathyscaphe on this story to keep away from confusion). Regardless of its extra up to date and muscular look, the Fifty Fathoms watch is the direct descendant of the unique Fifty Fathoms from 1953. The Bathyscaphe isn’t a newcomer both, debuting on the finish of the Fifties and concentrating on the leisure diver, which explains its smaller scale. At 45mm, the Fifty Fathoms was all the time fully not possible for me to put on, particularly as a result of it’s fairly a thick fellow, at 15.4mm crystal-to-caseback. If I deliberate to put on it on high of a wetsuit, it is going to be simply wonderful, however in any other case, the watch merely wears me. Whereas there are Fifty Fathoms watches in smaller sizes, these are all restricted editions, and I take too lengthy to tug the set off to ever play that sport.
However — actually — if you’re contemplating this as a look ahead to another person, it is best to nonetheless contemplate the scale concern. This can be a watch that basically pops, because it had been, and that’s a part of its useful attraction — it appears to be like prefer it was meant to be worn over a wetsuit as knowledgeable instrument. It ought to be famous that the unidirectional bezel provides to this look, with its domed sapphire crystal insert. So far as iconic dive watches go, there may be nothing like the mixture of sapphire crystal within the bezel and sapphire crystal over the dial.
If — and it’s a large if — Blancpain introduces a extra fairly sized Fifty Fathoms, just like the No Rad editions, then it isn’t solely my decide for a dive watch in 2023 but in addition a purchase suggestion for anybody taken with dive watches above S$10,000; with an exhibition caseback, it may properly be definitely worth the gold value even… In any case, a showcase for calibre 1153, with all its wonderful ending touches and 120 hours of energy reserve is completely required. If you happen to will need to have a closed caseback, Blancpain does have you ever lined, however I can not advocate it. Subjective issues apart, the value vary is definitely the principle limiting issue right here, as soon as the sizing concern is allotted with and purist ideology is sorted.
The canny amongst you’ll know that 2023 marks an necessary milestone for the Fifty Fathoms — properly, you’ll have seen if you’re any good at studying and maths! Blancpain — and Swatch Group — have been signalling that the seventieth anniversary is a giant deal, with Hayek Jr even hinting that maybe some type of Swatch collaboration could possibly be within the works… I assume this one might be referred to as the DeepSwatch however right here at WOW, we anticipate large issues. Or fairly, extra modestly sized propositions.
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