Along with the new Blancpain Bathyscaphe Day Date 70s limited to 500 pieces —featured here—, comes the new Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Annual Calendar —Quantième Annuel. This is the first time that this model is equipped with such complication. This year’s Bathyscaphe Quantième Annuel brings new functionality to the sport collection, trying to enhance its use as a daily wearer. Including indications for the day of the week, date, and month shown in rectangular apertures at 12 o'clock and with a gorgeous old-school looking blue moonphase indicator at 6 o'clock, the date indicator takes a prominent spot with its chapter ring and its red quarter moon tipped hand.
Things to Know About the Watch
The new Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Annual Calendar is equipped with a generous stainless steel case measuring 43 mm in diameter. The case is satin brushed finished throughout and available on a matching stainless steel bracelet or on two different straps that include a sail canvas or a NATO strap. While the watch is very nice looking, it seems a little odd to include such complication on a diver's watch making the dial a little bit too busy and cluttered.
The grey meteor colored dial on the new Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Annual Calendar has a beautiful sunburst finish with a very nice hue of grey. The dial is incredibly nice in person and is a true chameleon depending on lighting conditions. The red accent on the date indicator hand along with the deep blue moonphase disc provide the perfect amount of contrast.
Lastly, the unidirectional rotating bezel features a ceramic insert whose indexes are filled with Swatch Group's proprietary Liquidmetal. As expected from a Blancpain Diver's watch, the superluminova on the hands and markers is bright and long lasting. Two correctors located on each side of the crown are utlized to adjust the moonphase and the month. The correctors on the case seem like something that could go very wrong on a watch that is supposed to be water resistant to a depth of 300 meters.
The Movement
Turning the watch over reveals the new automatic calibre 6054.P powering the new Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Annual Calendar. This movement based off of the Blancpain automatic calibre 1150 is a sturdy twin-barrel movement that ensures a generous 80-hour power reserve. This movement features a blackened oscillating weight made of 18K gold.
On the Wrist & Pricing
On the wrist, the new Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Annual Calendar wears true to its size and quite nice. A good looking watch with a little bit too much going on. However, a great example of how one can break the rules and fit an annual calendar complication on a diver's watch without compromising the DNA of the brand.
Sticker Price $14,800 USD. For more info on Blancpain click here.
