Following its launch in 1956 —three years after the launch of the Fifty Fathoms—, the style of Blancpain’s Bathyscaphe evolved with the times. The 70s saw bold dial markings with Arabic numerals and windows for the day of the week and date at 3 o’clock. The new Bathyscaphe Day Date 70s, which will be limited to 500 pieces, captures the allure of that model from the seventies and while incorporating Blancpain's current technical advances comes out as the perfect modern watch with a strong vintage aura.
During the 70s, Blancpain evolved its line of Bathyscaphe models, introducing a few diving watches with new aesthetic codes. These models featured a silvered dial ring with rectangular indexes and Arabic numerals radially arrayed every five minutes. Today's Blancpain was inspired by this unique style in the creation of the Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Day Date 70s.
Things to Know About the Watch
The new Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Day Date 70s is equipped with a generous stainless steel case measuring 43 mm in diameter. The case is satin brushed finished throughout and the watch is limited to 500 pieces. The new Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Day Date 70s is available with four different different straps that include a vintage-style antiqued leather, a sail canvas —like the one pictured here—, a NATO strap or a stainless steel bracelet. The prominent winding crown stands out as one of the nicest features on this watch.
The dial of the new Bathyscaphe Day Date 70s truly captures the look of the 1970s model with its day of the week and date double aperture at 3 o'clock. As with the vintage piece, this new model has a subtle graduated gray coloring, darker on the outer perimeter and infused with lighter tones toward the center, thus creating the perception of a larger dial size with enhanced readability. The dial is incredibly nice in person and is a true chameleon depending on lighting conditions. The red accents on the minute markers as well as on the tip of the seconds hand provide a nice contrasting touch to the very monochromatic look of the watch.
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.
The Movement
Turning the watch over reveals the automatic movement powering the new Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Day Date 70s. The Blancpain automatic calibre 1315 is an sturdy and exceptional movement featuring three series-coupled mainspring barrels to ensure a generous 120-hour power reserve while guaranteeing a constant supply of energy. This movement is the exact same movement powering the legendary Blancpain Fifty Fathoms and its blackened rotor is made of 18K gold.
On the Wrist & Pricing
On the wrist, the new Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Day Date 70s wears true to its size and with incredible vintage presence. If you like modern interpretations of vintage icons, this is the way to go. A home run from Blancpain and a perfect execution without missing any of the vintage DNA and vintage design cues.
Sticker Price $12,700 USD. For more info on Blancpain click here.
