The new Blancpain Bathyscaphe Mokarran Limited Edition is a special watch dedicated to protecting the great hammerhead shark. With the creation of the emblematic Fifty Fathoms diver's watch in the early 1950s, Blancpain played a leading role in the discovery of the splendors of the underwater world. Since then, the brand has been actively committed to the exploration and protection of the oceans. The most recent initiative supported by its Blancpain Ocean Commitment —BOC— program is devoted to the study of the great hammerhead shark in French Polynesia.
The Bathyscaphe Mokarran 50-piece limited edition will be available exclusively sold at Blancpain boutiques in New York and Las Vegas. Each customer acquiring one of these timepieces will be joining Blancpain in supporting the Mokarran Protection Society by virtue of having the brand contribute $1,000 USD for a total of $50,000 USD that will be added to the brand's regular contributions to promoting, respecting, and protecting the fascinating world of the oceans.
©Thomas Pavy
In January 2020, Blancpain President & CEO Marc A. Hayek traveled to Rangiroa, French Polynesia, where he took part as a volunteer underwater videographer in a scientific expedition dedicated to the study of the seabed and particularly the great hammerhead shark —Sphyrna Mokarran. Set up in collaboration with the Mokarran Protection Society environmental association, this first mission was intended to observe the behavior of this large predator in the wild in order to identify and count its population in Polynesian waters.
Marc A. Hayek, Antonin Guilbert and Jean-Louis Jacquelle.
This new three-hand version of the Bathyscaphe model, marks the introduction of a new color to the Fifty Fathoms watch collection. The tropical green dial of this exclusive timepiece catches the light and reveals its chromatic reflections thanks to a sunburst finish. This vibrant hue enhances the iconic aesthetic elements of the Bathyscaphe, such as its baton-type hands and geometric hour-markers coated in luminescent material.
The unidirectional satin-brushed titanium bezel features a green ceramic and Liquidmetal insert matching the dial. The 43.6 mm case is made of satin-finished black ceramic and the watch is water-resistant to 300 meters. The seconds-hand with its bright red tip adds a great contrasting touch and the piece is delivered on a black NATO nylon strap.
A sapphire crystal display case back provides a chance to admire the automatic Blancpain calibre 1318, a non-date variant of the calibre 1315. Characterized by its precision, performance, and beauty, the latter was specially developed and produced by Blancpain for its sports watches. It notably features a balance equipped with a silicon balance-spring and three barrels providing a five-day power reserve. Its solid gold oscillating weight is NAC-coated and engraved with the effigy of the great hammerhead shark, Sphyrna Mokarran.
Available exclusively from Blancpain boutiques in New York and Las Vegas, the 50 timepieces composing this special edition are individually numbered. With his or her watch, each purchaser receives a certificate of donation, a framed underwater photograph from the January 2020 mission, along with a personal code giving access to the Blancpain Ocean Commitment Circle. This private area of the BOC website offers exclusive benefits such as sneak-preview information on the brand's partners, opportunities to meet them, as well as invitations to previews of documentaries related to scientific expeditions supported by Blancpain.
Sticker Price $15,500 USD. For more info on Blancpain click here.
