Blancpain Fifty Fathoms

The Blancpain Fifty Fathoms was initially developed with elite French divers and is both iconic and incredibly important in the history of dive watches. Introduced in 1953, it was the first to incorporate a uni-directional rotating bezel - beating the Rolex Submariner.

This example from the 1960s features a distinctive “No Radiations” designation on the dial. When Blancpain made the Fifty Fathoms commercially available in the 1960s, it wanted to address the known dangers of radium by clearly showing that the watch was not radioactive. This has since become a much-loved and distinctive design element.

The case measures a substantial 41mm in diameter and features long and slightly downturned lugs. Housed underneath the screw-down case back is the calibre R310. A re-branded A. Schild AS1700 movement, it has a reputation for being extremely reliable and was chosen by Blancpain for its automatic winding capability - reducing the wear and tear on the crown.

This example is presented in excellent condition for its age with sharp and defined lugs. The owner submitted the watch to Blancpain in November 2020 to verify its authenticity, and this information can be seen in the attached photos. Their assessment confirms that the case, dial, and movement are all genuine and correct for this model. Radioactivity monitoring has confirmed the presence of Radium - indicating that the dial is original. The hands and hour markers have faded to a charming, warm patina.

The watch is fitted with an aftermarket stainless-steel bracelet but could easily be swapped for a NATO or tropic rubber to provide an aesthetic more faithful to the original.

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