Manufacturer: Blancpain Year: Circa 1960 Case No: 3201 Model Name: Fifty Fathoms Milspec I Material: Copper based alloy case Calibre: Automatic, cal. AS 1361, 17 jewels Bracelet/Strap: NATO Clasp/Buckle: Stainless steel pin buckle Dimensions: 41.5mm Diameter Signed: Case, dial and movement signed Accessories: Accompanied by official Blancpain Rapport d'analyse and pouch.
Catalogue Essay
The Blancpain Fifty Fathoms’ history could well have ended before it even started. Indeed, when Captain Robert “Bob” Maloubier, then in charge of the French Army’s newly created combat divers’ unit - the Service de Documentation Extérieure et de Contre-Espionnage, could not find a diver’s watch on the market that could meet military requirements, he decided to have it manufactured. He was met with the refusal of most renowned watch manufacturers until he met Jean-Jacques Fiechter, Blancpain’s CEO at the time and himself a diving enthusiast. Armed with his own diving experience and sensing a fantastic opportunity to offer military and civilian customers a diving watch validated by the most demanding users, the first Fifty Fathoms was born in 1953 out of this collaboration and was subsequently used by many armies around the world. Captain Maloubier was very precise in his military specifications for the watch. In addition to perfect water resistance and the stop-second, the watch had to also be magnetic resistant. Indeed, in the years 60/70, part of the military missions consisted in handling magnetic mines. Research to find the alloy that would be antimagnetic, easy to machine, and economical naturally led the manufacture to use copper.
The result of this research was this so-called “Bronze series” that Blancpain produced to be tested by the US NAVY. The first tests were a total failure! This alloy was unstable, it oxidized on contact with salt water, it had very poor resistance, and above all it was too soft to guarantee absolute waterproofness. The use of this copper based alloy was quickly abandoned.
Today, it is believed that less than twenty bronze Fifty Fathoms have survived. Bearing the number 3201, this watch is part of the very first batch sent to be tested by the US Navy. Remaining in excellent condition, this watch represents an extremely rare opportunity to acquire a piece that has contributed to the history and fame of a legendary watch.
As the watchmaking brand with the earliest founding date, Blancpain remains close to tradition, concentrating on classical mechanical watches. Established in 1735 by Jehan-Jacques Blancpain, the Le Brassus manufacturer today continues to innovate with the development of high-quality calibres and is proud of their heritage, having never made quartz watches. One of the firm's greatest successes was the Fifty Fathom wristwatch introduced in 1953 — the vintage models of which are now highly coveted by collectors. The earliest dive watch available to the market, Fifty Fathom came out a year prior to Rolex's Submariner. Another key model is the Air Command from the 1960s, considered one of the most mythical collector's watches due to their extreme rarity. Today, the firm specializes in creative innovated complicated timepieces.