Search in Issues

38 mm Fifty Fathoms

The Fifty Fathoms Collection welcomes new interpretations in a 38 mm size.

Chapter authors

JEFFREY S. KINGSTON

Chapter authors

JEFFREY S. KINGSTON

Instead of the usual formal setting for a watch debut, the NEW FIFTY FATHOMS saw its entry into the collection in its natural environment: A DIVE IN INDONESIA.

Like debutants gliding through a grand ballroom, new timepieces normally have their unveilings in rarified confines, that of a photo studio. Lights just so. The pose angled to perfection. Every spec of dust painstakingly removed from the watch’s visage. The focus precise. Of course, no human being in sight.

The Fifty Fathoms is cut from a different cloth. From its birth in 1953, it has been purposeful, conceived in the rough and tumble world of diving. Yes, the Fifty has evolved from those early days with luxurious materials; fine finishes bestowed upon case, bezel, dial and hands; an haute horlogerie sophisticated movement gleaming beneath a sapphire case back, none of which diminishes its diving chops. So rather than in the sterile environment of a photo studio, the new smaller diameter Fifty models, 38 mm in diameter, saw their debut in a photo shoot set during a dive expedition in Indonesia.

The new 38 mm Fifties are offered in a BROAD RANGE OF CASE MATERIALS steel, brushed titanium, and red gold.

3 SIZES

The modern Fifty Fathoms was launched in 2007 in similar fashion during a dive off the coast of Cannes with Blancpain CEO Marc A. Hayek and world champion free diver, Gianluca Genoni. All three of the models that debuted during the 2007 dive were 45 mm in diameter. More recently, 42 mm alternatives joined the collection. Still there were voices asking for an additional choice; the 38 mm Fifties, bearing the reference number 5007, have answered that call. The DNA of the Fifty carries forth in the new models with bombe sapphire unidirectional bezels, clear easily readable underwater markings on dial and bezel, protection against magnetism, automatic winding, and, of course, high water resistance.

Fifty Fathoms Automatique Sunburst black.

Notwithstanding its elegance and sophistication, there is NO COMPROMISE in the red gold model’s fitness for diving.

PEARL

The new range includes polished steel with black dial; brushed titanium with blue dial; red gold with a fumé graduated mother of pearl dial; steel with mother of pearl dial, light colored bezel, and rose colored markings on dial and bezel.

We present this newest Fifty generation paired with images from multi-award winning underwater photographer, Jade Hoksbergen, whose art inspired the dive.

Fifty Fathoms Automatique in red gold with a fumée graduated mother-of-pearl dial.

I try to find beauty in what people often pass by and when it finally shows itself it’s like a gift. JADE HOKSBERGEN

Mother-of-pearl with subtly graduated pink coloring.

That’s when I know I have a good photograph, when it takes you back to that moment.

JADE HOKSBERGEN
For the new Fifty Fathoms 5007 – 38 mm, Blancpain wasn’t simply aiming to create a smaller dive watch. The ambition was to tell a story—with a Fifty Fathoms dive into a world of light and emotion. This vision found its anchor in the artistic and colorful world of Jade Hoksbergen, a dear Friend of the brand and multi-awarded French-Taiwanese underwater photographer. To shape the visual identity of the 5007, Blancpain drew inspiration from Jade Hoksbergen’s aesthetic approach. Her marine imagery, characterized by soft tones and painterly composition, influenced both the design and communication teams. Her full of light work helped guide the chromatic choices for the watches—notably the mother-of-pearl dials—as well as the inspirational narrative for the marketing campaign celebrating overall visual direction of the launch, from the film to product and lifestyle photography. First featured in the Fifty Fathoms edition in 2020, Jade has since maintained a close relationship with Blancpain. Her poetic and artistic perspective has enriched the DNA of these new models.