Blancpain’s iconic Fifty Fathoms collection is adding two distinguished models to its line-up. The Swiss watchmaker launched a new edition of the Fifty Fathoms Tourbillion 8 Jours watch this week. Within a subseries of seven pieces, the two new diver watches are crafted from special grade 23 titanium and red gold materials—both versions are also satin-finished. Each addition sports a 45 mm case and the Tourbillion 8 Jours series’s signature floating tourbillion at 12 o’clock.
The refined blue dials with sunburst finish certainly elevate these pieces above your regular dive watch (the tourbillion helps in that regard, too), but the syringe hands and rotating bezel mean that they retain more than a nod to their exceptional heritage. The Fifty Fathoms Tourbillion 8 Jours watch in titanium watch allows for a lighter, more comfortable wear—along with greater resistance to shocks, pressure and corrosion. Meanwhile, the red gold alternative is primarily meant to offer a more conventional setting for the tourbillion, according to the watchmaker.
Both timepieces house the manufacturer’s self-winding Calibre 25C. This movement is finished with a Côtes de Genève motif and features traditional circular graining. Additionally, the models’ gold oscillating weight is satin-brushed and openworked to provide a clear view of its highly complicated movement. Both new diver models are water-resistant for up to 300 metres and come with a variety of strap options. Collectors can sport both watches with blue NATO and sailcloth straps—the titanium model also comes with a third strap, or titanium bracelet.
Blancpain’s first diver’s watch for the Fifty Fathoms collection launched in 1953. The model—created by Jean-Jacques Fiecher, Blancpain’s co-CEO at the time—represented a turning point in the watch industry and set the standard for diver’s watches from then on. The Fifty Fathoms Tourbillion 8 Jours series launched in 2007 with just two models in red-gold and white gold casings—they also functioned on the manufacturer’s Calibre 25A movement. Over a decade later, the new additions continue to allow divers to view their tourbillions underwater, vital for those of us who find the complication the perfect accompaniment to a good swim.
Both pieces are available now with prices for the red gold model starting at US$132,500 (about RM560,000) and the titanium version starting at US$116,600 (roughly RM493,000). The prices vary based on strap choice.
Previously published on Robb Report.
