Swatch x Blancpain Collab To Resurface Spirit Of ‘The First True Diver’s Watch’

Swatch and fellow Swiss watchmaker Blancpain have birthed the Bioceramic Scuba Fifty Fathoms Collection in a creative collaboration that pays homage to the world’s oceans. 

This maritime-inspired ensemble comprises five distinct references: Arctic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, and Antarctic Ocean.

Blancpain’s iconic Fifty Fathoms, often dubbed “the first true diver’s watch”, lineage inspires the functionality at the core of these timepieces.

Featuring an impressive water resistance of 984 feet, the collection is equipped with easily readable dials, rotating bezels, and anti-magnetic safeguards.

Powering these oceanic companions is Swatch’s own SISTEM51 mechanical movement, ensuring precision and reliability beneath the waves. The watches don a Bioceramic build, reinforcing their durability while showcasing a seamless blend of style and substance.

Complementing the Bioceramic bodies are striped NATO straps in colors that harmonize with the oceanic themes. With a case diameter of 42.3mm and a thickness of 14.55mm, these timepieces offer a balanced presence on the wrist.

Diving deeper into the design, gradient dial plates take center stage. Hands, indices, and the diving scale are all coated with Grade A Super-LumiNova, guaranteeing visibility even in the darkest depths.

Yet, the collection’s unique allure doesn’t stop there. The case back of each watch hosts full-color digital prints of distinctive Nudibranchs, perhaps more commonly known as sea slugs found in the respective oceans. The color palette consists of beige, blue, green, yellow-orange, and ice white. Each reference is derived from the natural hues of its corresponding Nudibranch.

Interestingly, this collection transcends the confines of a limited release, with a price point hovering around US$400. The timepieces will be available starting September 9 online.

[via Swatch]