Blancpain began in 1735 by Jehan-Jacques Blancpain establishing his first workshop around the upper floor of his house at Villeret, in our-day Bernese Jura. In those days, little did he know that today his brand would end up being the world’s earliest watch brand? In 1926, the Manufacture joined right into a partnership with John Harwood and began marketing the very first automatic watch. The entire year 1932 saw the finish from the family’s control over the firm, which in fact had survived for more than 220 years. Around the dying of Frédéric-Emile Blancpain, his only daughter, Berthe-Nellie, didn’t wish to enter the watch making industry. The year after, the 2 people from the staff, who was simply nearest to Frédéric-Emile, Betty Fiechter and André Léal, bought the company. As there is no more any person in the Blancpain family in charge from the firm, the 2 affiliates were obliged legally because it was at that time to alter the organization title. Henceforth, the firm could be known as “Rayville S.A., succ. p Blancpain”, “Rayville” as being a phonetic anagram of Villeret. Today, the Piece of fabric Group is the owner of the company and it has effectively perpetuated it’s the watch making industry concepts and horological innovation. Although Blancpain offers a multitude of watches across several collections, they’re better recognized for their legendary diving watch, the Fifty Fathoms. Below you will notice the very first type of the ‘Fifty Fathoms’ ever produced.
The Blancpain Fifty Fathoms is among the earliest automatic diving watches released in 1953 and created by Jean-Jacques Fiechter -Blancpain’s Boss from 1950 through 1980- together with two heroes from the Free French Forces, Captain Robert Maloubier and Lieutenant Claude Riffaud. Jean-Jacques Fiechter an enthusiastic diver felt the necessity to launch a wrist watch that will bring a couple of his greatest passions together, the ocean and the watch making industry. Contacted through the French military, he earned his dream become a reality starting the very first automatic diving watch having a generous 42 mm stainless situation, a situation size never heard about throughout those years. The timepiece particularly created for in France they ‘Ecole des naugers p combat’ -Combat Diving School- was named ‘Fifty Fathoms’ following the British measurement of fifty Fathoms -roughly 91.45 meters-, that was at that time the finest depth that the diver would have the ability to descent to while on an oxygen mixture within their diving tanks. Several iterations from the Fifty Fathoms were produced between 1953 and 1965 including watches fitted with more compact cases calculating 41 mm or 35 mm, and a multitude of different dials for that French Military and also the U.S. Navy. Other navies that adopted in France them and also the U.S. navy in selecting the ‘Fifty Fathoms’ his or her diving watch were the Israeli, the Spaniard and also the German.
A few of the key qualities from the first Fifty Fathoms watches incorporated an anti-magnetic and highly water-resistant situation, a screw-on situation back, a dual “O-ring” system crown, a computerized movement, a unidirectional rotating bezel and something quite interesting element added around the dial from the LIP models right over the 6 o’clock marker, a humidity indicator by means of a little blue circle that will turn pink if humidity had joined the situation.
But Blancpain didn’t get it easy if this found selling watches towards the U.S. Navy as there is a ‘Buy American Act’ in position where American producers would obtain a 25% cost edge on foreign rivals and also the jewels within the watches needed to be acquired from the supplier in Missouri. Fortunately for Blancpain, a gentleman named Allen Tornek who grew to become a detailed friend to Jean-Jacques Fiecther -Boss of Blancpain at that time- assisted the organization bypass the machine and offered timepieces towards the U.S. Navy as “Blancpain Tornek” or “Rayville Tornek”. About 1,000 Tornek-Rayville Fifty Fathoms were created and many were destroyed through the Navy in the finish from the commission, therefore the making it through good examples are extremely collectible today which is believed that around 20 to 30 of those watches continue to be around.
Another interesting fact similar to the one about Tornek would be that the French Navy made a decision to buy the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms watches in a roundabout way from Blancpain but via a specialized diving equipment company named Spiro technique. In those days, Spiro technique were built with a quite strong relationship with oceanographer Jacques-Yves Cousteau, to whom they’d sell his inventions and because of this connection, Cousteau discovered the Fifty Fathoms watch and selected for doing things within the historic dives area of the film “Silent World”. Worn by Jacques-Yves Cousteau, the Fifty Fathoms grew to become the conventional reference among diving watches throughout that point. Because we have previously talked about the relaxation from the good reputation for the Fifty Fathoms within our in-depth overview of the ‘Tribute to Fifty Fathoms No Radiations’ Special Edition here, let’s move ahead and get into our in-depth overview of the X-Fathoms that people prefer to call ‘The king of diving watches’.
The Blancpain X-Fathoms ref. 5018-1230-64A launched this past year in the biggest aquarium on the planet situated in Dubai throughout an incredible unveiling event, includes a titanium satin-blown situation calculating near to 56 mm -55.65 mm- across, a thickness of 24 mm and it is fitted having a black rubber strap with pin buckle. This watch not just feels and looks just like a diving watch, but is possibly probably the most complex mechanical diving watches ever produced.
The X-Fathoms includes a black matte dial that appears just a little busy but where each element on it features an obvious purpose and functionality. To be able to keep up with the Fifty Fathoms look and it is legendary design; the timepiece is equipped using the now traditional unidirectional azure very rotating bezel with luminescent material and also the unmistakable Fifty Fathoms Arabic numbers at 12, 3, 6 and 9 o’clock on its dial. The bezel is extremely thick and it is serrated edges facilitate a great grip despite mitts.
The matte black dial includes a mechanical depth indication with two different scales, in which the one situated around the outer part is blue and goes completely to fifteen meters by having an exceptional /- 30 centimeters precision and also the one on the middle of the dial is yellow and goes completely to 90 meters having a maximum depth memory. The reading through from the depth scales is shown by two hands with arrow tips in blue and yellow correspondingly. No matter getting depth scales which go only as much as 90 meters, the Blancpain X-Fathoms is waterproof ranked to some depth of 300 meters or 1000 foot. Furthermore, the dial includes a retrograde 5-minute counter for decompression stops at 10 o’clock.
This complex mechanical diving watch includes a decompression valve at 10 o’clock for saturation diving along with other features not contained in more conventional mechanical diving watches just like an amorphous metal membrane around the situation close to the winding crown along with a maximum depth memory with guaranteed totally reset pusher around the situation band at 8 o’clock. Research and testing carried out by Blancpain reveal that the elastic qualities and also the potential to deal with permanent deformation of amorphous metal get this to material well suited for the depth gauge membrane.
The winding crown featuring the Blancpain logo design is extremely robust and simple to grip for individual’s divers putting on mitts. The situation back is solid and it provides a skeleton zed ‘No Radiations’ logo design lined with similar amorphous metal membrane that’s around the situation band through the crown. The beating heart within the X-Fathoms may be the revolutionary Blancpain automatic calibre 9918B -based from the calibre 1315- having a diameter of 36 mm, made up of 411 parts, 48 jewels, 3 barrels, plastic balance-spring and which supplies the standard 5-day energy reserve -just like other Fifty Fathoms calibres- when fully wound.
The X-Fathoms can also be fitted having a very revolutionary rubber strap -with pin buckle- composed of 14 articulated parts to make sure an ideal fit around the wrist and permit water to seep within the timepiece to be able to be exposed to the membrane under all conditions. The rubber around the strap is extremely supple and also the craftsmanship from the strap is simply exceptional. The standard Blancpain engraving typically located on the left side from the situation band exists around the 6 o’clock side in between your lungs.
Around the wrist, be ready to put on a genuine diving watch along with a watch that does not everybody can put on because of its massive construction and extra-large situation. Regardless, in the finish during the day it’s very probable that you’ll be putting on this keep an eye on your wet suit, were it’ll look just perfect as well as in its element. Honestly, this is among the best watches available and when you’re into diving watches, it truly doesn’t have any better. Consider yourself preparing for your evening join in the Maldives and strapping this unique watch in your wrist.
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