When Blancpain, manufactures of luxury Swiss watches first created the Fifty Fathoms diving watch during the 1950's it was not initially meant for the commercial sector of their business. However when Blancpain came into contact with Captain Robert Maloubier and Lieutenant Claude Riffaud of the French Navy the idea of such a watch became a reality. These elite French Navy divers "Les Nageurs de Combat" required a sturdy, resistant, reliable and highly legible divers wristwatch and rising to the challenge the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms divers watch did not disappoint.
With its name inspired by its water resistance - 50 fathoms (or 91.45 metres to those not of a nautical preference), the Fifty Fathoms with its bold yet functional epoxy bezel and its super-luminous Arabic numerals and markers became a signature piece of the Blancpain collection. The publicity received when Jacques Cousteau and fellow divers wore the piece in the Palme d'Or winning movie, Le Monde du Silence in 1956 made this outstanding piece into an iconic men's diving watch.
Over half a century has passed since the Fifty Fathoms was unveiled and finally it has a "big sister" in the form of the 500 Fathoms. This brand new release from Blancpain has water-resistance to 1000 metres. It features a brushed titanium case measuring an impressive 48mm in diameter, which contrasts boldly with the new distinctive "sun-ray" dial into which are hollowed large phosphorescent Arabic numerals. Further legibility is ensured due to luminescent coating of the hour-markers, hands and bezel markings. The 500 Fathoms is powered by a self-winding Calibre 1315 movement and unusually for a divers watch this along with its boat propeller-shaped oscillating weight is revealed through a specially engineered tough sapphire crystal case back.
The 500 Fathoms is a truly contemporary watch, intelligently designed with many innovative safety features, yet in keeping with the spirit of the Fifty Fathoms the Blancpain brand have created another modern divers watch with an exceptionally strong personality. This could possibly be the ultimate men's diving watch.
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