Blancpain just opened a new chapter in the history of the first modern diver's watch by unveiling a new model designed to meet today's technical diving requirements. Featuring an innovation co-developed by Marc A. Hayek, President & CEO of Blancpain, and Laurent Ballesta, founder of the Gombessa project, the new Blancpain Fifty Fathoms 70th anniversary named ‘Tech Gombessa’ makes it possible for the first time to measure up to three-hour immersion times.
Seventy years ago, an icon was born: the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms. The watch that would revolutionize watchmaking by becoming the first modern diver's watch was conceived by a passionate scuba diver, Jean-Jacques Fiechter, then CEO of Blancpain. A pioneer in a discipline that was in its infancy, he understood the imperative need to track time while underwater. The instrument he designed to meet his own needs was immediately embraced by the oceanic community, becoming an unfailing ally of elite divers and underwater explorers. By enhancing safety in diving, the Fifty Fathoms contributed to the development of the sport and promoted the discovery of the ocean world.
The year 2023, which marks the 70th anniversary of the Fifty Fathoms, also resonates as a reboot of its birth through the arrival of an innovative anniversary diver’s watch, additionally, this new release also commemorates the 10th anniversary of Gombessa, an initiative that Blancpain helped create by becoming the founding partner of the project from its inception in 2013.
Drawing on the invaluable heritage of the 1953 Fifty Fathoms, but also and above all on his own experiences, Blancpain’s CEO —an avid diver— embarked on the design alongside diver, photographer, and underwater biologist Laurent Ballesta. It was intended to meet the needs of all extreme divers, starting with the members of the Gombessa Expeditions whose research work involves long-duration deep dives. With Blancpain’s support, these deep-sea adventurers have joined forces in the multi-year Tamataroa mission. Dedicated to the study of the behavior of the great hammerhead shark, Sphyrna mokarran, in French Polynesia, this project is led by a committee of passionate deep-sea divers, including Marc A. Hayek and Laurent Ballesta. Observation and information gathering regarding this species continued through technical dives on Rangiroa Atoll, aimed at contributing to the implementation of management measures promoting its conservation.
The new Blancpain Fifty Fathoms 70th Anniversary 'Tech Gombessa' was designed to measure the duration of up to three-hour-long tech dives or exits from a saturation system. Developed five years ago by the two divers, this watch has been extensively tested. In 2019, after a year of conceptualization, Blancpain began the development of the project, starting with the two key elements represented by the movement and the unidirectional rotating bezel. Unlike the bezels on conventional diver's watches, the bezel on the Fifty Fathoms Tech Gombessa has a three-hour scale. It is linked to a special hand that completes one full turn in three hours and whose material and color —a white luminescent coating with green emission— match those of its markers.
This device invented jointly by Marc A. Hayek and Laurent Ballesta is a world's first for which a patent has been filed. Cased in Grade 23 Titanium, the watch sports a massive 47 mm x 14.81 mm case with a helium valve and central lugs attached from the inside of the case middle. The Absolute black dial features luminescent orange block-shaped appliques with blue emission and a three-hour drive hand. The unidirectional 3-hour scale bezel insert is tilted towards the dial and is made of black ceramic with white luminescent markers with green emission.
Powering the new Blancpain Fifty Fathoms 70th Anniversary 'Tech Gombessa' is the automatic 204-part Blancpain in-house calibre 13P8 with a 5-day power reserve and which is fully visible via the display case back. This movement is based on the same criteria of reliability and robustness that have made the Fifty Fathoms the ultimate diver's watch for 70 years and the watch is water resistant to 300 meters.
The Blancpain Fifty Fathoms 70th Anniversary 'Tech Gombessa' is delivered on an integrated black rubber strap that emerges straight from the case middle. The black rubber strap is secured by a titanium pin buckle.
Sticker Price $28,000 USD. For more info on Blancpain click here.
