Blancpain Fifty-Fathoms, 'Aqua Lung'

Dealer description — Oliver & Clarke

The Blancpain Fifty Fathoms is widely credited as being one of the first three truly purpose-build dive watches that came out in 1953. During the first ten years or so of production, many different variants have surfaced, with slightly different dials, bezels, casebacks, and even movements. Unlike the Zodiac Seawolf and Rolex Submariner from the same era, the Fifty Fathoms range feature a much larger 41mm case size. Considered massive in the 1950s, it is a great size by the standards of today, due largely in part to the way the lugs turn down and taper inward. It is a beautiful design. The cases were also bead-blasted to reduce glare and increase scratch resistance. The result is a very tool-like appearance, yet still elegant with its glossy dial and beautiful script text. The resulting look, much like the other two aforementioned divers, is a wonderfully balance design. The example that we have here dates to circa the late 1950s and is what is known as an 'Aqua Lung' Fifty Fathoms. The case remains in excellent overall condition, spared of any polishing with clear factory lug chamfers and only light signed of wear present throughout. The bezel assembly is correct and also matches the condition of the case and houses a very nicely preserved black 'bakelite' insert. It is seemingly devoid of any major fractures and shows below average wear. Inside, that glossy black dial exhibits a 'confetti'-like patina from age, with beautifully preserved text and luminous indices. The correct white-painted 'sword' handset shows a similar patina in the form of surface oxidation and some discoloration with heavily patinated lume within. The caseback, movement dust cover, and rotor on the A. Schild automatic-winding calibre are all signed Blancpain. It comes fitted to a Blancpain-signed black Tropic-style rubber strap, which suits this piece perfectly. As is the case with other early divers from the 1950s, good honest examples like this do not surface (no pun intended) on the open market as often as you might think — as collectors tend to hold onto examples like this.