Blancpain Fifty-Fathoms 'Mid size'

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 1960s and is a rare 'mid size' variant. The 34mm case with a 'squared' inner-lug design very characteristic of 'skin divers' from this era, this piece would have originally been sold as a lighter, more recreational alternative to the more expensive and larger Fifty-Fathoms. Of course, being Blancpain, they did not skimp out on anything. Inside, the very same automatic-winding movement as its larger sibling can be found behind the screw-down caseback, a glossy black luminous dial and handset, and a bi-directional rotating timing bezel on the outside. The condition is simply fantastic. The case shows light wear throughout with its correct factory high-polish finishing present and clear. The black dial within retains its deep glossy black surface, with applied, patinated indices and a matching handset. The bezel assembly is correct and possesses its elegant 'coin-edge' finishing and houses a black acrylic insert. It is seemingly devoid of any major fractures and shows only light wear. As is the case with other divers from the 1950s-1970s, 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... ... And these 'mid size' variants in particular rarely surface on the open market, making this a very, very rare opportunity to snag one.