Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Milspec 1 'Bronze alloy'

No, this isn’t the 70 year anniversary model; this is the original bronze FF from the 50’s.

There was a time when mechanical dive watches were an essential survival tool for those working underwater. Blancpain’s Fifty Fathoms was released as early as the 50's. The Fifty Fathoms was born out of pure necessity as the combat swimmers of the French navy were looking for a reliable watch to be used on their missions. The head of this elite group, Captain Bob Maloubier, submitted a sketch with the desired specifications to several watch brands, but none of them were willing to actually produce such a watch. Eventually, a small French watchmaker by the name of Blancpain took up the task and the Fifty Fathoms was created. This model is truly a template for all modern diving watches: a large stainless steel case, automatic movement, rotating bezel, and black dial with large contrasting luminous markers and hands. Historically it might even be on par with the Rolex Submariner, yet the Fifty Fathoms is so much scarcer.

This specimen sets itself apart by its unusual case material. In more recent years we've seen an increase in the use of Bronze, but 7 decades ago this was unheard of. Most likely these were prototypes, pitched to the US navy; to follow the Tornek-Rayville 900 up. This alloy (includes Pewter and Zinc, among other) is even more anti-magnetic than their stainless steel counterpart. Another advantage is the anti-corrosive properties of this material. Albeit having benefits, it was never taken into production (the exact reason being up for debate) and only very few have ever surfaced, all starting with a 32xx serial.

The dozen original bronze Blancpains that are known, come with a varieties of dials. This particular one is the "Milspec 1" iteration, with the moist meter at the bottom of the dial. For its 70 year anniversary, a special Fifty Fathom was released in bronze; with this exact configuration. This limited edition "act 3" is inspired on the historically important example we have on hand here.

The watch features a strong 41mm case with a soft iron inner cage to ensure its antimagnetic properties. The glossy black dial features contrasting white printing and large luminescent hour markers for legibility in conditions of low visibility. Oftentimes the surface of the dial tarnishes and becomes dull, we are very fortunate to have found this example that still retains all of its attraction over time. The brand and model name are applied and the iconic indicator is still vibrant and appealing.

The oversized ribbed rotating steel bezel contains a black acrylic inlay with radium inside. This original and rare inlay with triangle, shows only very little marks. It comes on its original Tropic strap in black and an additional Nato strap.