Blancpain Revives the Vintage Spirit of the Bathyscaphe for Its 70th Anniversary

The Blancpain Bathyscaphe 70th Anniversary brings the vintage spirit of the 1968 Bathyscaphe into the modern era with a 37.40 mm case, Calibre 1150 and a 100-hour power reserve.

Seventy years after the creation of the Bathyscaphe, Blancpain celebrates one of the most distinctive chapters in its diving-watch history with a new limited edition inspired by a landmark model from 1968.

The Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe 70th Anniversary is limited to just 300 individually numbered pieces and combines the compact proportions and understated character of the original Bathyscaphe with the technical capabilities of modern Blancpain watchmaking.

With its 37.40 mm stainless steel case, meteor grey sunburst dial, vintage-coloured Super-LumiNova® and chocolate calf leather strap, the watch deliberately channels the aesthetic of the late 1960s. Underneath, however, it houses the Manufacture Calibre 1150, offering a 100-hour power reserve and 300 metres of water resistance.

The Bathyscaphe: The Civilian Side of the Fifty Fathoms

The history of the Bathyscaphe is inseparable from that of the legendary Fifty Fathoms.

Introduced in 1953, the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms was created as a professional diving instrument for military forces, professional divers and underwater specialists. Its robust construction and relatively large proportions reflected its demanding purpose.

Three years later, Blancpain introduced the Bathyscaphe as a more compact, civilian interpretation of the same diving heritage.

The original Bathyscaphe measured around 35 mm, compared with slightly more than 41 mm for the contemporary Fifty Fathoms. This difference in proportions reflected a fundamental change in purpose: the Bathyscaphe was designed to bring Blancpain’s diving expertise into everyday life while retaining the essential characteristics of a genuine diving watch.

Interestingly, the name Bathyscaphe had already been registered in 1953 by Jean-Jacques Fiechter, Blancpain’s then-CEO and a passionate diver who played a central role in the development of the Fifty Fathoms.

The Rise of the Skin Diver

The Bathyscaphe appeared during the golden age of recreational diving.

During the 1950s and 1960s, diving increasingly moved beyond military and professional environments and became a growing leisure activity. This created demand for watches that were capable underwater but more discreet and wearable in everyday situations. This was the era of the skin diver.

Skin diver watches were typically characterised by compact cases, clean dials, slim profiles and practical diving features. Rather than looking like heavy professional instruments, they were designed to accompany their owners both underwater and on land.

The Bathyscaphe was born from precisely this philosophy. Its compact proportions and understated design made it a natural civilian counterpart to the Fifty Fathoms, while maintaining Blancpain’s commitment to reliability and underwater performance.

Inspired by a 1968 Bathyscaphe

For the Bathyscaphe’s 70th anniversary, Blancpain looked back to one of the most emblematic versions in the model’s history: a 1968 Bathyscaphe.

The original was selected for its balanced proportions, functionality and understated elegance — qualities that Blancpain wanted to preserve in the modern anniversary edition.

The new watch therefore retains the historical model’s 37.40 mm diameter and stainless steel construction.

However, the case has been specifically developed around the modern movement to achieve the desired proportions and ergonomics. At 12.30 mm thick and with a lug-to-lug measurement of 46.50 mm, the watch maintains a harmonious profile on the wrist.

Polished surfaces, curved forms and carefully shaped lugs further enhance its refined appearance.

The result is a contemporary watch that remains remarkably close to the character of its 1968 inspiration.

A Meteor Grey Dial With Vintage Lume

The dial reinforces the connection with the past. Blancpain has chosen a sunburst meteor grey dial, giving the surface subtle variations depending on the light. Baton-shaped hands and indexes keep the design clean and functional.

The hands and indexes are enhanced with vintage-coloured Super-LumiNova®, recreating the warm appearance associated with the luminous materials used on vintage watches.

Even the Blancpain logo follows the visual character of the mid-20th century.

Together, these details create a convincing vintage aesthetic without making the watch feel like a simple retro reissue.

A Modern Take on the Vintage Bezel

The bezel continues the same dialogue between historical inspiration and contemporary watchmaking.

The original 1968 watch used a black hesalite bezel. For the new edition, Blancpain has replaced this with a steel bezel featuring a ceramic insert and lacquered numerals.

The result preserves the visual character of the original while offering improved durability and resistance for modern everyday use.

It is a small but significant example of Blancpain’s approach to the anniversary edition: remain faithful to the design language of the past while using modern materials where they make sense.

The Story Behind the Bathyscaphe Name

The name Bathyscaphe has its own connection to the history of deep-sea exploration.

A bathyscaphe was a deep-sea exploration vessel conceived by Swiss scientist Auguste Piccard during the 1940s. Designed to reach extreme depths, it represented a major milestone in humanity’s exploration of the oceans.

The name was particularly appropriate for Jean-Jacques Fiechter, whose passion for diving and exploration influenced Blancpain’s development of its professional and civilian diving watches.

The Bathyscaphe therefore carries a name that reflects both the technical history of deep-sea exploration and the adventurous spirit of recreational diving.

The Manufacture Calibre 1150

Despite its vintage-inspired exterior, the new Blancpain Bathyscaphe is powered by a thoroughly modern movement.

The watch uses the Blancpain Manufacture Calibre 1150, an automatic movement offering an impressive 100-hour power reserve.

That means the watch can continue running for more than four days when fully wound, providing considerable convenience for everyday wear.

The movement operates at 3 Hz (21,600 vibrations per hour) and features a silicon hairspring, which provides increased resistance to magnetic fields and contributes to the movement’s long-term stability.

With 28 jewels and 210 components, the Calibre 1150 combines technical sophistication with the high level of finishing expected from Blancpain.

A Sapphire Case Back Reveals the Movement

One of the most interesting differences between the new watch and its historical inspiration can be found on the reverse.

The 1968 Bathyscaphe featured a closed case back. The 2026 anniversary edition instead uses a sapphire crystal case back, allowing the wearer to see the Manufacture Calibre 1150.

The movement features Haute Horlogerie finishing and an open-worked 18K gold oscillating weight inspired by the design of the original Fifty Fathoms rotor.

This creates an interesting contrast between the vintage-inspired exterior and the contemporary mechanical architecture visible underneath.

Rather than simply reproducing the past, Blancpain has made the movement part of the ownership experience.

300 Metres of Water Resistance

The vintage aesthetic does not compromise the watch’s diving credentials. The new Bathyscaphe is water-resistant to 30 bar, equivalent to 300 metres.

That level of water resistance maintains the technical connection with the Fifty Fathoms family while making the watch suitable for serious underwater use.

The watch is paired with an 18 mm hand-stitched chocolate calf leather strap. Its colour and material reinforce the civilian, vintage character of the anniversary edition, while the leather is designed to develop a natural patina over time.

A Vintage Bathyscaphe for the Modern Era

What makes this anniversary edition particularly interesting is the balance between historical fidelity and contemporary watchmaking.

Blancpain has not simply reproduced a vintage watch. Instead, it has taken the defining characteristics of the 1968 Bathyscaphe — its proportions, dial design, hands, indexes and overall understated personality — and translated them into a modern timepiece.

The result is a watch that feels considerably more discreet than many contemporary diving watches while retaining the technical credentials associated with the Fifty Fathoms family.

The 37.40 mm case will also appeal to enthusiasts who prefer more compact watches, particularly in an era when many modern dive watches have grown considerably larger.

300 Pieces Only

The Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe 70th Anniversary is limited to 300 individually numbered pieces.

Each watch is delivered in a Peli™ case, reinforcing the connection with Blancpain’s diving heritage while providing a practical presentation for a highly collectible limited edition.

Priced at CHF 13,800, the anniversary Bathyscaphe sits firmly within Blancpain’s Haute Horlogerie segment.

Its appeal, however, goes beyond its exclusivity. For collectors interested in the history of the Fifty Fathoms, this edition offers an opportunity to own a watch directly connected to one of the most important chapters in the evolution of recreational diving watches.

Technical Specifications

Final Thoughts

The Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe 70th Anniversary is a particularly thoughtful way to celebrate seven decades of the Bathyscaphe.

By returning to the 1968 model, Blancpain has chosen an important point in the collection’s history — one that represents the Bathyscaphe’s original role as a more compact and wearable civilian counterpart to the Fifty Fathoms.

The 37.40 mm stainless steel case, meteor grey sunburst dial, vintage-coloured lume and chocolate calf leather strap give the watch a strong connection to its historical inspiration.

At the same time, the Calibre 1150, 100-hour power reserve, sapphire display back, ceramic bezel and 300-metre water resistance ensure that this is not simply a nostalgic reproduction.

It is a modern Bathyscaphe that understands where it came from.

For Blancpain, the anniversary edition is therefore less about recreating the past exactly and more about demonstrating why the Bathyscaphe remains relevant today: it combines the spirit of a true dive watch with the proportions, elegance and wearability that have always distinguished it from its professional Fifty Fathoms counterpart.

For more information, please visit the official Blancpain website.

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