Can We Appreciate The Blancpain Fifty Fathoms As Just A Good Dive Watch?

Last year, I asked, “Can we appreciate the Rolex Submariner as just a great dive watch?” That question and article sparked a lot of debate. Today, I am asking a similar question of the Submariner’s spiritual competitor, the 42.3mm Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Automatique.

“Icon” is one of the most overused terms in the watch world. The Blancpain Fifty Fathoms is one of the few dive watches, alongside the Doxa Sub 300, Zodiac Sea Wolf, and the Rolex Submariner, that truly deserves the title. This month, I spent some quality time with Blancpain’s 42.3mm Fifty Fathoms in Grade 23 titanium. Here are some thoughts.

The Blancpain Fifty Fathoms

I say “icon” because, as many of you know, Blancpain’s Fifty Fathoms was one of the truly original dive watches. Introduced in 1953, it heralded a new era of scuba diving at both a commercial and recreational level. The use of aqualungs allowed people to explore the world’s oceans, seas, and lakes and enabled scientists and explorers to document new findings. Dive watches played a critical role in providing elapsed time for calculating oxygen use and, later, to help avoid the bends. In fact, the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms is so iconic that RJ wrote a detailed history of the watch here, which I encourage you to go and read before coming back to today’s article.

The Blancpain Fifty Fathoms in this 42.3mm case size wears much better for me than the brand’s larger options. RJ has spent time with some of those, including a 45mm version. While those watches can be wearable, they would look a bit silly on my small 6.25″ (15.9cm) wrists. So I was excited to spend time with the smaller and more physically approachable option in the Fifty Fathoms lineup.

Growing popular recognition?

Blancpain’s Fifty Fathoms does not have quite the cultural cut-through of the Rolex Submariner, but I think this is starting to change. We have seen the success of the Blancpain × Swatch collaboration, which has helped place the Fifty Fathoms back into popular cultural awareness in a way it wasn’t, say, five years ago.

In terms of natural competition, the Fifty Fathoms is a step above the Submariner but inhabits the same ecosystem — i.e., the realm of luxury dive watches with serious cultural credentials. Therefore, when I say that the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms and the Rolex Submariner are spiritual competitors, I mean this regarding both watches’ histories, not specifically their respective retail prices.

An opportunity to spend time with the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms

I had long been curious about the Fifty Fathoms, but I’d never handled one and certainly never expected to have the opportunity to take one into the ocean. This changed recently when Blancpain said Fratello could use one of its dive watches in the sea. I knew this would be a golden opportunity to finally take a Fifty Fathoms into its supposed native habitat and discover how it felt.

Off the bat, there were a few things I particularly liked about the Fifty Fathoms but one thing I didn’t. Getting the negative out of the way first, the brand’s decision to engrave its name into the side of the case seems completely unnecessary and a little busy. It’s like having a paragraph of text on the dial of the Tudor Pelagos; there’s just no reason for it, and it interferes with the watch’s design purity. That gripe aside, I immediately liked the lightweight feel and ruggedness of the 42.3mm Blancpain Fifty Fathoms. The bezel action was wonderful, and the dial popped, particularly in poor lighting conditions, such as underwater or in dark shade.

A technically capable dive watch 

This version of the Fifty Fathoms has a wearable case, partly thanks to what feels like a compact lug-to-lug. I was surprised when I measured a 47mm span because it felt even more compact on my wrist in the ocean. The watch has a 14.3mm thickness, which feels chunky but not overly so on the wrist. This is most likely thanks to the case’s titanium construction, making it feel relatively light and nimble on the wrist.

The case provides a 300m water resistance rating (the same as the Submariner). Capping its bezel is a sapphire insert with luminescent markers that glow brightly, even in a little shade during daylight. The dial is similar to the original 1950s design, with numerals at the 12, 3, 6, and 9 o’clock points. Somewhat controversially, there is a date aperture at 4:30. I prefer a date window at 6 but will tolerate one at 3 o’clock. I usually find 4:30 a little jarring, but it somehow works better in the metal than in online stock photos.

Excellent fit and finish with the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms

The rubber strap is fixed to the watch with bolts, adding an extra degree of security over spring bars. If I were in a financial position to get a watch of this price (€20,350), I’d probably invest €800 extra to get the stock bracelet. That said, the supplied rubber Tropic-style strap is simply excellent, highly comfortable, and easy to adjust.

Inside the case beats the in-house automatic caliber 1315. This movement has three barrels, which provide a five-day power reserve, on par with watches like the IWC Mark XX. The movement is also particularly pretty, bearing a solid 18K gold gunmetal-finished rotor with brushed gold text and borders. The use of gold isn’t simply an exercise in luxury; the metal’s heavier mass also makes the automatic winding more efficient.

The Blancpain Fifty Fathoms in the ocean

Taking the Fifty Fathoms underwater is an exercise in legibility. The use of Arabic numerals on a dive watch, I find, is one of the best ways watch designers can create instant legibility in difficult or, in my case, rough ocean conditions. Rough seas, bubbles, churning water, and not always knowing up from down are just a few of the challenges you may face when trying to read the time. The Blancpain Fifty Fathoms handles these particularly well thanks to the Arabic numerals. This design decision allows the wearer to quickly and effortlessly establish a point of reference on the dial.

The large, knurled crown is also reassuring. I used this to set the time of the review unit when the watch arrived, and it felt extremely durable and well made. The whole watch exudes a sense of luxurious solidity. It’s a curious mix of boutique luxury and ruggedness, which differs slightly from the Rolex Submariner. Whereas the Submariner feels a little more industrial, the Blancpain feels a little more…handcrafted, if that makes sense. There is something special at play, though I am not entirely sure what it is. Perhaps it’s just an emotional thing.

Concluding thoughts 

Generally speaking, the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms feels like an entirely different beast from the Rolex Submariner. While the Rolex feels, well, a little bland, the Blancpain has swagger. That said, I find the Submariner more wearable on my smaller wrists, and therefore, I would lean towards that if were in a position to make a purchase decision between the two.

However, if Blancpain were to release a 40mm or smaller regular-production model with a compact lug-to-lug to match, we would have an entirely different outcome. I think I would lean towards the Blancpain because of the history, the design, and the fact that it’s the lesser-known option. So, can we appreciate the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms as just a good ocean-going dive watch? I think so, but let me know your thoughts in the comments!