Just Out: Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscape Sylt Edition
Thanks to Blancpain, this past week, I spent a few days on the island of Sylt in northern Germany, close to the Danish border. I enjoyed the scenery and the beautiful weather, but we were on a mission. The Swiss maison has allied itself with local environmental projects to protect the biosphere on the North Sea. To do that, Blancpain has launched the Fifty Fathoms Bathyscape Sylt Edition, a striking olive-green timepiece in a titanium case. Furthermore, a portion of the sales price will go towards Blancpain’s contribution to the cause.
A limited edition of only 25 pieces, the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscape Sylt Edition is an exclusive timepiece. This is no surprise as Blancpain only produces roughly 40,000 watches per year.
Conservation on Sylt
Located on the island of Sylt in northern Germany, the Rantumbacken nature reserve is a special place. It’s on the edge of the Wadden Sea and, as such, offers beautiful landscapes, sandy beaches, and great food to tourists visiting this charming little island. On the other hand, the nature reserve is a breeding and resting place for migratory birds.
Non-profit organization Aquatil and the Jordsand Association are working jointly to protect this habitat by building a protected place for these birds. Blancpain is involved with this initiative as well and supports the two organizations in their three-year project. A viewing platform will also be built during these years alongside the breeding grounds. From there, interested parties will have the chance to observe the breeding and resting of these 50-some bird species. Over the next three years, Aquatil will oversee the construction and closely monitor the project’s effect on the population of migratory birds.
Blancpain for the cause
One of many ways that Blancpain is showing support for this cause is the new Fifty Fathoms Bathyscape Sylt Edition. The watch is limited to only 25 pieces. Of each watch’s €14,000 retail price, Blancpain will donate €1,000 to the project. This will bring the donation to €25,000 from the sales of the limited edition alone. Blancpain will also provide further financial support for the cause. The new Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscape Sylt Edition will be available in only two locations, one of which is the brand’s flagship boutique in Munich, Germany. The other will be Blancpain’s retailer Juwelier Spliedt on the island of Sylt. As Wolfgang Theis, Blancpain Brand Manager for Germany puts it,
“The project is intended to raise awareness of the connection between sea, land, and air as an entire biosphere and to help inspire more people to protect all habitats.”
Fifty Fathoms Bathyscape Sylt Edition
Now that you know the background of this collaboration, let’s talk a bit about the timepiece. The Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Sylt Edition comes in a 43mm titanium case that measures 13.4mm thick and 50mm from lug to lug. It also comes equipped with a screw-down crown and case back for 300 meters of water resistance. Sapphire crystals adorn both sides of the watch, and the uni-directional 120-click rotating bezel features a green scratch-resistant ceramic insert. As green is the primary color of the watch, we have a gorgeous deep green vertically brushed dial. It is simply impossible to shoot the same photo of the Fifty Fathoms Bathyscape Sylt Edition twice as the watch face constantly changes color as you move your wrist.
The large display case back lets us adore the Blancpain in-house caliber 1315. With a five-day power reserve, 35 jewels, and a date between 4 and 5 o’clock, the 1315 is a worthy caliber for this timepiece. To pay tribute to the cause, a tern, the symbol of nature conservation, decorates the movement’s solid gold rotor.
Final thoughts
Fans of Blancpain already know the Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe. We are talking about a timepiece that is highly comfortable despite its 43mm case. While previous interactions may have felt top-heavy, that is not the case this time, as the Sylt Edition has a titanium case. This olive or deep green is my favorite and is an industry trend nowadays. However, the fact that this timepiece is connected to a good cause is just the icing on the cake. I do not doubt that all 25 pieces of the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Sylt Edition will soar off the shelves. Yet, if you have the chance to check one out in real life, I’d say go for it. You won’t be disappointed.
For more information, please visit the official Blancpain website.
