WatchTime Spotlight:  Blancpain – A Test & History Of The Fifty Fathoms. Fans of classic divers’ watches now have a unique opportunity to read our test of one of the most popular Blancpain watches. But that’s not all: you are also invited to join WatchTime for a journey through the fascinating history of the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms. If you’re curious as to how the watch scored, and how it came to be, download WatchTime Spotlight: Blancpain.

In 1956, a movie called The Silent World won the Oscar for Best Documentary and made stars of the French oceanographer Jacques Cousteau; his ship, the Calypso; and his wristwatch, the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms.

Along with the Rolex Submariner, which also debuted in 1953, this Blancpain watch is recognized as one of the first modern divers’ watches. By the end of the decade, numerous watch manufacturers had introduced a divers’ watch into their collections, many influenced by the look of the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms. So why did this groundbreaking Blancpain watch vanish for more than 20 years after the 1960s? You’ll find out in this FREE download, which reveals the ups and downs in the storied history of this Blancpain watch, and offers an unbiased test of a recent model.

In 1997, the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms reappeared with a “soft” relaunch, and in 2003 Blancpain unveiled a 50th-anniversary limited edition of the Fifty Fathoms, with updated features, which sold out quickly.

By 2007, the new generation of Blancpain Fifty Fathoms watches had arrived. Blancpain launched three watches, none of them limited editions, with the design DNA of the 55-year-old originals combined with several new, modern features. The most significant update: unlike their predecessors, these Blancpain watches had automatic winding.

What are the other major differences between the vintage and modern versions of the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms? You’ll find out if you download our free article, which explains every step of the watch’s evolution.

The accompanying test article reveals many facets of the modern Blancpain Fifty Fathoms and its automatic movement. This is the first Fifty Fathoms powered by an in-house Blancpain movement, the automatic Caliber 1315, based on the hand-wound Caliber R0 unveiled in October 2006. The case of the new Blancpain watch is larger than those from the 1950s. A three-part, soft-iron case surrounds the entire movement, protecting it from magnetic fields. The unidirectional bezel, covered by a sapphire ring, clicks precisely in one-minute increments.

WatchTime tested the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Automatic. Find the unbiased results in our FREE article. Get to know more about the WatchTime scores for movement, rate results, design and comfort. Get all of the information you need to become a Blancpain expert. Find all about the movement, the case and the watch’s rate. How well does the automatic version of the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms perform in WatchTime’s rigorous test?

If you’re curious about these Blancpain watches and their features, you should download this FREE double feature, WatchTime Spotlight:  Blancpain – A Test & History Of The Fifty Fathoms, from the pages of WatchTime.