The Fifty Fathoms is a watch that played a pivotal role in casting the die of the modern dive watch genre as we know it. The original was a hulking, 41 mm watch with a massive rotating bezel that used a bakelite insert. It also boasted a crown that you could use underwater and an “O" ring seal in the caseback that allowed for a robust depth rating of, well, fifty fathoms (about 91 meters). Many variations of the Fifty Fathoms were produced in both military and civilian spec, each following the same general formula of a highly legible dial with large circular luminescent hour markers, a practical rotating bezel, and a well-sealed case that could perform underwater. Unbeknownst to Blancpain at the time, these qualities would go on to inform generations of dive watches to come.
The Fifty Fathoms is often referred to as the first modern dive watch. Blancpain claims a release date of 1953, though patents and trademark registrations date to 1954, with a public presentation happening in 1955. While the specifics of its release are still the subject of some discourse (and perhaps an attempt to outpace the Rolex Submariner of 1954), there’s no denying the role the Fifty Fathoms played in helping to define the modern dive watch archetype. They weren’t the first waterproof watches, but they were the first to pair it to a modern, usable design for SCUBA divers.
From the article by Allen Farmelo, Paige Reddinger, Victoria Gomelsky, Oren Hartov, Blake Buettner
