Introducing: Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Automatique 42mm – Now In Steel
What We Know
After the updates to the Fifty Fathoms Automatique line of 42mm watches over the last two years (the most recent being the brushed grade 23 titanium and red gold versions), Blancpain has added a new stainless steel version of the watch to the collection with four strap and bracelet options from stainless steel to sailcloth, tropic rubber, and NATO.
Measuring 42mm by 14.3mm in a polished stainless steel case, the watch features 300m of water resistance, with a black sunburst dial and black bezel domed sapphire insert using the brand’s slightly more vintage stylings. The case houses the caliber 1315 automatic movement with a 5-day power reserve.
These are non-limited editions starting at $15,500 and ranging up to $18,000 for the version the stainless steel bracelet.
What We Think
It’s hard to make too much of a judgment on these watches because we were only given a handful of renderings and two images, but this seems like a solid addition to the core lineup of Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Automatique releases. My gut reaction is that these pieces might suffer from the same issues as the rest of the line: pricing.
A quick scan of the secondary market shows I could get a titanium Fifty Fathoms Automatique on a bracelet for about the same price as the new steel model on a tropic strap. That makes the titanium release from last year all the more enticing. Some people prefer steel, though, so this launch should make them happy.
The Basics
Brand: Blancpain
Model: Fifty Fathoms Automatique
Diameter: 42mm
Thickness: 14.3mm
Case Material: Steel
Dial Color: Sunburst black
Indexes: Applied
Lume: Luminous hands, hour markers, and bezel
Water Resistance: 300m
Strap/Bracelet: Option of stainless steel, tropic rubber, black sailcloth, or NATO
The Movement
Caliber: Blancpain Caliber 1315
Functions: Hours, minutes, central seconds, date
Diameter: 30.6mm
Thickness: 5.65mm
Power Reserve: 120 hours
Winding: Automatic
Jewels: 35
Chronometer Certified: No
Pricing & Availability
Price: $18,000 (Steel bracelet), $16,800 (Tropic rubber or sail cloth, $15,500 with pin buckle), $15,500 (NATO)
Availability: Now
Limited Edition: No
For more, click here.
Hodinkee
