Introducing: Blancpain Kicks Off 70th Anniversary Celebration With A Limited Edition Fifty Fathoms
The black sunburst dial, with its now-familiar (but no less divisive) 4:30 date window placement does have one noticeable tweak: The applied markers and numerals don’t seem to be framed by metal surrounds, as on the standard Fifty Fathoms – instead, lume reaches to the markers’ edges. I haven’t seen the watch in the metal, but presumably, this’ll make the watch shine a little brighter in darkness. Further, removing these metal surrounds often makes for more of a traditional tool-watch feel (it’s a trick Tudor, for example, uses on some of its watches). For a watch that’s meant to be a tribute to the original Fifty Fathoms, the first modern, purpose-built dive watch along with the Submariner and the Zodiac Sea Wolf (don’t worry Sea Wolf stans, I got you), it’s a small detail that makes sense. The Fifty Fathoms Act I comes on a black NATO-style strap made from “100% recycled and entirely recyclable thread from fishing nets.”