Earlier today a limited to 100 pieces special edition of the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe for Hodinkee was introduced. Let’s take a look at this piece and let me share my initial thoughts about it.

This is the second 38mm stainless steel special edition Blancpain has created as a collaboration with online magazines. In 2016 there was the limited to 30 pieces Bathyscaphe for Revolution with a unique dial and color code. This watch merged the aesthetics of the modestly sized Bathyscaphe with Arabic numerals from the more aviation linked military dials that were used in the Leman series. 

The Bathyscaphe for Hodinkee sticks to the pure diving watch aesthetics. The 38mm brushed stainless steel case of the Bathyscaphe is well known, the dial features printed arabic numerals in the shape we know from the Fifty Fathoms Automatique 5015, the vintage radium/tritium inspired Luminova color is the same we have seen with the Fifty Fathoms Barakuda. Also the white lacquered hands are those featured in the Barakuda.

The watch is powered by calibre 1153, which is the no date version of calibre 1151, previously used in some Villeret models. The typical rotor is co- signed Blancpain and Hodinkee.

The Blancpain Bathyscaphe for Hodinkee comes with three straps: the well known Blancpain sailcloth strap on Blancpain tang buckle and two generic Hodinkee Nato straps.

In essence we have a bit of a mix and match design with the Bathyscaphe for Hodinkee, the real differentiator is the dial and the absence of a date function, something many purists ask for frequently.

To me this limited edition therefore is triggering the imagination of Fifty Fathoms enthusiasts. It’s almost a natural impulse to envision how this dial would look in a 40mm Fifty Fathoms with sapphire bezel. In that sense, the Bathyscaphe for Hodinkee may be a kind of “transitional model”, offering half of what could be the perfect Blancpain Tribute to the legendary Fifty Fathoms Rotomatic Incabloc from 1953.

The Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe for Hodinkee is available through the Hodinkee shop (better choice of words is “was” since it sold out in less than an hour) or the Blancpain Boutiques in New York City and Las Vegas.

Cheers

Henrik

Credit photos 2/3: Blancpain & Revolution magazine

Credit all other photos: Blancpain & Hodinkee