Two days ago, January 11 2024 on a New Moon, the sale of the sixth and probably final Blancpain x Swatch Bioceramic Scuba Fifty Fathoms started in selected Boutiques. With the very generous help of a good friend I have the chance to get up close and personal with the Scuba Fifty Fathoms Ocean of Storms and put it in perspective.
.
The Ocean of Storms
Since the five oceans on earth have already been covered by the existing Scuba Fifty Fathoms models, the sixth timepiece had to go beyond our planet when the theme was to be continued. So the name giving ocean is found our moon, namely the biggest mare (sea) on it. Let me quote Wikipedia here:
Oceanus Procellarum (/oʊˈsiːənəsˌprɒsɛˈlɛərəm/ oh-SEE-ə-nəs PROSS-el-AIR-əm; from Latin: Ōceanus procellārum, lit. ‘Ocean of Storms’) is a vast lunar mare on the western edge of the near side of theMoon. It is the only one of the lunar maria to be called an “Oceanus” (ocean), due to its size: Oceanus Procellarum is the largest of the maria (“seas”), stretching more than 2,500 km (1,600 mi) across its north–south axis and covering roughly 4,000,000 km2(1,500,000 sq mi), accounting for 10.5% of the total lunar surface area.[2]
.
Less colorful and visually very close to the original Fifty Fathoms
All Scuba FF share the case shape and size of the 42.3mm Fifty Fathoms 70th Anniversary Act 1, they also mirror the numerals and hands of the FF 5015 or the special logos of the MilSpec and No Rad editions. But they are executed in a variety of colors that make them instantly recognizable as a Swatch and not a Blancpain.
.
The Ocean of Storms is different in that aspect. The black case, the black bezel and sunburst dial combined with the 5015 hands and numerals remind us strongly of the Fifty Fathoms Dark Knight, a black DLC coated model from the early days of the 45mm FF.
.
The Scuba FF Ocean of Storms however is a lot easier to read. The white hands and numerals against the black dial provide instant clarity about the time. Together with the black/grey/white Nato with its black hardware the overall character of this model is very defined and recognizable.
.
The yellow seconds hand tip and the yellow depth rating print are a nice and very subtle touch of color to the otherwise monochrome look. The sunburst finish on the dial is a notable difference to the other Scuba FF models which have a sort of Fume dial finish.
.
In comparison to the other models and even more so to the original FF the shapes of case, bezel and crown are less prominent due to the matte black finish. And the dark appearance makes the watch seem visually smaller than the original FF or its siblings.
.
When turning the watch over we see the digital print of the Oceanus Procellarum on the Sistem 51 movement plate and the chosen nudibranch Okenia Luna on the transparent rotor.
.
But that’s not all: there’s a hidden Easter Egg, only revealed under ultraviolet light. The famous Blancpain man in the moon makes his appearance, a lovely detail that brings a smile to my face. It also explains the presentation of the Ocean of Storms on the Blancpain website, where the moon phase indication plays a role.
.
Close but still very different
The black Scuba FF Ocean of Storms looks closer to the real deal than to the other five models, it speaks to established aesthetic codes among watch enthusiasts and one could argue it falls into the traditional understanding of a beautiful timepiece.
.
And a beautiful watch it is, which is of course based on the aesthetic virtues a Blancpain timepiece is so well known for. From a distance you can’t really tell whether this is the real deal or not.
.
The closer you get to the Scuba FF that irritation dissolves quickly, though. Every single component is 100% Swatch, the difference to a real Blancpain Fifty Fathoms is obvious.
.
Therefore the Scuba Fifty Fathoms Ocean of Storms won’t satisfy the desire for a real Fifty Fathoms at a fraction of the cost. But it provides a pretty good idea of the aesthetic virtues a Blancpain Fifty Fathoms offers, something the other versions deliver less since the colors are so dominant.
.
Conclusions
This sixth Blancpain x Swatch Bioceramic Scuba Fifty Fathoms is no doubt a highlight in the collaboration. It is more traditional, very versatile and a real pleasure to wear, so it may easily become the bestselling of the bunch over time. How long that takes depends on the availability in Swatch stores, since an online sale is apparently still not planned.
To conclude this hands-on I will add a few photos of the Scuba FF Ocean of Storms amongst friends and family, hope you enjoy these shots.
.
You find the Blancpain x Swatch Scuba Fifty Fathoms Ocean of Storms here on the Blancpain website and here on the Swatch website.
My initial introduction of the Blancpain x Swatch collaboration can be found here, a hands-on with the Scuba FF Pacific Ocean here in the blog.
The 42mm Fifty Fathoms 70th Anniversary Act 1 is extensively covered here, a comparison between the three sizes of the modern Fifty Fathoms here in the blog.
.
I hope you enjoyed this hands-on report and the photos. A heartfelt thank you goes to my friend, this essay would not have been possible without you.
Cheers
Henrik