If you own a 40/42/45mm Fifty Fathoms or a 38/43mm Bathyscaphe and you fancy a Nato strap matching the excellent quality and finish of your Blancpain Fifty Fathoms or Bathyscaphe here’s something you may enjoy. Together with Jean Rousseau Paris I have the pleasure to introduce the JR x Blancpainblog rubber Nato strap in five colors and two alternative configurations, exclusively for the Blancpain enthusiast community here and in the connected Blancpain Facebook group. Let’s dive into it.
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A new dimension in quality and design
Jean Rousseau Paris and Blancpainblog have created a rubber Nato strap in 20, 21.5 and 23mm width with the idea to compliment the modern Blancpain dive watches perfectly. These three sizes fit the majority of references within the Fifty Fathoms and Bathyscaphe lineup.
The goal of this collaboration was to create something new with a quality in overall aesthetic and detail that matches the very sophisticated execution of the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms & Bathyscaphe timepieces. The idea of combing rubber as the most appropriate strap material for a dive watch with the Nato strap aesthetic Blancpain reintroduced in 2013 for the modern Fifty Fathoms & Bathyscaphe led Jean Rousseau Paris to for the very first time create a rubber Nato strap. Over the course of six months prototypes were tested, details refined and colors chosen.
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The strap is based on the successful specifications of JRP Nato straps and adapted to the Fifty Fathoms and Bathyscaphe with two options: traditional small holes with JRP buckle or adapted to the original Blancpain tang buckle with larger holes.
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It is 300mm long and suitable for smaller and larger wrists. The strap is of course absolutely water resistant, the length also allows use over a dive suit. Let’s take a look at all five colors on five different Fifty Fathoms and Bathyscaphe models on both a slim and a larger wrist:
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The upper layer features a subtle texture that has some visual resemblance with Blancpain sailcloth straps, the smooth black lower layer is made from highest quality smooth rubber.
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Like always, it’s the details that matter. Every aspect of the strap is manufactured with a lot of care to meet high expectations for functionality and durability. Again, the goal was to create a Nato strap that meets the high aesthetic standard of a Blancpain dive watch, no matter whether it’s crafted from stainless steel or, titanium grade 23, ceramic or gold.
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How to fit the JR x Blancpain NATO to the watch
Fitting the strap to a Bathyscaphe is as easy as it possibly can be: just slide it in between the case and the spring bar and you’re ready to go.
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When it comes to the classic Fifty Fathoms with its more narrow space between case and lug holes, you need to remove the pin/screw system, place the strap against the case and then carefully fit the pin and screw again. Once fitted, you can easily slide the strap to your preferred position .
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For fitting the original tang buckle to the Blancpain spec version of the strap it is advisory to first loosen up the tunnel a bit, so the spring bar can pass easily. For the pin to fit the aperture you need to push it all in for it to align smoothly with the spring bar.
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Exclusive for the Blancpain enthusiasts community
The Jean Rousseau Paris x Blancpainblog strap is available exclusively through this dedicated password protected typeform on the Jean Rousseau website. Use the password JRNatoFiftyFathoms .
Access to the portal and the password is provided exclusively here and in the Blancpain Manufacture de Haute Horlogerie Facebook group. Orders can be taken immediately, the price of the Jean Rousseau x Blancpainblog Nato strap is 160€ excluding VAT. Worldwide delivery of the straps will start in January 2027.
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Choose between 2 styles, 3 sizes and 5 colors, always in combination with a black caoutchouc lining. For the time being two colors are available in very limited quantities: green with maximum 50 straps and white with maximum 200 straps.
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You can also find out more about this exclusive collaboration here in the Jean Rousseau Paris online magazine. I am grateful for Jean Rousseau‘s dedication to creating an exclusive strap for the Blancpain enthusiast community and I hope you, my dear readers and fellow enthusiasts, like the outcome . I case you scrolled over the order access information, here it is again: visit the password protected typeform on the Jean Rousseau website and enter the password JRNatoFiftyFathoms to explore your choices.
Cheers
Henrik