A blog entirely dedicated to Blancpain timepieces
I recently had the opportunity to welcome the three regular collection 38mm Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe models for a photo session, something I had on my wish list for quite a while. So let’s get up close with reference 5100 in white, blue and meteor grey.
This year has been quite a challenge. A global pandemic has disrupted our lives significantly, and it obviously also influenced how we live our joint passion for watches: less gatherings of like minded enthusiasts and the way we learned about news from the manufacturers and dealerships being only two examples. Well, we almost made it (and 2021 will hopefully bring back a more joyful environment), so it’s time to take a wholistic look back at the 2020 Blancpain novelties.
For all of you who liked the Bathyscaphe Mokarran but had no chance to get hold of one of the 50 specimen, here’s your relief: the new Bathyscaphe Chronographe Flyback Ceramic reference 5200-0153-52A/NABA with a stunning green dial as a regular collection model. Let’s take a closer look.
Two years ago Blancpain introduced a Bathyscaphe limited edition commemorating a rather extrovert dial from a 1970s Bathyscaphe watch, the Jour Date 70s ref 5052-1110-63A. Now we see a new iteration of this reference, the Bathyscaphe Day Date Desert Edition ref 5052-1146-E52A, so let’s get up close with it. Since this beauty is showing a lot of different faces, brace yourself for many impressions.
The release of this watch came as a surprise a few months ago, and it is special for various reasons other than its limitation to 50 pieces. It marks a first for Blancpain in various aspects, and besides those it is simply a gorgeous timepiece: let’s get up close with the Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Mokarran, reference 5005-0153-NABA.
Blancpain has lived up to their Ocean Commitment initiative by not only co-financing 19 scientific projects in 10 years, supporting Laurent Ballesta’s Gombessa projects, being a founding partner of the National Geographic Pristine Seas project, supporting the World Ocean Summit and World Oceans Day, the Manufacture has also created 3 limited to 250 pieces Blancpain Ocean Commitment (BOC) timepieces between 2014 and 2018. This new timepiece, introduced on July 7, is not an official BOC watch, but it is rooted in yet another Ocean Commitment initiative. Let’s take a look at the Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Mokarran ref 5005-0153-NABA.
Continue reading “The Bathyscaphe Mokarran: a very special limited edition” →
Today I invite you to a close encounter with one of Blancpain’s modern signature timepieces, the Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Chronographe Flyback reference 5200. Let’s start this long overdue introduction with a short summary outlining what we are dealing with in one sentence…
It’s about time to cover one of the bestselling timepieces made by Blancpain in the last years, the Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe crafted in brushed grey ceramic with a mesmerizing blue dial, reference 5000-0240-O52A.
Due to the cancellation of Time to Move, which was supposed to take place this very week, we will have a different path of learning about the Blancpain novelties this year. Of course I will try to do my best to provide hands-on photos of all new timepieces as soon as possible, but I thought it would be worthwhile to provide you with an overview on all officially released models based on the Blancpain press information in the meantime. This overview will be updated whenever new models are released.
Building on the brand’s unrivaled heritage as a manufacturer of professional diving watches, Blancpain CEO Marc A. Hayek has initiated a remarkable initiative to support the preservation of the underwater world, called Blancpain Ocean Commitment. Since 2014 the Manufacture has released dedicated limited edition timepieces on a biannual basis, which shall be featured in this report.
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.
Continue reading “The Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe for Hodinkee” →
I met KISS drummer and passionate watch collector Eric Singer* in Berlin on June 4, 2019 prior to his concert at the Waldbuehne and we had an hour long conversation, so you need to have some time reading through this. We were joined by an old friend of Eric and a representative of Blancpain who brought the prototypes of the new Air Command and Barakuda for Eric to see them. I hope you enjoy the conversation.
As we are getting closer to learn about Blancpain‘s 2019 novelties (follow this blog to get the news first in around two weeks), let’s spend some time with a watch that was introduced last year, the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Jour Date 70‘s reference 5052.
Continue reading “A funky dive watch: the Bathyscaphe Jour Date 70‘s” →
With the launch of the Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe in 2013 alongside the 60th anniversary of the legendary dive watch, Blancpain‘s main purpose may have been to offer a more tool watch like alternative to the in all aspects luxurious reference 5015. The recent evolution of the Bathyscaphe series however has outgrown it’s dive watch history and made it almost a successor to the discontinued Leman series – let me explain why.
Last weekend I had the pleasure to spend a few days with Blancpain and the brand ambassador Chef Holger Bodendorf for the 20th Sylt Gourmet Festival.
Continue reading “A fireworks of culinary and horological highlights” →