A while ago a new member in a German watch forum asked the community about a watch he found to have belonged to his grandfather. What surfaced was a Fifty Fathoms RPG 1 from 1971 with box, papers and in working condition. Here’s how this amazing story continued…

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When you see a watch forum post with questions about a watch that was just recently found you can count on it being some strange counterfeit timepiece in 99% of all cases. Not so this time:

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This Fifty Fathoms RPG 1 was introduced in 1967 and it was an official part listed with the German Bundeswehr. The grandfather of the forum member was a river diver with the Bundeswehr and he got this watch in 1971. Luckily he kept the original box and paperwork, something you do not see very often. In the gallery you find an old advertisement of the FF RPGA 1, which is the version with a date indication.

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I contacted the forum member and suggested he contacts Blancpain and have the watch inspected by the Vintage Atelier in Le Brassus. The inspection of a vintage timepiece is an outstanding service offered by Blancpain: the first step is an assessment of authenticity and ability to work on the specific watch. When the customer wants the service/restoration done, an in-depth analysis takes place, resulting in possible restoration options the owner can decide from.

After careful consideration, the owner of the FF RPG 1 decided to go down that route and delivered the watch through the Munich Blancpain Boutique to the Vintage Atelier. A quick first assessment verified the authenticity of the timepiece and the deeper process started. Here are some photos of the watch prior to be sent to Blancpain:

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A first analysis report was distributed to the owner with three options for service/restoration. It’s up to the owner to decide whether the service shall be done and also whether he wants to have the optional works (replacement of crystal, cleaning of dial, polishing of case) carried out.

Having done the verification through the Blancpain Vintage Atelier is a huge step forward compared to the many questions raised earlier in the year when the watch surfaced.

The owner decided to have the restoration work carried out, and we now can witness the outcome and get more insight into the amazing work done in the Vintage Atelier.

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The Atelier follows some clear ethics, written down in a Charter which emphasizes the key principles: Measured Intervention, Reversibility, Traceability, Detectability and Result Orientation.

These ethics drive all works conducted in the workshop, with the specific timepieces offering varying challenges. I case of this FF RPG 1 the dial cleansing had to be done in a subtle yet effective way. To illustrate the work here are high resolution photos of the dial before and after the restoration:

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Note the first two letters in the Fifty Fathoms signature on the dial. Cleaning those in a way to preserve the patina and integrity of the dial is a fine example how the Ateliers’ ethics apply.

Now let us take a look at the middle case before and after the subtle restoration:

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This illustration offers more clarity about the ‘before’ condition of the FF RPG 1:

Look at the difference a knowledgeable service makes:

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One significant capability was not needed for this timepiece, it should definitely be mentioned, though: the Vintage Atelier is able to re-manufacture components that are either not repairable or missing. The amount of craftsmanship in the tradition of the watchmaking done at the time the now vintage timepieces were made decades ago is outstanding in the industry and a significant commitment to the brand’s heritage.

Let’s take a closer look at the movement service. Here’s the disassembled caliber AS 1700:

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The assembled movement before and after the service:

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This whole process takes some time of course. Depending on the workload and the specific needs of the individual watch one should expect 6-10 months for a service/restoration once the scope is agreed upon. When the work is done, the watch and a full documentary of the service is sent back to the owner.

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Let me quote the FF RPG 1 owners reaction when the watch got back from restoration: „I really can’t tell what exactly I expected, but what I see here exceeds any potential expectations “.

Here’s the watch after the service in a comparable setting than before:

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This sentiment is possibly the best feedback anyone can give. The Fifty Fathoms RPG 1 looks incredible: it still shows its story and age, but it also looks well taken care of and preserved to do its job for many more decades to come. And it is a huge pleasure to wear it proudly on the wrist.

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I would like to express my gratitude to the owner of this beautiful Fifty Fathoms RPG 1 and the Blancpain Vintage Atelier for supporting this report.

All photos shared are courtesy to the owner of the Fifty Fathoms RPG 1 and the Blancpain Vintage Atelier, which is prominently featured in the new edition 21 of the Lettres du Brassus. The amazing article can be read here online through the Blancpain Lettres du Brassus web application.

You can find out more about the Vintage Atelier here on the Blancpain website and my 2019 report on it here in the blog.

Cheers

Henrik