The Swatch x Blancpain Scuba Fifty Fathoms will make you forget about the MoonSwatch

Hoping to recapture the magic of the MoonSwatch, Swatch is launching another collaboration with a Swiss watchmaking icon. The Blancpain Fifty Fathoms is the result of that collab.

The Fifty Fathoms was introduced exactly seventy years ago. It revolutionized watchmaking by becoming the first modern diver’s watch.

This new collaboration with Swatch celebrates the Fifty Fathoms’ history by mixing it up with Swatch’s playful design. Named Bioceramic Scuba Fifty Fathoms, the collection references Swatch’s own diver’s watches, the SCUBA line.

Just like the MoonSwatch (which is still available today), the Bioceramic Scuba Fifty Fathoms models are non-limited edition and are available in select Swatch stores around the world.

The collection faithfully reproduces all the Fifty Fathoms hallmarks. Water resistance, clear legibility, mechanical movement, rotating bezel and even anti-magnetic protection!

Blancpain and Swatch drew their inspiration from the deep seas to create a collection of five Swatch models. Each one is named after one of five oceans: Arctic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean and Antarctic Ocean.

The Bioceramic Scuba Fifty Fathoms is water resistant down to 91 meters. That’s a little Easter Egg which references the fathom. As you may know it’s a maritime measure of depth which equals 91 meters / 300 feet.

Bioceramic outer

Just like the MoonSwatch, all the models in this collaboration are made of Bioceramic. It’s a unique material made of two-thirds ceramic and one-third biosourced material derived from castor oil.

Inside the Scuba Fifty Fathoms is a Swatch SISTEM51 mechanical movement. This innovative movement is the first and only mechanical movement whose production is entirely automated. The mechanism is anti-magnetic, thanks to its Nivachron hairspring, and has just 51 parts including one central screw as well as a 90-hour power reserve.

The back of all five watches illustrates a colourful animal found in all five oceans: the nudibranch. They are featured in a digital print on the movement’s rotor, alongside a depiction of the ocean it represents on the back.

As a little nod to Blancpain’s marine heritage, the NATO straps are made from recycled fishing nets that have been removed from the sea.

The shared Blancpain X Swatch logo can be found on the dial and crown and the word “Swatch” is also inscribed on the case, just as “Blancpain” is inscribed on the original Fifty Fathoms watches.

The Swatch x Blancpain models are as follows:

• The Arctic Ocean model features a beige Bioceramic case with a burnt orange bezel and strap. On the dial, you’ll find a red trefoil on a yellow background with a white cross-cutting through it. The words “NO RADIATIONS” are placed below the logo as a nod to the highly sought-after no-rad Fifth Fathoms models.
• The Pacific Ocean features a yellow-orange Bioceramic case with a black Bezel. The strap is black with white and yellow stripes.
• The Atlantic Ocean features a dark blue Bioceramic case, similar to the sought-after Mission to Nuptue. It has an even darker blue bezel. The strap features stripes in navy, blue and white.
• The Indian Ocean is the boldest model released. It features a green Bioceramic case, black bezel, and black/red/green NATO strap.
• The Antarctic Ocean model (my personal favourite) features a white Bioceramic case and grey bezel. The dial houses a genuine water contact indicator that detects the presence of water (a feature of some Blancpain models since 1954).

The watches in this new Swatch collaboration are available from September 9 and only at selected Swatch stores worldwide. As with the Bioceramic MoonSwatch, purchases are limited to one watch per person per day. They are priced at $400 / £340.

The watches will be presented in a special diving case. They will also be on display in selected Blancpain boutiques for several weeks.