2010-03-21

BLANCPAIN 50 Fathoms Calendar Moon Phase Flyback Chronograph

Yet another moon-phase complication makes its way into a dive watch. Linde Werdelin got away with it here; but Blancpain have gone for an old school moon-phase sub dial complete with smirking faced moon and 'twinkle-twinkle' little stars; and if the sun burst / wave effect on its dial or the addition of a calendar wheel weren't already distraction enough, its moon phase puts this latest version of the Fifty Fathoms well on its way to being the busiest there is. 

The watch dial clearly sinks way beyond 50 Fathoms for me, but it's not all bad news; please read below for details of its ingenious patented under-lug correction system . . .



From BLANCPAIN The Fifty Fathoms Collection is home to the most rugged sports watches in all of Blancpain's lines. For 2010 Blancpain expands the Fifty Fathoms domain of sport to embrace the complications of a moon phase and a complete calendar married with the traditional sport companion of a column-wheel controlled flyback chronograph.



This newest member of the Fifty Fathoms family, with its complicated 448-part movement, has been fitted with a host of Blancpain movement innovations. The moon phase complete calendar mechanism is drawn from the caliber F185 movement, offering the unique capability of risk-free setting of any indication regardless of the time of day or night. Other complete calendar moon phase mechanisms offered in the industry forbid setting of indications at certain times because of risk of damage to the delicate components of the calendar.

Blancpain solved this problem with its unique design that frees the owner from worrying about whether it is safe to set the calendar indications. Setting itself is further facilitated by the incorporation of Blancpain's patented under lug correctors (above) that eliminate the need for adjusters on the sides of the case and which allow finger-tip setting in place of an adjusting tool. The chronograph base is Blancpain's classic vertical clutch column-wheel controlled flyback movement.

The stainless steel case is 45 mm in diameter and fitted with a blue colored sapphire unidirectional bezel and blue dial.

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