The Bathyscaphe name is a model steeped in the brand’s history. Three years after the 1953 release of the original Fifty Fathoms, Blancpain introduced it as a sort of little brother, smaller in diameter so that that it could be worn not just for diving but as a daily wearer.
Just like the Fifty Fathoms, the Bathyscaphe has evolved over the years becoming a part of the Fifty Fathoms legend. No tribute could be more fitting for the Bathyscaphe Chronographe Flyback than being the debut model of the Ocean Commitment series.
Despite 60 years of the Fifty Fathoms influences, the Ocean Commitment Bathyscaphe Chronographe flyback is a cutting-edge mechanical diver, powered by Blancpain’s latest in-house Manufacture movement, the F385.
Running at a high frequency of 5 HZ – 36'000vph, the entirely new column wheel controlled Flyback Chronograph movement is ideal for timing, as each second is perfectly divided into 1/10th of a second intervals.
As well as this, the F385 caliber makes use of silicon for its balance wheel spring. And because silicon is anti-magnetic, its use provides the same degree of protection from magnetic fields as dive watches that rely on a Faraday cage (soft iron inner case).
One of benefit of the F385’silicon technology over a traditional anti-magnetic housing is that you are able to see the watch’s movement in all its glory through a Sapphire crystal exhibition caseback; whereas before it would be impossible to do this.
Two important divers features of the watch include: sealed chronograph pushers that allow use of the chronograph during dives up to a depth of 300 meters. And a flyback function with just one push to stop the first event, a second to return to zero and a third to start the second event - greatly simplifying chrono operations. A single push of the return to zero pusher stops the first event, returns the timers to zero and restarts the timing for the second event. This is particularly useful for divers' decompression stops.
The watch is housed in a 43mm grey ceramic case, with a ceramic crown and ceramic chronograph pushers and a unidirectional blue ceramic rotational divers bezel with liquid metal dive-time indications. The blue color theme is carried over to the dial, which offers three sub-dials for the chronograph counters and small seconds display.
On the back of the watch, the movement and winding rotor are visible through the clear caseback. The winding rotor has been specially decorated for this Limited Series bearing the logo for the Ocean Commitment.
Purchasers of the watches will join the Ocean Commitment ‘circle’ contributing to Blancpain's support for oceanic environmental causes through a 1000euro donation made by Blancpain and coming from the sales revenue made on each of them.
Each Ocean Commitment Bathyscaphe Chronograph Flyback will be individually numbered. In addition, each purchaser of one of these Limited Edition timepieces will receive a copy of Blancpain’s collectible volume entitled Fifty Fathoms The Dive and Watch History 1953-2013. The copy received by each purchaser will be hand numbered to correspond to the serial number of his watch.
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