BLANCPAIN Tribute to Fifty Fathoms NO RAD for ONLY WATCH

This thing has such a brightly glowing orange hue to it that it’s positively radioactive! 

Only it isn’t radioactive at all, which is why it’s known as a Fifty Fathoms NO RAD (no radiation) which it means it won’t cause your teeth to start glowing and then slowly start to fall out one by one like those poor young ladies – 

you know the ones that used to paint watch dials with harmful Tritium back in the day and used to constantly lick the tips of their paintbrushes to create a fine point on them, so that the indexes looked sharp.

It also won’t be heading to your wrist anytime soon cos’ this ultra-rare, vitamin C packed FF No Rad is a one off piece created exclusively for the Only Watch 2021 charity watch auction which takes place this November. 

The exclusive watch was inspired by the emblematic diving instrument, the Fifty Fathoms, but one of those rarer editions that came with a massive (or big f#ck off if you will) no radiation logos on its dial which is now a collector's item, coveted by military dive watch enthusiasts.

The Tribute to Fifty Fathoms No Rad watch recalls that specific Blancpain diving instrument from the mid-1960s, which was notably used by the German Navy's Combat Swimmers. 

The latter was characterized by said dial stamp stating "no radiations" indicating that Blancpain did not use luminescent materials composed of harmful radium – a highly radioactive element declared unfit even to sit encased upon a human wrist let alone to find its way into your internal system. 

This striking symbol has been the cause of much the FF’s success specifically for the No Rad variants, which have become one of the most sought-after Fifty Fathoms in collectors market and giving rise to several homage or otherwise inspired FF models.

The model created for Only Watch is characterized by a chapter ring, hands and a bezel time scale featuring orange-colored Super-LumiNova®. 

Bespoke to this special Fifty Fathoms, this bold shade refers to the color representing the 2021 edition of Only Watch. 

The most dominant element on the dial of course remains the "no radiations" logo, whose original yellow and red colors have been replaced by orange and yellow, respectively.

 

TUDOR Black Bay GMT ONE for ONLY WATCH 2021

TUDOR has once again taken a unique approach towards its beloved Black Bay heritage diver’s model for a worthy cause – this is the Black Bay GMT One for Only Watch 2021 and it holds a dark secret! 

Woo, whatever could it be? Well unfortunately isn’t quite on the same scale as, say the recently released Pentagon report on UAPs (UFOs) which bore very little fruit leaving so many unanswered questions, and not only for the tinfoil hat wearers but even the skeptics.

Unanswered questions like, wtf is with the wab-sabi-like finishing on this watch? Well, I told you it’s a secret that Tudor aren’t divulging to their customer base in case we all go dipping our Black Bays GMTs into a solution of whatever chemicals the Black Bay GMT One has been bathed in. 

I can't help but wonder - could this be the next new dive watch trend; f’d up steel? I’m down.

For Only Watch 2021, TUDOR has created a unique Black Bay GMT with a striking case and bracelet finish that is the result of a secret Stainless-steel ageing technique. 

The MT5652 Manufacture Calibre powering this unique watch, capable of keeping track of time in three time zones simultaneously, also received an aesthetic treatment to match the case in style that required the bridges and main-plate to be coated in black before being aged by barrel tumbling.

The Black Bay GMT One is a Master Chronometer, one of the industry's most demanding certified standards, guaranteeing Swiss manufacturing, precision of 5 seconds (0 +5), anti-magnetism to 15’000 Gauss, stated water-resistance and stated power-reserve. 

Achieving this certification required a substantial number of changes to the TUDOR Manufacture caliber and highlights the brand's technical expertise and know-how.

Thoughts? Love it or hate it – it’s a moot point cos’ you can’t buy it – well actually you can but not until it goes under the hammer at Christie's Geneva this November where it is “only” estimated to fetch between 4’000 – 8’000CHF. If only! ;)

 

BLANCPAIN Fifty Fathoms BARAKUDA ONLY WATCH

Blancpain has created a one-off Fifty Fathoms Barakuda for Only Watch 2019.

The unique piece is inspired by the new Fifty Fathoms BARAKUDA, and has been created especially for the Only Watch charity auction in Geneva on November 9th 2019.

Launched in 1953 for the frogmen of several of the world’s largest marine corps units, the FF soon became a key piece of equipment in their standard-issue kit.



The French were the first to equip themselves with Fifty Fathoms models for their underwater missions. Other military elites followed, including the German Bundesmarine in the 1960s.

These models were supplied by Barakuda, a specialist company dealing with the production and marketing of technical scuba-diving equipment.



In addition to the mil.-editions, Barakuda introduced a civilian variant into the German market that had a distinctive style characterized by its two-tone rectangular hour-markers, white-painted fluorescent hands, as well as a highly visible date display at 3 o’clock.



Some watches in this series were fitted with a TROPIC-type rubber strap that was very popular with divers at the time and particularly renowned for its durability as well as its comfort.

The new Fifty Fathoms Barakuda for Only Watch faithfully reinterprets the aesthetic codes of this watch from the late 60s, while incorporating the brand’s latest technical innovations.

Its black dial is punctuated by broad white hour-markers in SuperLumiNova with blue luminescence, like the hands and bezel.



The pencil-shaped hands are white-lacquered and the seconds hand is rimmed with light blue, while the date – a key element of the original model – returns to its favorite position in a prominent window.

Blancpain has teamed these vintage attributes with its iconic unidirectional bezel featuring here light blue graduations, along with a scratch-resistant domed Sapphire inlay – an innovation first unveiled by them in 2003.

The Stainless steel case of this unique piece, water-resistant to 300 meters, has a diameter of 40mm, a size typically reserved for Fifty Fathoms models that are released in limited series.



It houses the 1151 automatic movement equipped with twin barrels, which can be admired through a Sapphire case-back revealing an engraved rotor with the inscription ONLY WATCH.

This rotor has the particularity to present a cut-out shape, in reference to some of the collection’s antique watches.



This now atypical geometry formerly served to enhance the suppleness of the oscillating weight in order to protect the movement from potential impacts.

Paired with a tropical rubber strap identical to that of the historical models, the Fifty Fathoms Barakuda for Only Watch is expected to fetch between 13,000 - 20,000USD.

CARL F. BUCHERER Patravi ScubaTec ONLY WATCH

Here’s another diver for ONLY WATCH 2019!

Carl F. Bucherer once again supports the Only Watch charity auction and for the third consecutive time.



Proceeds from the biennial event will go towards the fight against Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Carl F. Bucherer will be donating a unique Patravi SCUBATEC diver’s watch, specially created for the auction to be held on November 9th later this year.



The highest bidder will also be treated to an exclusive trip to Lucerne’s old town and a stay at Hotel Château Gütsch as well as the Carl F. Bucherer ateliers.

For Only Watch 2019, Carl F. Bucherer has created a One-of-a-Kind Diver’s Watch in vibrant blue which adorns not only the dial and bezel but also the rubber diver’s strap of the Patravi ScubaTec Only Watch 2019.



Water-resistant up to 500 meters the watch boasts a 44.6 mm case crafted from 18 k white gold.

The silhouette of eight manta rays – a nod to how many times the Only Watch auction has been held – graces the dial.



Special diver’s features include: a unidirectional rotating bezel in white gold and ceramic, the use of bright SLN, and an HEV which flanks the case side.

The DLC-coated case back features an engraving acknowledging that the watch was part of the exclusive Only Watch auction.



Power comes from a CFB 1950.1 caliber automatic movement with a power reserve of 38 hours. Its high level of precision has earned it official chronometer certification from the Swiss Chronometer Institute (COSC).

This special ScubaTec has an estimated value of 25 – 30k CHF.

TUDOR Black Bay CERAMIC ONE

Here’s a look at Tudor’s first ever Black Bay model produced in ceramic, the Black Bay Ceramic One, a unique matte black ceramic, Titanium and Stainless steel version of the brand’s bestselling diver’s watch.



Presented in an entirely matte black finish, this black beauty is a one of one, une piece unique which Tudor listed yesterday for the charitable watch auction known as Only Watch.

Special features of the Ceramic One include: a matte black, domed dial with black gloss markings, darkened hour markers and iconic Snowflake hands also darkened.

All hands are markers are treated with black lume which glows green.



Its 41mm matte black ceramic case is with a bead-blasted finish; this is equipped with a matte black PVD-treated steel case-back, engraved with ‘PIECE UNIQUE and BLACK BAY CERAMIC ONE – it has sunray satin-brushed and bead-blasted finish and an open back with a Sapphire crystal.

Special diver’s features include: a unidirectional rotatable bezel in matte black PVD-treated Titanium, with a matte black ceramic inlay, also with sunray satin-brushed finish, engraved with 60-minute, screw-down winding crown in matte black PVD-treated steel engraved with the TUDOR in relief, a domed Sapphire crystal and a water-resistance to 200m.



Power comes from a Swiss Chronometer officially certified by the COSC Tudor Manufacture caliber MT5602 with bidirectional rotor system and power-reserve of approx. 70hrs

The MT5602 has a non-magnetic silicon balance spring, a matt black PVD-treated rotor. It beats at a frequency of 28,800 beats per hour at 4 Hz.

Finally the Black Bay Ceramic One ref. M7921/001CN for Only Watch 2019 comes on a hybrid black alligator leather and rubber strap (the underside of which has special embossed Snowflake hand pattern) with matte black PVD-treated folding clasp and safety catch in a satin-finish.



So here’s the good news; it is estimated to fetch 4500 – 5500USD – which isn’t outside the realms of possibility.

Even better news would be that HISTORY has shown us that these Tudor Only Watch one offs usually ended being the basis for similar future production models, so if you aren’t lucky enough to get this one, that doesn’t mean to say that you can’t eventually get something comparable in a year or so.

In the meantime if you are a fan of high quality Swiss made vintage divers with that of so desirable black on black aesthetic, then look no further than ZRC’s BLACK PHANTOM.

BLANCPAIN Tribute to Fifty Fathoms MIL-SPEC for ONLY WATCH 2017

Didn’t Blancpain already release this earlier on in the year? They did indeed, but this one errs a little more on the Brightside. The subtle green tone used for all the luminescent markings; the bezel, hands, indexes and date have all been replaced with a bright yellow.



There’s a quick side by side for you further down, if you wanna compare the two watches. Unless you’re totally colorblind, you shouldn’t have any trouble spotting the difference. Question is – do you prefer the pop of bright yellow of the Only Watch version or do you prefer the subtlety of the original?



This is the Tribute to Fifty Fathoms MIL-SPEC Only Watch unique piece – which is equipped with self-winding caliber 1151, comprising 210 components notably including two series-coupled mainspring barrels ensuring a four-day power reserve.

It can be found nestling inside the watch’s 40 mm-diameter Stainless steel case, and is is visible through the transparent Sapphire exhibition caseback that also reveals the a solid gold winding rotor with an NAC coating (a ruthenium-based alloy), bearing the Blancpain logo as well as the Only Watch logo.



The watch is of course endowed with all the diving features of the original as well as those diving watch characteristics that were first established by the 1953 vintage Fifty Fathoms which were subsequently adopted by the entire dive watch industry. For this one-of-a-kind model, the black dial features indexes and hands in yellow SuperLumiNova. These elements recall the designs of the 1950s MIL-SPEC 1.



The date is also yellow and the water-resistance indicator once again appears at 6 o’clock. The black unidirectional rotating bezel, also bearing luminescent yellow markings, is topped by a scratch-resistant Sapphire inlay, an innovative feature introduced by Blancpain in 2003 with the 50th Anniversary Fifty Fathoms. This unique piece is water-resistant to 300 meters. It will be auctioned with military-style black NATO strap.



Here’s a little - the original Fifty Fathoms model launched in 1953 by Jean-Jacques Fiechter, Blancpain’s CEO at the time, was the first modern dive watch. This diver was worn by the French Navy’s combat swimmers corps in the early 1950s. Aware that a scuba diver’s life directly depends upon the reliable operation of his watch –

Jean-Jacques Fiechter decided to equip this model with an additional special feature: a water-resistance indicator. The thing that looks like an egg!
If any water were was per chance to seep into the watch case, the disk at 6 o’clock would signal the problem by changing from white to red. This timepiece, named the Fifty Fathoms MILSPEC 1, was adopted by the American Navy in 1957-58.



For reference, Blancpain was the first watch brand to support the Monaco Association against Muscular Dystrophy (AMM) in 2001. This year, the Manufacture is again presenting a one-of-a-kind model on the occasion of the Only Watch charity auction to be held in Geneva at 2.30 pm on November 11th 2017. A dive watch directly inspired by the new Tribute to Fifty Fathoms MIL-SPEC model presented at Baselworld this year.

TUDOR Heritage BLACK BAY Bronze ONE for ONLY WATCH 2017

HTF does Tudor mange to keep coming up better and better versions of the same watch?! You’d think by now, that the Heritage Black Bay (Tudor’s most celebrated diver – ever) would be getting a bit old hat.



We’ve seen a ton of new versions in 2017, alone. Yet, the sight of this new one is not at all tiresome – quite the contrary – it’s pure eye-candy.



I know what you’re thinking, and you’re half right – this is a ‘piece unique’ so why should you give a monkeys?! Because history has shown us that these one off special editions usually inspire new production variants later down the road.



So who knows, perhaps Basel 2018 or 19 will see us mere mortals getting in on some Left-handed Bronze and Olive green Black Bay action of our own.

But for the time being, this is a spectator sport – it is Heritage Black Bay Bronze ONE for Only Watch 2017 Ref. 7925/001



Spec. includes a 43mm Al Bronze case with an IP-coated Bronze colored case-back, an olive green dial and matching diver’s bezel. Power comes from a COSC-certified Tudor MT5601-LHD Cal., automatic movement with 4Hz frequency, 70hrs of power-reserve and silicon balance spring.

Finally this stunning one off Black Bay comes on an olive-green and beige NATO strap with an Al Bronze buckle plus an additional aged brown leather strap also with a bronze buckle.

TUDOR Heritage Black Bay ONE for ONLY WATCH 2015

By TLex TUDOR has reinterpreted one of their least known historical tool-watches for its first participation in the Only Watch charity auction. Launched in the mid-50s and produced in a very limited production, the Ref. 7923 is Tudor’s only diver to have been powered by a hand-wound movement. It is also conspicuous from the other Tudor divers owing to its rare baton-type handset. Highly sought after by collectors, this rare reference is a fantastic choice for the creation of a one of one edition.



The TUDOR Heritage Black Bay One created for Only Watch 2015 reinterprets the Ref. 7923 by firstly borrowing its glossy black dial from Tudor’s production in the late 50s and early 60s, while its gold text and gold-colored hands (reproduced here in a shade of yellow gold) have been taken directly from the Ref. 7923 itself.



The dial layout of the historical watch with its two lines of text at 6 o’clock has also been retained, specifying the watch’s 200m of water-resistance in red, along with the words – ‘shock resisting’ that were already present on the Ref. 7923. Whereas the luminescent material was formerly painted directly onto the dial, it has now been applied in gold-colored inserts.

Finally, the dial of the TUDOR Heritage Black Bay One has a gentle dome to it, a subtle yet important detail for the experienced eye and another nod to mid-20th century watch design.



The Sapphire crystal of the TUDOR Heritage Black Bay One is also domed in a particularly striking manner, and is the most pronounced to date in TUDOR’s Heritage line. This characteristic is typical of the type of acrylic crystals that were used by the watch industry in the 50s.

The visual effect of a dial and crystal in combination make for a stand-out feature of the watch giving a unique depth to the dial that is framed by a unidirectional rotational divers bezel, yet another directly inspired feature of the Ref. 7923, which does not have any minutes markers.



Compared with the 37mm case diameter of the Ref. 7923, the TUDOR Heritage Black Bay One measures a more substantial 41mm, and offers a more contemporary presence on the wrist.

The modern lines of its case nevertheless emulate the famous accentuated chamfers above the lugs, typical of 50s TUDOR divers while the prominent crown, with no protective guards is in keeping with the overall lines of the model that inspired it, is mounted on an anodized aluminum tube in the same color as the bezel inlay providing an additional touch of modernity and elegance.



The watch is fitted with a solid Stainless steel bracelet featuring tube-type attachments, a technical term used to describe a final link which does not come into contact with the case and an additional historical reference.

The Black Bay One also comes with two additional and unique straps: a dark brown aged leather strap, a Jacquard-weave admiralty grey fabric strap. Traditionally woven in a century-old craft company in the French region of Saint-Etienne, the historical cradle of the passementerie (trimmings) industry, this fabric strap is yet another example of the added value that TUDOR brings to its creations.



In keeping with Only Watch spirit, only ONE of this new model will be produced, a first for TUDOR, which as a rule produces neither limited editions nor one-off pieces. Bravo!

CHANEL J12 Marine For ONLY WATCH 2011

By TLex Here's another unique piece for ONLY WATCH 2011. The J12 Marine Diver with 38mm sand-blasted black ceramic case and 18kt Rose Gold highlights on its dial crown, bezel and caseback. The one of a kind diver houses an ETA base Swiss automatic with 42hrs power reserve and is water-resistant to 300meters.