BY HARLAN CHAPMAN-GREEN
Blancpain’s Fifty Fathom feels like it’s been around forever, and that’s because it has. Since 1953, the Fifty Fathoms has been exploring the depths of the world’s oceans strapped to the wrists of adventurers, action heroes and more. For 2025, Blancpain has introduced a new permanent addition to the Fifty Fathoms line in the form of the Fifty Fathoms Tech reference 5029 12B30 94A.
This watch follows on from Blancpain’s fourth Ocean Commitment watch, which re-affirmed their support in protecting the natural ecosystems found within the world’s waters. We last went hands-on with the third edition, read that by clicking here. For the new Fifty Fathoms Tech, Blancpain has introduced a lightweight 45 x 14.1mm titanium case which is water resistant to 300m. Featuring high-grade titanium, Grade 23 to be precise, the Fifty Fathoms Tech will be bold on the wrist and yet legible under the waterline thanks to applications of SuperLumiNova on the dial and also the iconic domed sapphire crystal bezel. Blancpain has been making the Fifty Fathoms line this way for a long long time now, and it works, but there is the Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe range if you wanted something a little more subtle.
The word ‘TECH’ written on the dial in colour, matched with the colourful seconds hand, is the main indicator of this new piece. Another indicator you’re looking at the new watch is the “Absolute Black” dial, which Blancpain says retains 97% of the light that hits it. Blancpain have also opted to fit this Fifty Fathoms version with a helium escape valve which they don’t usually do for this model range. The helium escape valve is a hallmark of the diving watches from Blancpain’s Swatch-owned sister brand Omega on their Seamaster watches, it’s mainly used for saturation divers so their watches don’t break as the helium gas expands inside the watch’s case.
The other main distinguishing feature of the new Fifty Fathoms and others in the range is the selection of rubber straps available. Blancpain will supply one of these with a black, white or vivid orange rubber strap complete with a quick-change system.
Inside each watch is the self-winding calibre 1315A, which Blancpain makes in-house. The movement has a long power reserve of five days and beats at 4Hz. It also features quite a futuristic look with simple-yet-elegant polishing on the movement and the grey skeletonised winding rotor. The price of one of these is CHF19,000, which includes Blancpain’s standard Peli-case, which is robust and unique in the world of luxury watch boxes.
