Mathieu Rotzer
“Since 1735 there has never been a quartz Blancpain, and there never will be,” stated Jean-Claude Biver many years ago, and he was right. With Swatch’s new SISTEM51 caliber equipped collaboration between the luxury brand Blancpain and the mass produced Swatch, the slogan has never been more true.
Choosing the Arctic Ocean variant was not a complicated decision. Not only does it look bold with its orange and sandy beige colorway, but for this collaboration, the devil truly is in the details. It starts at 6 o’clock with the No Radiations symbol, throwback to the iconic 60’s piece which had entirely radium free luminescent material on the dial. Speaking of, this ‘plastic watch’ (as many people describe it) glows beautifully in the dark with its luminescent bezel and dial markers. Ninety-one metres of water resistance may not sound like a lot, but how awesome is it to have the depth of precisely 50 fathoms? Such an iconic touch. You know what else is iconic? This watch has the vintage Blancpain logo on the beautiful fumé dial, uninterrupted by the omission of the date unlike some of the other variants.
Not a proper dive watch? Who cares… As people decide to hate on this watch and on its flaws, I think it represents what is best in the industry. Fun, quirky, playful and with immense personality; what more could you wish for? Can’t service the movement? Boohoo… This watch isn’t about telling the time at all in my opinion, and quite frankly, I will keep rocking it long after it stops ticking. Let’s see what my colleagues have to say.
Sophie Furley
What a joy to see Mathieu arrive at the office this morning with his new wristwear. There is something about turning up to work with a new watch that reminds me of being back in the school playground with a new back pack or new shoes! As is customary in the WorldTempus office, the watch was off his wrist and making the rounds before he had even turned his computer on!
I had been following the excitement of the collection’s release on social media, but this was the first time I had seen the new mash-up in the flesh. Called the Scuba Fifty Fathoms – after Swatch’s Scuba divers and Blancpain’s Fifty Fathoms – it is fun, automatic (For info: the Swatch X Omega was quartz), and is available in five new Bioceramic colour schemes – one for each of the Earth’s five oceans. Perhaps the most surprising of details is that each colour is inspired by a sea slug from the respective ocean. Called nudibranchs, these marine mollusks are often referred to as the butterflies of the seas thanks to their bright colours. It is a nice touch to link to the Swatch Group’s love for the oceans and a great way to put these unusual sea creatures in the limelight. I bet “nudibranch” is trending in Google search right now!
Suzanne Wong
I didn’t need any convincing to like this watch. First of all, I appreciate its attitude. In general, I feel that people take mechanical watchmaking far too seriously, to a point that approaches snobbery. I strongly believe that watches should provide as much pleasure as utility — if not more — and the watch community shouldn’t be afraid of having a little fun sometimes. This is what the Blancpain X Swatch Bioceramic Scuba Fifty Fathoms Collection is all about. Yes, there are plenty of practical features in favour of these watches. Their innovative bioceramic cases, the SISTEM51 movement, the sustainable strap materials, the fact that they create widespread visibility for Blancpain (too often seen as a niche luxury brand). But the thing I like the most about them is that they are fun watches, and that they feel good when you put them on.
Jean-Christophe Teigner
After recently testing the "Moonswatch", I was curious to discover the Scuba Fifty Fathoms, the fruit of a collaboration between two Swatch Group brands: Swatch and Blancpain. Priced at 375 Swiss francs, this watch is an interesting alternative to the "Moonswatch". Although slightly more expensive, the flamboyant orange aesthetic for the model I tested (it comes in a range of colours) and its System 51 automatic mechanical movement is perhaps more geared to watch lovers.
One of the first things that catches the eye with the Scuba Fifty Fathoms is this bold orange color, which gives it a unique personality, halfway between retro and modern. Beyond its aesthetics, the Scuba Fifty Fathoms does not disappoint in terms of performance. The SISTEM51 automatic mechanical movement is renowned for its reliability. The Scuba Fifty Fathoms is also water-resistant to a depth of around 91 meters, in keeping with its name fifty fathoms. My only gripe is that it was released just after summer as it is the perfect beach watch.
Allissa Pataki
Having followed the anticipation and craze of the drop of the pieces on social media (a friend of mine even sent me a video of hundreds of people queuing in front of the Swatch boutique in the Rue du Marché), I did not think I would ever be able to get my hands on any of them. So, when Mathieu rolled in on Monday morning with the Arctic Ocean on his wrist, I couldn’t be more excited! I was doubly excited, because it just so happens to be my favorite piece of the collection (there’s something about the vintage orange that just works!). I love all of the creative details of the watch – from the vintage logo to the “no radiations” symbol, and don’t get me started on the quirky caseback with the nudibranch! Colors and aesthetics aside, the piece is powered by the ingenious automatic SISTEM51 movement (51 components with a single screw!), complete with an impressive 90-hour power reserve and water resistant up to 91 meters (wink wink 50 fathoms). It feels like an intimate (and yet fun) love letter to the iconic Fifty Fathoms, written in a way for as many people to read and enjoy it as possible. And enjoy it I wish! If only Mathieu had gotten two…
