Blancpain Announces the New Fifty Fathoms Tech

Ref. 5019A 12B30 94A

June 8th is a day for the world to focus on the oceans. For Blancpain, for over 20 years, every day has been an "Ocean Day." Born in 1953, the Fifty Fathoms was created as the first true diver's tool watch. Today, the same spirit drives the new Fifty Fathoms Tech and also fuels the Blancpain Ocean Commitment program, which has become one of the most important in marine exploration and conservation.

Key Points — Fifty Fathoms Tech

• World's first 3-hour bezel and dedicated 3-hour hand: A pioneering feature first introduced in 2023 on the Fifty Fathoms Tech Gombessa.

• Addition of a date function for everyday use.

• New interchangeable strap system: Center lugs, tool-free replacement; orange, white, or black rubber straps.

• Absolute Black dial absorbing up to 97% of light.

• 47 mm Grade 23 titanium case; 300-meter water resistance; helium escape valve.

• Blancpain Manufacture Caliber 13P5A; 120-hour power reserve.

• Comes with Blancpain's classic Peli™ case.

Fifty Fathoms Tech — The Evolution of a Tool

Blancpain invented the unidirectional rotating bezel. It was not a decorative element but a complication of a true watch with a life-saving function, allowing divers to measure elapsed time underwater and know precisely when to ascend. For 70 years, the bezel has continued to rotate in 60-minute increments, but in 2023, it evolved with the introduction of a patented 3-hour bezel on the Fifty Fathoms 70th Anniversary "Act 2" – Tech Gombessa, developed by Marc A. Hayek and Laurent Ballesta. The 3-hour bezel is a world first, born out of a specific need. Modern technical diving, particularly with Closed-Circuit Rebreathers (CCR), involves dives lasting two, three hours, or even longer. A 60-minute bezel is simply insufficient. By rethinking the movement, Blancpain adapted a traditional 24-hour GMT complication to rotate in three hours. The result is a dedicated 3-hour measuring hand and scale, ensuring the precision required by technical divers, underwater photographers, and scientists throughout the entire dive duration.

The Ocean That Teaches Patience

The new Fifty Fathoms Tech gives divers the one thing they need most before marine life reveals itself: time. This is crucial in this field, and not just for technical reasons. Marine life is extremely sensitive to the presence of divers. Fish, mollusks, crustaceans, the smallest reef inhabitants: they sense intrusion and change their behavior accordingly. The shorter the dive, the more disturbed the observation. With longer bottom times, everything changes. When you spend enough time in the deep, marine life becomes accustomed to your presence, relaxes, and returns to its natural behavior. They feed, move, and interact as if they were not being watched. Unlike open-circuit scuba systems, rebreathers produce very few bubbles during long dives, eliminating one of the most telltale signs of intrusion underwater: bubbles. Using a rebreather allows divers to descend quietly, be less conspicuous, and blend more easily into the environment. Furthermore, extended stays on the seabed allow for close-up observations that would otherwise be impossible. These are the moments underwater photographers wait for. These are the moments when science is born.

The 3-hour measuring bezel is more than just a technical complication; it is a device that allows for patient, non-destructive observation. The new Fifty Fathoms Tech is, above all, the most suitable diver's watch for documenting living beings in their natural habitat. Building on the groundbreaking achievements of 2023, the new Fifty Fathoms Tech enhances everyday readability with a date function and an interchangeable strap system (designed around center lugs for tool-free replacement), offered with an orange rubber strap, with black or white rubber straps available separately. The Absolute Black dial absorbs up to 97% of ambient light, and the luminescence is intentionally differentiated. Blue Super-LumiNova® is used for dive indications, while green Super-LumiNova® is used for standard timekeeping. This ensures no confusion in any light or depth. The 47mm case, crafted from Grade 23 titanium, boasts 300-meter water resistance and features a helium escape valve. Inside, the Manufacture Caliber 13P5A, based on the reliable Caliber 1315, provides a 120-hour power reserve. The watch comes with Blancpain's Peli™ case, which is waterproof, shock-resistant, and reusable.

Technical Details

Fifty Fathoms Tech – Ref. 5019A 12B30 94A

Movement: Blancpain Manufacture Caliber 13P5A (Automatic)

Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, date, 3-hour dive time indicator, unidirectional rotating bezel, helium escape valve

Power Reserve: 120 hours (5 days)

Case: Grade 23 Titanium

Crystal / Caseback: Sapphire Crystal Water Resistance: 30 bar (300 m)

Case Diameter: 47.00 mm Thickness: 14.81 mm

Blancpain Official Website

https://www.blancpain.com/ja
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