Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Technisub "No Radiations" - 28.000€

The Blancpain Fifty Fathoms was born in 1953, the result of a collaboration between Jean-Jacques Fiechter, Blancpain’s director and an experienced diver, and French naval officers Robert Maloubier and Claude Riffaud, founders of the combat swimmer unit. Together, they designed a revolutionary watch, conceived as a true survival instrument for underwater missions. It introduced several innovations that would become industry standards: a unidirectional rotating bezel to measure dive time safely, a reinforced water-resistance system, anti-magnetic protection, and exceptional legibility thanks to its large black dial and luminous markers.

Quickly adopted by the French, American, and German special forces, the Fifty Fathoms established itself as the benchmark for dive watches. Its fame grew further when Jacques-Yves Cousteau wore it in The Silent World, the legendary film that won the Palme d’Or at Cannes in 1956.

Between the 1950s and 1970s, the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms was not sold exclusively through traditional jewelry stores, but mainly through specialized diving equipment retailers. At that time, it was considered a professional instrument rather than a luxury item. For this reason, Blancpain partnered with several technical and military distributors, some of whose names even appeared on the dials of the watches.

One of the most notable partners was Technisub, founded in Italy in 1963 by Luigi Ferraro, a former combat diver. Blancpain produced a small series of co-signed “Technisub” watches for professional divers : today among the rarest and most collectible Fifty Fathoms models.

Aqua Lung, created by Jacques-Yves Cousteau and Émile Gagnan, also distributed the Fifty Fathoms through its global diving network, with certain dials bearing the “Aqua Lung” name. In France, Lip acted as Blancpain’s distributor, helping the watch reach a wider market under the “Lip Blancpain” signature.

Other professional suppliers like La Spirotechnique handled military deliveries, while in the U.S., Blancpain created Tornek-Rayville to produce Fifty Fathoms models under license for the U.S. Navy.

These partnerships highlight the Fifty Fathoms’ original identity as a technical, purpose-built instrument, sold through professional channels long before it became a symbol of luxury and horological heritage.

Like many mechanical icons, the watch later faced the quartz crisis of the 1970s, which pushed Blancpain into obscurity. In 1983, however, the brand was revived by Jean-Claude Biver, who restored its prestige by embracing traditional watchmaking values. Then, in 2003, to celebrate the model’s 50th anniversary, Blancpain reintroduced the Fifty Fathoms in a modernized version, faithful to its original spirit but equipped with contemporary technologies: an in-house automatic movement, innovative materials, and refined finishing.

Today, the Fifty Fathoms stands as an enduring icon of dive watchmaking, blending heritage, technical mastery, and understated elegance. It remains a symbol of Blancpain’s deep connection to the sea, precision, and adventure.