Vintage-inspired dive watches are not in short supply. We’ve seen many contemporary remakes of iconic models with a great deal of history, but very few reproduce their source material as closely and as faithfully as Blancpain’s new Bathyscaphe. Specially made to celebrate the line’s 70^th birthday, this 300-piece limited edition returns to the Bathyscaphe’s landmark design, specifically from 1968, preserving the compact 37.4mm case and skin-diver character while introducing modern materials and robust movement technology.

Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe 70th Anniversary Limited Edition Ref. 5903 1110 63A

First introduced in 1956, Blancpain’s Bathyscaphe was produced as the more relaxed and civilian sibling to the Fifty Fathoms. The latter was labelled and built as a professional diving instrument generally measuring around 41mm to 42mm, which was considered exceptionally large for an everyday wristwatch during the 1950s and ‘60s. The Bathyscaphe, on the other hand, was smaller, more elegant and better suited for daily wear. Yet it brought similar aquatic capabilities firmly placing it in the emerging skin-diver category, as recreational diving gained popularity.

The original 1968 Blancpain Bathyscaphe

For the anniversary edition, the brand decided to go with a 1968 model that distilled this identity of the Bathyscaphe name really well. The watch is housed in a new stainless-steel case, retaining the 37.4mm diameter of the original while measuring 12.3mm thick and 46.5mm from lug to lug. Blancpain also developed the case around the movement to preserve its vintage characteristics like the slim case middle, curved surfaces and the carefully shaped lugs.

Much of the historical watch’s soul is concentrated on the sunburst meteor-gray dial. It is stamped with Blancpain’s mid-century logo and accompanied by an arrow-tipped seconds hand, baton minute and hour hands, and white-gold baton indexes, all treated with Super-Luminova. The steel bezel very closely follows the vintage design, although the original black Hesalite insert has been replaced with a more modern ceramic with lacquered numerals. The watch is supplied with a chocolate calfskin strap completing its decisively civilian look.

Perhaps the biggest upgrade is the mechanical package inside. Blancpain’s automatic caliber 1150 provides 100 hours of autonomy and uses a silicon hairspring for magnetic resistance. We’re also treated to a sapphire caseback, instead of a closed one in the 1968 version, revealing the movement and the 18K gold oscillating weight. And of course, water resistance is rated at a dive-ready 300 meters.

Tech Specs: Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe 70th Anniversary Limited Edition Ref. 5903 1110 63A

Movement Blancpain Manufacture automatic caliber 1150, 100-hour power reserve

Functions Hours, minutes, seconds and date

Case Stainless steel, 37.4 x 12.3mm; 46.5mm lug-to-lug; steel bezel with ceramic insert and lacquered numerals; sapphire crystal and caseback; water-resistant to 300M

Dial Sunburst meteor gray with 18K white-gold baton indexes and baton hands, both treated with vintage-colored Super-LumiNova

Strap Chocolate calfskin strap with pin buckle

Price CHF 13,800

Availability Limited to 300 individually numbered pieces