Riding on the wave of their Omega MoonSwatch hit, Swatch Group unveils its latest amalgamation: the Swatch x Blancpain Scuba Fifty Fathoms, affectionately termed “Scuba Fifty.” Set to launch this weekend, this collection captures the essence of both brands’ iconic past.
Drawing from Swatch’s nostalgic ‘90s Scuba designs and Blancpain’s esteemed Fifty Fathoms dive-watch series, this unique collection pays homage to the classic dive watches that shaped the market. The pioneering Fifty Fathoms, crafted with insights from French combat divers, set the benchmark with its radiant dial markings, cutting-edge waterproofing, and secure rotating bezel. Interestingly, Rolex’s Submariner, which was conceptualized the same year, only saw a market release the subsequent year.
Priced at $400 (£340), the Scuba Fifty Fathoms, designed to resist water up to a depth of 300 feet (precisely 50 fathoms), echo the vibrant hues of the MoonSwatch series and feature the sustainable Bioplastic casing synonymous with Swatch. However, there’s a twist in the tale when delving into its mechanism. Unlike the quartz-driven MoonSwatch, the Scuba Fifty boasts an avant-garde self-winding automatic movement, derived from the revolutionary Sistem51 series by Swatch. Blancpain, an instrumental figure in the renaissance of Swiss watchmaking in the late 20th century, remains steadfast in its commitment to mechanical watchmaking—a legacy upheld even in this Swatch collaboration.
https://www.wired.com/story/swatch-x-blancpain-scuba-fifty-fathoms-diver-watch/
