Swatch x Blancpain Scuba Fifty Fathom: price, availability, specs

In continuation of the remarkable triumph of the Omega MoonSwatch partnership, Swatch Group is now introducing another exciting collaboration in-house called the Swatch x Blancpain Scuba Fifty Fathoms, also known as "Scuba Fifty," which will be available this weekend.

The new assortment draws its inspiration from the renowned Scuba divers of Swatch in the 1990s and Blancpain's dive-watch series called Fifty Fathoms. This exquisite range is influenced by the luxury brand's timepiece that served as the benchmark for traditional analog dive watches.

The initial version of the Fifty Fathoms timepiece was crafted in collaboration with French military divers who required a durable and dependable wristwatch for their underwater missions. Consequently, a watch with luminescent dial indicators, groundbreaking water-resistant design, and a secure rotating bezel was brought into existence. Interestingly, Rolex's Submariner also followed a similar path of development in the same year, but took an extra year to enter the market.

The Scuba Fifty Fathoms, priced at $400 (£340), is completely resistant to water up to 91 meters, or 300 feet (equivalent to 50 fathoms). It shares similarities with the MoonSwatch collection in terms of vibrant colors and the use of Swatch's Bioplastic material for its casing. However, there is a difference in their internal mechanisms: the chronograph MoonSwatch relies on an electronic quartz mechanism, while the Scuba Fifty Fathoms utilizes a self-winding automatic movement from Swatch's innovative Sistem51 line. Blancpain, a significant contributor to the revival of Swiss watchmaking in the 1980s and '90s, has always focused on mechanical watchmaking and has never produced a wristwatch powered by quartz. This dedication to traditional watchmaking remains evident even in its Swatch collaboration.

MoonSwatch has been a tremendous success for Swatch, both in terms of brand recognition and financial gains. In 2022, Swatch Group sold over a million MoonSwatch watches, which contributed significantly to its year-end operating profit of $1.34 billion. In fact, MoonSwatch sales are estimated to account for up to 20 percent of the group's overall profit. According to Oliver Muller, an industry consultant who conducts an annual watch industry survey in collaboration with investment bank Morgan Stanley through his LuxeConsult business, MoonSwatch has completely transformed the destiny of Swatch. It has rejuvenated the company's financial health, as it is now generating profits after a decade of financial struggles.

However, in contrast to the 11 variations of the MoonSwatch (excluding the subsequently enhanced Moonshine Gold versions), Swatch's partnership with Blancpain will showcase five timepieces, with each one bearing the name of a different ocean in the world.

The newer versions of the Fifty Fathoms watch are known as the green Indian, blue Atlantic, and yellow Pacific models. These models have been updated for modern times. On the other hand, the red Arctic and white Antarctic models are reminiscent of the original versions created for military use in the 1960s. The Arctic model is inspired by the "No Rad" Fifty Fathoms, which had a special marking on the dial indicating that there were no radioactive materials in its luminescent markings. This was important because the dangers of radium had recently been discovered. The Antarctic watch, on the other hand, refers to the "Mil-Spec" models made for the US military, which had a unique dial indicator to show if moisture had entered the watch.

Inspired by the fascinating creatures known as sea slugs!

Gregory Kissling, the leader of product at Omega and the individual assigned to oversee the creation of the MoonSwatch, has expressed that the shades featured in the Scuba Fifty Fathoms are not just fresh Bioceramic colors. He further mentioned that the color of each watch draws inspiration from a nudibranch, which is a species of sea slug found exclusively in that specific ocean.

There exist numerous types of nudibranch in the ocean worldwide. To align with Blancpain's dedication to the environment and the vibrant appeal of the MoonSwatch, Swatch and Blancpain have chosen five captivating types of these sea creatures to influence the color scheme of their latest watch collection.

According to Oliver Muller, the principal of LuxeConsult, Blancpain is distinct from Omega in several ways. It is not as popular and focuses on producing intricate and high-quality watches. Its production and brand recognition are much smaller compared to Omega. While the Fifty Fathoms is highly revered by watch enthusiasts, Blancpain mainly excels in crafting luxury watches made from precious metals, which are in high demand in Asian markets.

"Despite the fact that the Fifty Fathoms is a famous item, it cannot be likened to the Omega Speedmaster," states Muller. Additionally, Blancpain's failure to create a solitary, distinguished edition of the Fifty Fathoms poses a further complication as it now emerges in various luxurious variations.

"This will enhance the overall visibility of Blancpain and increase its relevance among the younger demographic. Generation Z individuals are not particularly knowledgeable about Blancpain as a brand - this will inject new vitality into a brand that currently carries an outdated perception."

However, when considering the numerous brands under the Swatch Group umbrella, such as Tissot and Hamilton, one might wonder why Nick Hayek would choose to provide a boost in sales for Blancpain, similar to what was done for Omega (where sales of the Speedmaster Moonwatch, priced at approximately $7,000, increased by over 50% in Omega stores), following the initial groundbreaking collaboration that caused a stir. The answer can be attributed to two reasons. Firstly, it appears that Blancpain was more eager for this opportunity compared to other rival brands within the group. Secondly, a Swatch x Blancpain prototype had already been created.

Unlike the initial doubts expressed by the CEO of Omega, Raynald Aeschlimann, when Hayek initially suggested the MoonSwatch, Marc Hayek, CEO of Blancpain and Nick's nephew, was determined to be the next in line. Furthermore, Marc Hayek had the advantage of witnessing the significant advantages of such a collaboration firsthand, thanks to the exceptional success of the MoonSwatch. As exclusively disclosed by WIRED in July 2022, the group had already developed a preliminary prototype of a Swatch version of a Blancpain watch.

During the secretive beginnings of Project Galileo, a top-secret project known only by a select few Swatch Group employees, both a Bioceramic Speedmaster and Fifty Fathoms were created for Nick Hayek to examine. Additionally, a version of Omega’s own dive watch, the Seamaster, was included for inspection. Considering the fame of the Bond-associated brand and the expected frenzy it would cause, as well as the esteemed reputation of Omega’s Moonwatch, it was decided that Omega would be the ideal brand for the initial collaboration. However, the possibility of future collaborations was also considered in the project, and following the MoonWatch, Blancpain’s Fifty Fathoms emerged as the next logical choice.

Another element to take into account is commemorations. In addition to currently marking the 70th anniversary of Blancpain's dive watch with a collection of exclusive editions, this year also signifies the 10th anniversary of Swatch's groundbreaking automatic movement Sistem51.

Swatch made its debut in 1983 and established itself as a prominent manufacturer of vibrant and lively plastic fashion timepieces. Fast forward to 2006, and the company proudly commemorated the creation of its 333 millionth Swatch watch. Enclosed in these watches was a quartz mechanism that was regarded as a remarkable feat of technology back then: comprising only 51 components, which was just a bit over half of what most quartz movements required.

In 2013, as part of its 30th anniversary celebration, the brand aimed to recreate this impressive achievement by creating an automatic (or self-winding) mechanical watch that is affordable. Unlike quartz watches, which consist of approximately 130 components, Swatch embarked on a project to design an automatic watch with only 51 parts.

The unveiling of this magnificent timepiece was a momentous event for the watchmaking world. It took a whopping two years of meticulous refining to bring it to perfection. What truly left everyone astounded was not only the daring inclusion of plastic components in its escapement but also its remarkable feat of designing an automatic watch movement with a mere 51 parts, boasting an impressive power reserve of 90 hours. This was a groundbreaking achievement since the standard at that time was around 40 hours. Furthermore, its claimed precision of plus/minus 7 seconds per day rendered it accurate enough to qualify for the esteemed chronometer status. This was a highly coveted recognition coveted by renowned brands like Rolex, Omega, and Breitling, and served as a powerful marketing asset.

Apt for the Individuals

Blancpain is perhaps not as famous as Omega, but it is widely regarded as a more prestigious luxury brand in the watch community. This is why Swatch's decision to incorporate the automatic Sistem51 movement from Blancpain into this collaboration, instead of the quartz option in the MoonSwatch, is logical. Watch enthusiasts hold mechanical movements in higher esteem compared to quartz.

It is even more perplexing that Swatch seems to prefer employing the same questionable methods it used during the release of MoonSwatch last year. On March 26, chaotic scenes unfolded worldwide. The store on Carnaby Street in London managed to hold on for only thirty minutes before the authorities had to intervene. In New York, fights erupted amidst rumors of a stabbing in the queue. In Singapore, one store had no choice but to close its doors for a period of ten days, hoping that the chaos would eventually subside.

However, Nick Hayek has reaffirmed that the retail release of the Blancpain collaboration will follow a similar pattern to the MoonSwatch. Recently, vibrant yellow exhibition cases have been spotted in the display windows of Swatch stores across the globe, signaling the upcoming availability of the watches on September 9.

The usage of Bioceramic, a special ecoplastic developed by Swatch, is worth mentioning. This polymer is derived from the oil of castor beans and is combined with zirconium oxide, a ceramic substance commonly used in high-end watchmaking for its scratch-resistant, durable, and hypoallergenic properties. According to Hayek, the CEO of Swatch, the manipulation of this material is the most challenging part of the manufacturing process. Despite investing in new Bioceramic extrusion machines, as well as other manufacturing equipment like injection tooling and printing machines, Swatch has struggled to produce MoonSwatch watches in quantities that meet consumer demand. It remains to be seen how they will overcome this obstacle and meet the production expectations for both MoonSwatch and Scuba Fifty Fathom watches.

When the Scuba Fifty Fathoms become available for purchase at Swatch stores on Saturday, it's possible that enthusiastic customers will remember the experience from the Omega collaboration launch and display a bit of patience. It might take a while before Blancpain's MoonSwatch experience is accessible to a larger audience.

The Scuba Fifty, which costs $400, will be available for purchase at various Swatch stores across the United States. These stores include Ala Moana in Hawaii, NY NY in Las Vegas, 5th Ave and TSQ in New York, Powell in San Francisco, Houston Galleria, Lincoln Road in Miami, Millenia in Orlando, and NorthPark in Dallas.