Zach Brass
2023 marked several things in the world of watches. It was a celebration of the 70th anniversary of Blanpine’s 50 Fathom, and also marked the beginning of the Peak Moonswatch fatigue. This is probably why the Swatch x Blancpain Bioceramic Scuba Fifty Fathoms arrived in September of that year, a new hot collaboration that arrived on the scene just in time. Some felt that the idea of a collaboration between the Swatch Group had lost steam and momentum, or simply riding on the tattered coattails of Moonswatch momentum, was too late. But in the end, the numbers don’t lie, so it was clear that Swatch X Blancpain had a lot of interest in each article and social post surrounding the collaboration. However, interest and purchase intent are two different things. So, whether your collaboration is a cup of tea or your favorite composition is avoiding you at retailers, I’ve put together a list of the best Swatch X Blancpain 50 Fathom alternatives that may intrigue you.
Before you dive in, it’s important to establish exactly what Bioceramic Scuba Fifty Fathoms has to offer. Nine variations of the watch have been presented so far, with a variety of frequently bold colour schemes and a more tame aesthetic. All watches are forged with Swatch bioceramic and have a water-resistant case of 42.3mm diameter, 14.4mm thickness and 48mm lagtoo lugs, 90m. They are driven by the sistem 51 automatic movement, fully machined and motif-adored, with impressive 90 hours of endurance.
Spoiler alert: The Swatch x Blancpain Bioceramics Cuba 50 Fathom boasts the longest power reserve of all watches mentioned. This is cheaper than all the watches mentioned at USD 400, but also has a lowest depth rating.
Lorier Neptune Series IV
Pros: A more robust and compact stainless steel bracelet, offered in a vintage driven look from Fanfabright.
Cons: Shorter power reserve, only one color option, $99 USD is expensive.
Since its founding in 2017, Lorier has been well received by watch enthusiasts for its high-quality, priced designs. Lorier remixes familiar aesthetics enough to have some degree of distinction and brand identity, introducing the cloud with each of new evolutions and iterations. One of the most famous designs is Neptune, currently available in the Series IV generation.
Screw-down crown-sessing 200 meters water-resistant stainless steel watches record time comfortably with a diameter of 39mm, thickness of 10.3mm (excluding hescilite crystal with 2.4mm dome dome), and 46mm lagtoo lug. Its acrylic bezel features a bakelite aesthetic that introduces vintage feel, and uses Super Luminova for its timing scale, as well as the three central hand and time indicators. Inside, it is driven by a cost-effective 42-hour automatic Miyota 90S5 movement. This is certainly a 50 Fathom value-driven alternative to the Swatch x Blancpain for those who prefer a more vintage-driven dive watch staple aesthetic and full stainless steel build. Price: 499 US$
Timex DeepwaterReef 200 Titanium Automatic 41mm Synthetic Rubber Strap Watch
Pros: In slim cases, Grade 2 titanium is introduced at a low price, and is more than twice as water resistance.
Cons: Shorter power reserves can be interpreted as respectful, with USD 149 being more expensive.
Timex has been improving its offering in recent years, bringing more design versatility and more mechanical watches to its catalog. They are also finding ways to make a more interesting watch without climbing to a higher price range. One such example is the Deepwater Reef 200 Titanium Automatic 41mm. This offers a 200-meter water-resistant case, especially in grade 2 titanium, despite being under 600 USD. The case also displays a comfortable modern size of 41mm diameter and 13mm thick.
Good or bad, depending on your preference, Deepwater will continue the perceptible Timex trend of diverging by leveraging design elements popularized by other brands. In this example, I don’t think it’s much more growing to say that the Rolex submarine and the designer of the Seiko 62 mass divers are trying to offer more affordable fan service.
The square rug certainly has a seikoy diver flavour to them, and the room plot shape with dates mounted on the cyclops, bezel font and sapphire crystal definitely have a submarine-like feel, but it doesn’t necessarily lack the adorable 200-meter seafood titanium case. I especially enjoy the fully covered bezel scale, which drives my value proposition even more. This is the fact that Timex has an automatic Miyota 8215 movement with a 42-hour power reserve when it was easy to choose ready-made quartz (not intended for quartz snowberry). Price: 549 US$
Seiko Prospex SRPL53 PADI Special Edition
Advantages: Completely in-house, a gradient dial that “looks up under the sea” and is water resistant to more than twice as much.
Cons: A short power reserve, potentially long lug-to-lug, and $220 USD is expensive.
We can almost guarantee Seiko, a testament to evidence of all alternative buying guides, manufacturing capabilities, prices and catalog diversity. The Seiko Prospex SRPL53 definitely doesn’t need the Swatch X Blancpain Fifty Fathoms as a catalyst to appear in Radar, the latest PADI special edition that will debut from the brand.
Lorier and Timex are safer and have a Tamer color representation, while SRPL53 brings a more playful, artistic color representation. Just like how Swatch X Blancpain looks to the ocean for inspiration, the SRPL53’s dial is stamped and colored to create the effect of looking up the blue/green surface of the ocean from the depths of the water below. The wavy patterns simulate water ripples, and the gradient introduces even more depth and dimensions. Dial Knit Pickers also allows for seamless blending of date discs with white gradients.
The 200-meter water-resistant stainless steel case is 41.7mm in diameter, 12.3mm thick, and 49.5mm lug toe. This nets the case, which is similar in diameter to the 50 Fathoms of Bioceramic Cuba, and is a significantly thinner case, but also makes it a noticeable case that gives the wrist a large presence due to the lug-to-lug. The fact that Seiko offers steel watches on steel bracelets is that its own movement is very flexily at $220. Price: 620 US$
Baltotic Aquas Fake Bronze Brown
Pros: Introducing a bronze, more robust sapphire insert bezel.
Cons: Shorter power reserves, more likely to cause case patines (if not wanted), ~318.75 USD is expensive.
As it has been years since its initial introduction, there are several Baltic aquas facies compositions to explore. My personal favorite is the tropical style bronze brown. Vintage enthusiasts are likely to worship smoky brown dials, while puttying enthusiasts appreciate the journey and evolution of the appearance of bronze cases worn over time. This kind of character is attractive to some, but so appealing to others. So of course I’ll leave it to you.
The 200m water-resistant and screw-down crown secure case measures 39mm diameter, 39mm diameter and 13mm thickness, including double-dommed sapphire crystal, 13mm thick, 13mm thick, including 13mm thick, 47mm lug-to-lag on the wrist. Its dial is surrounded by a robust sapphire insert timing bezel that does not scratch, and inside it has an automatic 42-hour Miyota 9039 caliber. Price: ~ US $718.75
Hamilton khaki navy scuba auto
Pros: Multiple color configuration, better regulated 80 hours automatic movement, 20mm lug width strap monster.
Cons: 4:30 date (if it offends), water resistant to just over 10 meters (100m), 445 USD is expensive.
Hamilton of Swatch Group, the Swiss watchmaker with the first name brand of List, cannot own a diving-inspired category for swatches at a more affordable price. Khaki Navy Scuba Auto offers an excellent covenant accuracy rating of less than 15 seconds per day compared to the power reserve provided by all Miyota and Seiko-led propositions that have been performed so far, with 80 hours of power reserve and a wide range listed for Seiko/Maiyota. That being said, the Sistem 51 is said to run within 7 seconds a day, and surprisingly, it is said to be the most accurate movement from the clock on this list (at least according to the pledged regulations).
The Khaki Navy Scuba Auto has a stainless steel case of 40mm diameter and 12.95mm thickness, but it has a depth rating of only 100m, especially compared to the 200m that has been offered up to date. So the tradeoff you need to tackle is a more accurate movement or a more water-resistant case. Aside from that factor, Khaki Navy Scuba comes in multiple colour configurations and also comes with a bracelet option. It also has a 20mm lug width, allowing you to play strap monsters with the joy of your heart. Price: 845 US$
Bulova Mil-Ships-W-2181
Pros: Historical origins, safe press-down bezel rotating system, more than twice as water resistant.
Cons: Short power reserve, aftermarket strap limit 16mm lug width, and USD 450 is expensive.
For many, the Swatch x Blancpan Bioceramics Cuba 50 Fathom is a way to get you one step closer to the 50 Fathom. Looking at the Bulova Mil-Ships, some may think that Bulova borrows heavily from the design of the 50 Fathom, but this is definitely not the case. Like Blanpine, Bulba was one of the brand’s choice groups that the US Navy competed for choosing watches as the official diver’s watch of the early 50s. This meant that multiple brands would unveil the designs they needed to hit a particular design specification, bringing a variety of similarities. The Navy ultimately chose 50 Fathoms, and the Bulova prototype was never commercially introduced. So when Millship, based on Bulova’s prototype, was introduced in 2021, it was a massive deal for Dive Watch fanatics who were familiar with and invested in lore.
This is a 200-meter water-resistant stainless steel watch measuring 41mm diameter, 14.5mm thickness, and 50mm lug to lug. Its matte black dial tilts towards a vintage appeal with a Lume plot performed with simulated aging (aka Faux-Tina), with a moisture indicator that works on the dial at the 6 o’clock position, allowing it to be revealed to the wearer if moisture enters the case. Inside, a 42-hour automatic Miyota 8210 is tickled. A smaller lug width means wider strap exploration is not possible, but for those hoping for a powerful historical tribute that provides aesthetic nutrition similar to the original 1953 50 Fathom, this is the best option if you have a budget that spends more than twice as much as the Swatch X Blancpain. That said, 950 US$ is far less, and it’s much cheaper than the 50’s 50 Fathoms that will set you back.
Price: 950 US$
