Last year I asked, “Do you appreciate the Rolex Submariner as an amazing diving watch?” The question and article sparked a lot of debate. Today I’m asking a similar question about the Submariner’s spiritual competitor, the 42.3mm Branpine 50 Fathom Automatic.
“Icon” is one of the most worn-out terms in the watch world. The Blancpain Fifty Fathoms, along with the Doxa Sub 300, Zodiac Sea Wolf, and The Rolex Submariner, is one of the few diving watches and deserves a title. This month I spent a fulfilling time with a 42.3mm 50 Fathom in Grade 23 Titanium Branpine. Here are some ideas.
Branpine 50 Fathom
I say “icon.” Because, as many of you know, Blanpine’s 50 Fathoms were truly one of the original dive watches. Introduced in 1953, it shears a new era of scuba diving at both commercial and recreational levels. The use of Aqualungs has allowed people to explore the world’s oceans, oceans and lakes, allowing scientists and explorers to document new findings. The dive watch provided the elapsed time to calculate oxygen use and played a key role in avoiding bends later. In fact, the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms is so iconic that RJ wrote a detailed history of the watch here. I recommend reading and reading before going back to today’s article.
This 42.3mm case size Branpine 50 Fathom is far superior to the brand’s larger options. RJ has spent time with some of them, including the 45mm version. These watches may be wearable, but they look a bit ridiculous on my tiny 6.25 inch (15.9cm) wrist. So I was excited to spend my time with a smaller, more physically friendly option with a 50 Fathom lineup.
Popular and growing awareness?
Blanpine’s 50 Fathoms have no cultural cut-throughs from the Rolex Submariner at all, but I think this is beginning to change. We’ve seen the success of the Blancpain x Swatch collaboration. This helped bring the 50 Fathom back to general cultural perception in a way that wasn’t five years ago.
From a natural competition standpoint, the 50 Fathoms are a step above the submariner, but they live in the same ecosystem. In other words, it is the realm of high-end diving clocks with serious cultural qualifications. So when I say that the Blanpine 50 Fathom and the Rolex Submariner are spiritual competitors, I make this meaning, especially in terms of the history of both watches, rather than their respective retail prices.
Opportunity to spend time with 50 Blanpine Fathom
I’ve been interested in 50 Fathoms for a long time, but I never dealt with it and certainly didn’t think I’d have the opportunity to take it to the sea. This changed recently when Blanpine said Fratero could use one of its dive clocks at the sea. I knew this would ultimately be a great opportunity to take 50 Fathoms in its supposed native habitat and discover how it felt.
Soon there were a few things I particularly liked about the 50 Fathoms, but one thing I didn’t. If you first try to get out of the way, the brand’s decision to engrave the name on the side of the case seems totally unnecessary and a bit busy. It’s like having a paragraph of text on the Tudor Pelagos dial. This is no reason, and it hinders the purity of the watch’s design. That complaint aside, I immediately liked the lightweight feel and sturdy feel of the 42.3mm Blancpain 50 Fathom. The bezel action was great, with the dial popping out, especially in poor lighting conditions, such as underwater and dark tints.
A technically competent dive watch
This version of the 50 Fathom has a wearable case thanks to what feels like a compact lug-to-rug. I was surprised when I measured the 47mm span. Because it felt even more compact on the sea wrist. The watch is 14.3mm thick. This feels thick, but not too much on the wrist. This is thanks to the titanium construction of the case, making your wrists feel relatively light and whimsical.
This case provides a 300m water resistance rating (same as the Submariner). Bezel capping is a sapphire insert with a luminous marker that glows brightly even in small shade during the day. The dial resembles the original design of the 1950s, with numbers 12, 3, 6, and 9 o’clock. A bit controversial is the opening of the date at 4:30. I prefer the 6 o’clock date window, but it can withstand one window at 3 o’clock. I usually have a bit of a 4:30, but metal works better than online stock photos.
Excellent fit and finish with Branpine 50 Fathom
The rubber strap is secured to the watch with bolts, adding additional security to the spring bar. If I was in financial condition to get this price monitoring (20,350 euros), I would probably invest an additional 800 euros to get a stock bracelet. That said, the rubber tropical style straps supplied are excellent, extremely comfortable and easy to adjust.
Within the case, it beats the company’s automatic caliber 1315. The movement has three barrels, offering a five-day power reserve equivalent to watches like the IWC Mark XX. This movement is particularly clean, with a rotor finished with 18K gold metal with brushed gold text and boundaries. The use of gold is not merely a luxury movement. Heavy metal blocks make automatic windings more efficient.
50 Fathoms of the Sea Branpine
Taking 50 Fathom in the water is an easy-to-read exercise. Using Arabic numerals in diving watches is one of the best ways that watch designers can make instant readable in difficult or rough conditions. The rough seas, bubbles, slurping water, and not always down are just some of the challenges you may face when reading time. Blanpine handles these particularly well, thanks to the Arabic numbers. This design decision allows the wearer to quickly and easily establish a dial reference point.
The large, curved crown is also safe. I used this to set the time for the review unit when the watch arrived and found it to be very durable and well made. The entire watch exudes a sense of luxurious solidity. It’s a strange combination of the luxury and sturdyness of a Rolex submarine and slightly different boutique. The Submariner feels a little more industrial, but the Blanpine feels a little more… handcrafted if that makes sense. I’m not entirely sure what it is, but there’s something special about the play. Perhaps it’s just emotional.
The idea of ​​conclusion
Generally speaking, Blancpain’s 50 Fathom feels like a completely different beast than a Rolex submarine. Rolex feels a bit bland, Blanpine is sw walking. That being said, I think the Submariner is more wearable on my little wrist, so if I were in a position to make a purchase decision between the two, I would have been leaning towards it.
However, if Blancpain releases a regular production model under 40mm with a compact lug-to-lug that matches, you will get a totally different result. I think I’ll lean towards Blanpine because of the history, design and the fact that it’s a lesser known option. So, can we thank the Blanpine 50 Fathom as just a good sea-running diving watch? I think so, but please let me know what you think in the comments!
