Blancpain's most recognizable diver's watch collection, the Fifty Fathoms, is now a sub-series of Bathyscaphe that is loved by diver's watch aficionados for its fascinating history and distinctive shape. Compared with the Fifty Fathoms, the Bathyscaphe is more restrained and elegant, which is related to the appearance of the watch, the change in size, and the functional performance of the watch. Blancpain's new Bathyscaphe Quantième Complet Phases de Lune in 2024 is interesting because it sets a record for the first time of a diver's watch: a ceramic case with a full date function and a moon phase display, which reaffirms the brand's experience and craftsmanship in the development of diver's watches.
▲ Blancpain's new Bathyscaphe diver's watch features a case and even a bracelet made of black ceramic, providing a strong protective effect on the watch.
Looking back at the Bathyscaphe series, which has been a rare professional diver's watch with a full-calendar moon phase function in the watch world, it is not difficult to guess why diver's watches are unlikely to introduce these two functions in the past, because for professional divers, whether it is a full calendar display or a moon phase display, it is not a function they urgently need to use in the underwater environment, and the introduction of advanced functions for the watch must also take into account the original waterproofness, which will be a test to improve the difficulty of watchmaking for the watch factory itself. So before Blancpain developed the Bathyscaphe full-calendar moon phase diver's watch, it was difficult to find something with the same function in the world of watchmaking.
The Bathyscaphe Full Calendar Moon Phase Diver's Watch has appeared in different materials such as titanium, stainless steel or rose gold, and this time the brand's reinterpretation of ceramic material is not only refreshing, but also comes out of the nautical canvas, NATO strap and even the ceramic bracelet and other versions.
▲The gradient tone and solar rays make it possible to focus on the dial naturally, and the full date and moon phase functions of the watch are evenly distributed, making it easy to interpret.
The use of ceramic in diver's watches has its advantages, it is not afraid of scratching on coral reefs, salt erosion of seawater, or changes in water temperature, etc., and the weight of ceramic cases is about 1/4 lighter than stainless steel, so you can feel the benefits of this feature when worn on flat ground before entering the water. However, the high hardness of the ceramic shell is also higher than that of ordinary metal in the production process for the watch factory, and it is necessary to use diamond tools to smooth processing, polishing and modification, etc., especially like the Bathyscaphe full calendar moon phase diver's watch with a chain bracelet, it also has many more link parts to make and decorate, and the follow-up assembly of the chain links is also very particular about the parts to reduce tolerance, so as to perfectly connect into a comfortable chain belt, so to make a ceramic shell chain strap watch, Naturally, it will take more time.
The design of the model is similar to Blancpain's full-calendar moon phase watch, such as the date display with a graduated hand on the periphery of the dial, the day and month window at 12 o'clock, and the moon phase display at 6 o'clock. Basic real-time information can still be seen at a glance.
▲6654. The P4 calibre echoes the watch's diver's watch and deliberately presents a more rugged style, which can supply 72 hours of kinetic energy to show high practicality.
The model is powered by the 6654. P4 automatic movement, the movement has two built-in barrels to provide 72 hours of kinetic energy, and the escapement system also has a silicon balance spring to improve the anti-magnetic effect of the watch, of course, the wearer can also enjoy the smooth polishing, fish scales, chamfered polishing and other delicate finishes of the movement parts under the transparent case back, among which the rotor is also specially blackened, and the color of the case just matches, these exquisite craftsmanship and the elegant image of the watch appearance echo each other, and the style of both movement and stillness has an irresistible attraction for watch lovers.
Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Complete Calendar Moon Phases
Ceramic/6654. P.4 automatic movement / Hours, minutes, seconds, date, day and month / Annual calendar function / Moon phase display / Sapphire crystal / Water resistant to 300 meters / Diameter 43.6 mm