Just after World War II, the offer of diver’s watches was low. When the French military combat divers’ elite troops’ captain Robert Maloubier and Lieutnant Claude Riffaud looked for a tool watch to accompany their frogmen in their missions, they were unable to find a watch that met all their requirements: a unidirectional rotating bezel , a water-resistant case, an automatic winding movement (to minimize the number of times the crown is pulled out) and protection from magnetic fields. By designing this watch, the two men actually set the standards for modern divers watches. While their search for a watch manufacture that would produce their watch was a daunting task, they met with Mr Fiechter, Blancpain’s CEO, the partner they had been looking for.

Since its launch in 1953, the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms has gained iconic status within the watchmaking and diving world, having also undergone several variations. The present example is the very sought after MILSPEC I version with a humidity tester at 6 o’clock. Despite some military specifications, the present watch is a civilian version as shown by the two parts body case, the bi directional bezel and the luminous diamond hour marker at 12 o’clock. The back of the case is further engraved with the retailer’s name, in this case the diving equipment store Barakuda. Presented today in excellent condition with a superb black glossy dial, this watch is a rare opportunity to own a watch that has been exhibited as the embodiment of the Fifty Fathoms collection during the exhibition commemorating the 275th anniversary of the brand.