Press release
The amount will be entirely donated to research on Duchenne muscular dystrophy. For this third “Only Watch” charity auction held during the Monaco Yacht Show, Blancpain had created a unique version of its new 500 Fathoms diver's watch.
Endowed with a new face, new dimensions and new performances, the 500 Fathoms may be considered the “big sister” (in size terms) of the famous Fifty Fathoms*. More imposing than its predecessors, the 48 mm-diameter 500 Fathoms Only Watch N°1/1 is water-resistant to 100 atmospheres (ATM). An automatic decompression valve housed inside the brushed titanium case, guarantees the watch's security and reliability without any intervention by its owner.
Unique in the world, the anthracite grey dial of the 500 Fathoms Only Watch N°1/1 is adorned with a carbon fibre centre. A tinted blue sapphire ring provides a transparent view of the date disc rotating beneath a window at 6 o'clock. The luminescent coating applied to the hour-markers, bezel markings and hands, along with the red tip of the central seconds hand, ensure optimal read-off in all circumstances. The easy-grip raised notched unidirectional rotating bezel facilitates handling, while the titanium and scratchproof sapphire crystal bezel is slightly domed to reduce the risk of impacts.
The sapphire crystal case-back enables one to admire the self-winding Calibre 1315, as well as its entirely hand-decorated oscillating weight shaped like a boat propeller. The 500 Fathoms Only Watch N°1/1 is equipped with a rubber-lined black sail canvas strap, while an additional rubber strap and the dedicated instrument required to fix it complete the set, delivered in an ultra-sturdy watertight presentation box able to withstand extreme conditions.
Reminder
First launched in 1953, the Fifty Fathoms gained its pedigree by facing up to the extreme conditions prevailing during underwater military missions. The water resistance of the original model, guaranteed to 50 fathoms (91.45 metres) lent its name to this mechanical masterpiece which soon earned a sterling reputation for reliability and ruggedness, asserting itself as the archetypal modern diver's watch. In 2007, this iconic model returned to centre stage when Blancpain presented an entire range of Fifty Fathoms models water-resistant to 30 ATM.
