Tribute to Fifty Fathoms MIL-SPEC Only Watch

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Tribute to Fifty Fathoms MIL-SPEC Only Watch - Blancpain
The first watch brand to support the Monaco Association Against Muscular Dystrophy presents a unique piece for Only Watch 2017.

The Tribute to Fifty Fathoms MIL-SPEC Only Watch 2017 is a one-off watch in the MIL-SPEC series launched earlier this year by Blancpain. The original MIL-SPEC of 1953 was among the first true divers' watches and, as its name suggests, was adopted by the military, including the French Navy's combat divers and the American Navy in 1957-58.

For this one-of-a-kind model, the black dial features indexes and hands in yellow Super-LumiNova®. These elements recall the designs of the 1950s MIL-SPEC 1. The date is also yellow and the water-resistance indicator once again appears at 6 o’clock. The black unidirectional rotating bezel, also bearing luminescent yellow markings, is topped by a scratch-resistant sapphire ring, an innovative feature serving to protect it from wear and introduced by Blancpain in 2003 with the 50th Anniversary Fifty Fathoms. This unique piece, water-resistant to 300 meters, will be sold with a NATO strap at the biennial charity auction.

Tribute to Fifty Fathoms MIL-SPEC Only Watch

The Tribute to Fifty Fathoms MIL-SPEC Only Watch 2017 is equipped with the Blancpain self-winding caliber 1151, which comprises 210 components including two series-coupled mainspring barrels ensuring a four-day power reserve. Housed in a 40 mm-diameter stainless-steel case, the movement is visible through the transparent sapphire case back that also reveals the solid-gold winding rotor with an NAC coating (a ruthenium-based alloy), bearing the Blancpain and “Only Watch” logos.

Jean-Jacques Fiechter, CEO of Blancpain when the Fifty Fathoms was developed, and himself a keen diver, decided to endow the MIL-SPEC I model with an additional feature: a water-resistance indicator. If any liquid were by chance to seep into the watch case, a disk at 6 o’clock would signal the problem by changing from white to red. 

Estimate: CHF 15,000-18,000, EUR 14,000-17,000, USD 16,000 - 19,000

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