{"product_id":"blancpain-fifty-fathoms-no-radiations-midsize-as03616","title":"Blancpain Fifty Fathoms 'No Radiations' Midsize","description":"\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eWhy We Love It\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHere at Analog\/Shift, there is virtually no segment of vintage watch collecting that we love more than dive watches. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWe may never know whether they've seen an ocean, battlefield, or only on office in London. Regardless, we know that divers were purpose-built, tough as nails, and provided functionality for a wide range of people all over the world.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAlongside the R\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eolex Submariner and DOXA Sub 300 Series, the Fifty Fathoms is without question one of the most important dive watch designs in history. It is also often credited with being \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003ethe\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e first purpose-built timepiece with sub-aquatic usage in mind.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe Navies of France, Germany, and the United States chose the Fifty Fathoms for their divers, and underwater explorer Jacques Cousteau appeared in a documentary with the watch strapped to his wrist. Those not destined for military service - like the one we feature here - would bear a special design on the dial signifying that the luminescent material was not Radium.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDespite its geiger counter reading, the \"No Rad\" Fifty Fathoms packs all of the punch of its military counterparts. Its 35mm size might seem modest, but its size is deceptive, given the care its progenitors took in its design. Wether worn on Tropic strap like those issued to military personnel or on soft calf skin leather, it's an elevated and off the beaten path addition to any vintage collector's arsenal.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Story\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIn 1952, the French Navy and Secret Services tasked two veterans with a formidable mission. These men—Lt. Claude Riffaud of the Navy and Captain Bob Maloubier of the Secret Services—were to create a specialized unit of combat divers, meant to act under the utmost secrecy. Some of the missions they were to enact included attacking ports and sabotage.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eRiffaud and Maloubier had a general idea of what gear the divers needed—compasses, depth gauges, watches.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBut as far as watches were concerned, there was no watch on the market specifically designed for the use to which these combat divers would put it.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSo Maloubier, armed with a pencil and protractor, sketched a watch. Not just any watch, but a watch ideally suited for diving. It needed to have a robust, watertight case, and a dial that would be legible in the darkest of nights, at the deepest of depths. He then s\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ehopped his idea to several different manufacturers, but all were resistant of this new and esoteric design; all except Blancpain, that is, whose CEO, Fiechter,  happened to be an amateur diver himself.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFiechter relished the chance for his company to create a watch that no other manufacturer had dared to make. He relied on Maloubier’s expertise—and his own diving experience—to build a watch with a Bakelite bezel and rubber gaskets to seal the case. The movement that he used, rather than a manual wind, would be automatic in order to alleviate pressure on the crown from repeated winding. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBlancpain, the esteemed Swiss manufacture that opened its doors in 1735, is known worldwide for crafting some of the most elegant pocket and dress wristwatches in history. Many of these pieces are brilliant works of horological art, and as a category are worth of in-depth study and analysis. But Blancpain's other genius - what has made their legacy - is their entrant into the world of purpose built tool watches, and the industry's prototypical modern diver's watch: the legendary Fifty Fathoms.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Blancpain","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":31589133189207,"sku":null,"price":13750.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0809\/1255\/products\/BLANCPAIN_FIFTY_FATHOMS_NO_RADIATIONS_MIDSIZE_AS03616_7.jpg?v=1583883581","url":"https:\/\/www.analogshift.com\/products\/blancpain-fifty-fathoms-no-radiations-midsize-as03616","provider":"Analog:Shift","version":"1.0","type":"link"}