As a pioneer in the field of diving watches, it doesn't come as a surprise that Blancpain has a rich history in this area. While Blancpain's diving watches were available to amateur divers, the brand also made these timepieces for special aquatic units of armed forces around the world. One of their most iconic diving watches was made specifically for the Combat Swimmers of the German Navy. It stood out by the 'no radiations' logo on the dial, indicating that Blancpain used luminescent materials that didn't contain radium, a radioactive substance that was initially used to make hands and hour markers visible during low-light conditions.

The days that a watch would be available with either a black or a silver dial are long gone. Color is the new credo, as many brands now release watches in a rainbow of different hues. Recently, the colorful dials of the new Oyster Perpetual 41 even eclipsed the news of the revised Submariner. Blancpain and Jaeger-LeCoultre also offer a colorful take on existing favorites as they launch their new models.

Gold prices have, in recent weeks, reached new record highs. In times of uncertainty, people tend to go back to old standards. Even before the Covid-19 pandemic, we already saw a renewed interest in gold-cased watches. This trend was, to some extent, also fueled by watch brands creating their own alloys, which gave them a unique edge in a very competitive market.

Good design lasts forever. But great designs can lay the groundwork for a bevy of future reinterpretations—a handful of modifications here and there and you end up with a fresher take on the fundamentals.

The Blancpain Fifty Fathoms has been an icon among diving watches ever since its conception in 1953. It was a trailblazer whose profile has become one of the most recognized in the industry. While Blancpain is still making the Fifty Fathoms with a modern interpretation of the vintage lines, they are also pushing the envelope and have created a few versions that you might not expect.

With Father's Day just around the corner, this might be the perfect year to surprise that important man in your life with something that he can not only enjoy every day but will also have a practical use and serve as a reminder of your love for him; a watch. With plenty of options to choose from, we selected four different ones, for four different dads.

After the 2018 edition, the Swatch Group decided to leave Baselworld and launched this year a new format in which they introduced the novelties of Blancpain, Breguet, Omega, Harry Winston, Jaquet Droz and Glashütte Original. Under the name 'Time to Move' a carefully curated selection of the worldwide press, which included Haute Time, was invited to Switzerland to discover the new watches, with the exception of Glashütte Original, in the manufactures in which they where created. In an intimate setting, this allowed us to fully go into the details of each particular watch and discuss them with the people responsible for their creation. Among them where these four watches which we already crowned as our summer favourites;

Opened all your gifts, ate enough sweets and need a break from the Christmas carols? Then check out some stunning casebacks. The time that the back of a watch was nothing but a plain piece of metal is long gone. The vast majority of high-end watch brands now utilize the back of their watches to give you an insight into their technical capabilities.

For most watch collectors, a collection is not complete without at least one diving watch. And in the luxury watch space, there are a handful of brands known for making some of the best dive models out there.

Blancpain has been a very fortunate brand. As one of the pioneers in the field of diving watches and that of automatic watches, they have a tremendously rich history. Even when the quartz crisis almost made an end to the brand, there was Jean-Claude Biver, who together with Jacques Piguet, son of Frédéric Piguet, took the company to new heights. Since 2002 the brand is in the capable hands of Marc A. Hayek, who has carefully build upon the history of the brand, yet with a keen eye to what modern consumers are looking for. While their current collection is vast, these are our Haute Time favorites.

Summer is here, and that means that the lives of most people tend to move more to the outdoors. Pools and beaches, dining al fresco, go sailing or simply sit down and relax in the garden, these five watches will perfectly match your summer mood!

Vintage inspired watches usually go back to the mid-1900's. For many iconic watches, this was the time they were first brought to the market. That also goes for the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe, which was launched in 1956, three years after the original Fifty Fathoms. While this was an exciting time with beautiful designs, another era is also known for its unique, and often bold, creations: the 1970's.

As a diving watch pioneer, the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms is one of those watches that always get special attention from many watch connoisseurs. This goes for the current collection, but even more so of the vintage pieces, like this Fifty Fathoms "No Radiations".

Diving watches have always been imposing, but few can hold a candle to the Blancpain X Fathoms which features an impressive array of mechanical complications designed for those who like to explore the underwater world.

Diving watches are among the most popular type of watches these days, but what makes a diving watch a diver's watch is not too clear. ISO 6245 sets the standard for this, and we take a closer look at what that means!

Continuing where we left off in Part I, these are the last of our ten favorite watches from this year's Baselworld watch fair!