Legends aren't created, they are born under extraordinary circumstances and often designed to be good at a very specific task. Such was also the case of the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms. Born in 1953, it combined a few remarkable features that would make it a pioneer in diving watches.

Is the large case trend making its exit? Like it or not, brands are going back to their roots with smaller, tasteful releases at mid-20th century sizes.

In the hustle and bustle of Baselworld, some new watches simply stand out. One of them was the Blancpain “Tribute to Fifty Fathoms MIL-SPEC”. The name of this watch says it all; it is a tribute to the Fifty Fathoms MIL-SPEC of the 1950's, a military divers watch with a unique feature.

Remarkably, diver’s watches did not exist  in 1953, when Blancpain CEO and diving enthusiast Jean-Jacques Fiechter set out to create a reliable instrument capable of accompanying him on his underwater adventures. It was christened Fifty Fathoms after the British measurement corresponding to around 91 meters, then considered to be the maximum depth divers could reach […]