Blancpain is the inventor of the first diver watch in the early 1950s. The watch was thus rapidly adopted by numerous international combat diving corps. The classic Blancpain Fifty Fathoms diver is immediately recognizable for its large domed-sapphire capped bezel and its flamboyant look. In contrast the Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe has a flat-sapphire capped bezel and an overall more under-the-radar look, but it absolutely does not mean it is a less attractive watch. The Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Day Jour Date 70s Limited Edition is the best example to emphasize this statement.

Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Day Jour Date 70s has a 43 mm diameter and 14.2 mm thick stainless steel case. The case lugs are straight and the lug-to-lug separation is around 50 mm. The watch wears thus quite large on a 16 cm circumference wrist.

Unlike the classic Fitfty Fathoms, the case flanks are not curved but straight. The stainless steel case is satin-brushed finished. On the right flank no crown guards to protect the oversized screw-down crown, signed with Blancpain "|B" logo.

The Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Day Date 70s is a homage edition to a Blancpain diver watch produced in the 1970s. These who watches share a similar fumé dial and a superimposed minute track. I am glad Blancpain re-edited these two features. The dial of the new Bathyscaphe Day Date 70s is lovely . The dial has a fumé grey-brown sunburst finish; light grey in the dial center and light-brown on the periphery. Applied indices are indicating the different hours. These indices are composed of two parallel silver rectangles with a perpendicular luminescent rectangle on the external side. There is no doubt this index design is reminiscent from the 70s.

The minute track is printed in white color on the dial. A silver-brushed minute register disk in superimposed to the dial. The minutes are printed in black color on this track, and a small rectangle is painted in red color juts below. The minutes are indicated every five minutes except at 12 o'clock, where a luminescent triangle takes place.

The 120-click steel bezel is also satin-brush finished. The watch bezel has the typical Blancpain Bathyscaphe flat sapphire crystal topping. Underneath the flat sapphire the minute track and indices are printed in silver color, they are not luminescent. A luminescent lume pit is however located at 12 o'clock on the bezel.

Two day and a date windows are located at 3 o'clock. The day and date are printed in white color on a black background.

The hour and minute hands adopt the usual Bathyscaphe syringe shape. The second hand adopts in contrast a lollipop shape, with a red painted apex. The three hands are filled with luminescent material.

"|B", "1735", "BLANCPAIN" and "Fifty Fathoms" are painted in white color just below the 12 o'clock index on the sunburst dial. "BATHYSCAPHE" is written at 6 o'clock, just below the hand axis.

The Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe has 300 M water resistance, it is a real diver watch.

The watch is powered by the Blancpain calibre 1315DD. This self-winding caliber beats at a frequency of 28'800 v/h. It has three main spring barrels and an impressive power reserve of 120h. The caliber uses a glucydur free sprung balance with gold regulation screws. have

The watch caliber can be seen through the transparent case back. The caliber rotor is made of white 18ct gold and has a sand-blasted finished. "|B", "1735", "BLANCPAIN" and "GOLD 18 K" appear on the rotor in brushed-finish letters. "ANTIMAGNETIC" and the "N° XXX/500" watch number are engraved on the metal part of the case back.

The watch comes on a thick vintage-style antiqued brown leather strap. The strap aspect fits well the retro-inspired style of the dial.

In contrast with the classic Fifty Fathoms models, the strap is here hold through spring bars.

Blancpain diver watches are icons. I usually prefer the design of the classic Fifty-Fathoms to the one of the Fifty-Fathoms Bathyscaphe, but that was before I saw the Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Jour Date 70s I really felt in love with this watch. The classic Fifty-Fathoms is a very elegant, neraly dressy diver watch. The Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Jour Date 70s is a more sporty and tought-looking watch. The fumé dial and the aged leather strap give to the watch an old-school adventurer look. I also appreciate the extra work Blancpain did on the applied hour makers and the hour track disk, it make the dial so original and unique. The watch is powered by an nicely-decorated in-house caliber with a fantastic power reserve of 120 h! The Rolex Submariner only has a 70 h power reserve, and this is only since 2020. To me the Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Jour Date 70s is on of the most appealing watches in the Blancpain collections, and definitively one of my favorite ones. With only 500 pieces produced, you will be lucky if you still find one in your AD display.