Blancpain’s entry into the dive watch market proves a fascinating tale, one that even merited its own documentary. The design of its original timepiece, the Fifty Fathoms Mil-Spec, was aptly named, as the watch was designed for military use by elite combat swimmers of the German Navy. Initially, all dive watches included the use of radium for luminescence. Keep this in mind as the story behind the new Blancpain Fifty Fathoms No Rad unfolds.
In the 1960s, it became evident just how harmful and dangerous radium could be when wearers or watchmakers were accidentally exposed to its effects. It was then that Blancpain produced one of its most iconic watches of all time that featured a ‘no radiation’ dial variant. It boldly displayed the words “no radiations” with a line crossed through the radiation symbol, just in case the ‘no radiation’ feature wasn’t exactly clear.
Fast-forward to 2021, and the brand is proudly introducing a revival of sorts of this iconic and beloved design, the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms No Rad. It is almost an exact copy of the original release, the same dial layout, and similar features. However, the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms No Rad tribute timepiece does feature a slightly larger case at 40.3mm. This timepiece with its rich history is in many ways a celebration of the old design with newer features. Its faux-patina calls to mind the watch’s past and creates the look of age in this unique tribute release. Rounding out the Fifty Fathoms No Rad is a period-appropriate, Tropic-style rubber band, a favorite of the era’s divers because of its comfort and durability.
If you liked this, you should check out the new Sinn U1 DS Diving Watch.
