Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Milspec Hodinkee Limited Edition

This is the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Milspec Hodinkee Limited Edition. Founded in 1735 by the mayor of Villeret, Jehan-Jacques Blancpain, the brand is renowned, among other things, for possibly creating the world’s first modern dive watch, the Fifty Fathoms, in 1953 and never having applied a quartz movement in any of its timepieces. This was famously commercialized with the tagline "Since 1735 there has never been a quartz Blancpain watch. And there never will be." when the brand was helmed by the legendary Jean-Claude Biver.

While there is some controversy as to whether the Fifty Fathoms precluded the Rolex Submariner as the first ever dive watch, there is no doubt that it stands on its own as one of the most important water-resistant watches ever made. Produced originally for the French Marine Nationale, Blancpain subsequently developed both military and civilian variants including the Aqua Lung, No Rad and Milspec. Production stopped in the 1970s until the reintroduction of the modern Fifty Fathoms some fifty years later.

The Hodinkee Limited Edition Milspec was introduced in 2020 as a limited run of 250 pieces. Designed with the vintage Milspec in mind, the Hodinkee edition pays tribute with the removal of the date display, the mid-case engraving and the brushed cased finish. In true Milspec style, the watch includes a fully functioning moisture indicator which was introduced in the original to indicate water exposure.

As far as modern Fifty Fathoms go, the Hodinkee Limited Edition Milspec remains one of the most desirable among the modern tributes. A functional diver that remains true to the iconic original, this re-edition is truly a must-have for any Blancpain enthusiast.

This Blancpain x Hodinkee Milspec is in excellent pre-owned condition with almost no signs of prior wear. It comes complete with the original box, warranty and all associated accessories. The box has some signs of wear from storage with some parts of the leather peeling. The watch is in full working order.

Brand Blancpain

Model Fifty Fathoms

Reference Milspec Hodinkee Limited Edition

Movement Automatic

Case 40.3

Case material Stainless Steel

Bracelet material Nylon

Year 2020

Condition Excellent

Accessories Original Box, Warranty and Accessories

Limited Yes. 250 pieces