One to watch: Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Automatique 38mm

“Shrink it, pink it and add diamonds.” This was long the formula that watchmakers — notably run by men for a long time — used when creating women’s watches. A bestselling men’s watch was given the above makeover and, voila!, job done. Needless to say the result was hardly a sure-fire hit, but come 2025 and the Swiss watchmaker Blancpain has come a long way with key takeaways surrounding this age-old formula.

Blancpain’s Fifty Fathoms is a true Hall of Fame watch. The design is considered the first modern diving watch and, soon after its launch in 1953, was swiftly adopted by marine explorers and professional divers. With ground-breaking water resistance of 50 fathoms — equivalent to 91.44 metres — the automatic watch was known to be super robust and reliable, featuring a secure crown system, lockable rotating bezel and an ultra-legible, contrasting dial with luminescent hour markers.

Today’s divers don’t of course just rely on mechanical watches for their expeditions — just as today’s aviators don’t solely navigate via a pilot’s watch on the wrist. Still, that sentiment and mood — that sense of ambition, possibility and emotion — is still captured in watches. The Blancpain Fifty Fathoms celebrated its 70th anniversary in 2023 and two years on, Blancpain has been clearly been refocusing the watch for the ever-growing female customer. The “shrink it” side has duly seen the watch slimmed down to a more feminine 38.2mm profile, as the case is crafted in ultra-modern and technical titanium. As for the pink bit — the dial is actually a subtle white mother of pearl, while the rest of the watch has been given a cool pink-hued lookin. A sapphire bezel in stylish blush tones is contrasted with stronger hues for the markers — harking back to the watch’s original graphic legibility —– with the bold colours also found on the dial. Finally, the NATO Velcro strap is properly sporty and functional and features racing-like stripes in two tones of pink. But the best part? There’s not a single diamond in sight, which we love for ensuring that the brand remains faithful to the Fifty Fathoms’ purist and technical, humble beginnings.