Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Automatique review: worth it or skip?

What the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Automatique does well

The headline: diver created in 1953 with sapphire bezel. The details: Case: 42 mm steel; Movement: Blancpain 1315; Water resistance: 300 m; Power reserve: 120 hours. In our list it is the pick for: the first modern diver. It usually sells for $16,500–$18,500 in the US.

The 40 mm Bathyscaphe is smaller.

The trade-offs

Good: heritage, superb finishing, sapphire bezel. Not so good: large, pricey. Read the skip-if line before you spend: skip it if you want small.

What to buy instead

Instead, consider the Rolex Submariner Date 126613LB Two-Tone ($15,800–$19,500): rolesor Submariner with blue dial and bezel. Better if you want the Submariner with more presence.

Instead, consider the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Flyback ($18,000–$21,000): ceramic flyback chronograph diver. Better if you want a refined diver chronograph.

Instead, consider the Tudor Black Bay 58 18K ($18,000–$20,000): solid gold BB58. Better if you want gold for less.

Before you buy

Size: 39 to 42 mm wears well on most wrists; check lug-to-lug length, which matters more than diameter. Movement: in-house and chronometer-certified movements (COSC, METAS) are more accurate and often have longer service intervals. Bracelet: a quick micro-adjust clasp makes a huge difference in summer; check it before you buy.

Buyer tip

Buy luxury watches from authorized dealers or the brand for the full warranty; grey-market and pre-owned sellers can save 10–30% but check their warranty.

Buying in Europe: authorized-dealer prices for Swiss watches are set per country and include VAT; a watch bought in Switzerland or the EU carries the same international warranty as one bought in the US. Grey-market and pre-owned prices are often quoted in euros or Swiss francs.

Luxury prices move in a different rhythm from everyday shopping. The great houses (Chanel, Hermès, Louis Vuitton, Dior, Rolex) raise prices once or twice a year, often in January and in spring, and almost never discount their icons. Seasonal pieces, colors and many shoes, coats and knitwear drop 30–50% in the end-of-season sales in January and from late June. Watches from brands such as Omega, TAG Heuer, Longines and Breitling, and most fragrance, see the best prices around Prime Day and Black Friday. Judge any deal against the usual price we show.

Buy from the fashion house, an authorized retailer or a reseller that authenticates and guarantees every piece, and keep the receipt, the dust bag, the box and any warranty card: they matter for repairs and for resale. Swiss watches carry a 2- to 5-year international warranty when bought from an authorized dealer, and buyers in the EU and UK also have a legal guarantee of at least two years on new goods.