The Best Thus Far? Meet The Blancpain × Swatch Fifty Fathoms Green Abyss

The Swatch press release for this watch says it’s “inspired by the unexplored.” The deep green new Blancpain × Swatch Fifty Fathoms Green Abyss with touches of black (bezel) and beige (markers, hands, bezel numerals, etc.) takes inspiration from the ocean’s depths.

Blancpain × Swatch Scuba Fifty Fathoms Green Abyss

This is the ninth Blancpain × Swatch Scuba Fifty Fathoms variation from the company founded in 1983 in Biel, and it is my favorite version so far, closely followed by the Ocean of Storms. This new Green Abyss edition might get me in line at the Swatch boutique on June 7th.

Although the Blancpain collaboration is probably not as in-demand as the MoonSwatch variations (simply because Omega is a more recognized name than Blancpain), the collection of Bioceramic Scuba Fifty Fathoms models has its fans. Nearly every time I enter a Swatch boutique, someone asks about them or admires the display with all the different models inside.

Sistem51

Unlike the MoonSwatch, the Scuba Fifty Fathoms models have a mechanical movement. This also explains the difference in price, of course. Inside the Blancpain-based design is Swatch’s Sistem51 movement. Swatch introduced this mechanical caliber debuted in 2013 during Baselworld. It found its way into the Blancpain × Swatch Scuba Fifty Fathoms collection. As Nacho reported last year in this article, “The Swatch Sistem51 movement consists of five modules joined together. These include the mechanical stem module, the escapement module, the automatic winding module, the oscillating weight, and a plate that hosts the wheel train, date, and hand pinions. Machines build each one of these independently, and then specialized machines assemble them. It’s also worth mentioning that Swatch designed this movement from scratch and did not borrow from any prior Swatch Group movement designs.”

The Sistem51 movement offers 90 hours of power reserve and has an antimagnetic Nivachron hairspring.

Regal Sea Goddess

The movement features a detailed digital print of the Felimare picta, a colorful nudibranch often referred to as the Regal Sea Goddess. Commonly seen on the ocean floor, it serves as a reminder of the ocean’s many wonders and the diverse marine life within it. All is visible through the transparent case back, just like the eight previous Blancpain × Swatch Scuba Fifty Fathoms watches.

Fifty fathoms equals 91 meters

What sets this Green Abyss version apart from other Scuba FF watches is, of course, the color combination. The dark green dial, the black bezel with sand-beige numerals and markers, and the NATO-style strap that integrates all these colors create what I’d call an almost tactical combination. The beige on the numerals, markers, and hands is all Grade A Super-LumiNova for easy legibility in low-light conditions. The water resistance is fifty fathoms, which equals 91 meters or 300 feet. It’s probably 100 meters anyway, but the nod to the Blancpain name is neat!

Availability and pricing

The price of the Blancpain × Swatch Scuba Fifty Fathoms Green Abyss is €400.

This lightweight 42.3mm watch will be available at select Swatch boutiques worldwide starting June 7th. As we know from past releases, the initial deliveries are always somewhat limited. For some of us, however, it’s still worth getting in line. Will you?