Tuesday, June 18, 2019

BLANCPAIN – Fifty Fathoms Nageurs de Combat Edition


BLANCPAINFifty Fathoms Nageurs de Combat Limited Edition 2019

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A Fifty Fathoms honouring 
French Combat Swimmers

A pioneer in the development of military and civilian diver’s watches, Blancpain pays tribute to its original collaboration with the founders of the French Combat Swimmers unit. Inspired by this heritage, the Manufacture unveils a 300-piece Fifty Fathoms limited edition bearing the symbols of French commando frogmen.

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When Jean-Jacques Fiechter, himself an outstanding diver, took the helm of Blancpain in 1950, he began working on a reliable and robust timing instrument capable of accompanying him in his underwater adventures. This was a major challenge given that there were no watch industry precedents that might be used as a blueprint.

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Guided by his own experience, he defined and developed the fundamental specifications that a watch genuinely dedicated to scuba diving must meet : luminescent hands and hour-markers contrasting with a dark dial, a secured rotating bezel, a self-winding movement, perfect water-resistance, and an antimagnetic case.

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In parallel, beginning in 1952, Captain Robert "Bob" Maloubier and Lieutenant Claude Riffaud, founders of the newly formed French Combat Swimmers unit, began their quest to find a watch suited for their aquatic missions.

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The two officers envisaged finding a watch that would become an indispensable piece of equipment for their divers.

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Working together, they assembled a list of specific criteria for an instrument that would meet their requirements. The first tests which they conducted with "water-resistant" French watches were inconclusive.

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These watches were far too small, the dials were hard to read, and the cases were far from waterproof. Having heard that the director of a Swiss watchmaking house was testing a new model of watch when diving in the south of France, they decided to contact Jean-Jacques Fiechter.

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In 1953, Blancpain was able to deliver to the French team a watch for testing that fully met their criteria. The watch performed brilliantly in all of the tests and it became one of the essential pieces of equipment for the French Combat Swimmers corps. Later, the same occurred for naval forces around the world. This unique timepiece was named Fifty Fathoms.

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In tribute to its close collaboration with the founders of the French Combat Swimmers unit, Blancpain wanted to unveil a special edition of its Fifty Fathoms diver’s watch. Supporting this initiative, the French army authorized the Manufacture to engrave the Combat Diver Qualification Badge – featuring a central anchor, dedicated to sailors and flanked by two winged seahorses representing the underwater world as well as parachutists – on the caseback of the new model. The watch face discreetly displays a second emblem – the number 7. As oxygen becomes toxic when its partial pressure reaches 1.7 bar, the maximum depth that commando frogmen can reach when using pure oxygen is seven metres, a number that has thus become a symbolic figure in this milieu.

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Faithful to the reputation of its ancestor, the special "Nageurs de combat" edition new model ensures robustness and reliability thanks to the 1315 self-winding movement. Equipped with a date window, it notably features a silicon hairspring serving as an antimagnetic shield, while three series-coupled barrels provide a five-day power reserve. The 45 mm-diameter satin-brushed steel case is water-resistant to 30 bar (approx. 300 metres).

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Like the original model, the hands and hour-markers of the "Nageurs de combat" watch are covered with luminescent material, contrasting with the matt black dial. Their geometrical shapes evoke the generation of 1950s Blancpain military diving watches. Lending an additional subtle touch, the hands are painted white, just as they are on period watches. In the same vintage spirit, the traditional triangular mark that appeared on the first Fifty Fathoms models is back in its original spot at 12 o’clock. Meanwhile, the black unidirectional rotating bezel highlights a luminescent time scale protected by a curved sapphire insert that is extremely resistant to shocks and scratches.

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The limited edition Fifty Fathoms "Nageurs de combat" watch is the latest chapter in the long history of Blancpain’s relationship with the oceans. It finds its place within the brand’s collection as an authentic tribute to the combat divers who contributed to the birth of a watchmaking icon.
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TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Collection: Fifty Fathoms 

References:  5015E-1130-B52A - strap

Model: Nageurs de Combat Edition Steel

Case
Stainless steel satin-brushed
Unidirectional satin-brushed steel bezel, sapphire insert
Diameter:  45.00 mm
Thickness: 15.70 mm
Between horns:  23.00 mm
Back:   Sapphire crystal
Antimagnetic properties
Water-resistant: 30 ATM/300m/1000ft
Dial
Black dial
Date and seconds
Liquidmetal® large red and white hour-markers
"Old radium» indexes in Super-LuminNova® 
Date  4,5 o'clock
Functions                
Hours, Minutes, Seconds, Date 
Movement
Calibre 1315
Self-winding Ultra-slim
Diameter: 30.60.mm
Thickness: 5.65 mm

Power reserve in hours: 120 hours
Jewels: 35
3 mainspring barrels

Glucydur free sprung balance with gold regulation screws
Secured movement
Components: 227
Strap
Sail canvas strap
Pin Buckle engraved with the BLANCPAIN logo.


EDITION
 Limited edition  300


New Model - 2019

*Each bar corresponds to a 10-metre water column.
* Blancpain reserves the right to modify this model and its technical characteristics.

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Press release - 2019
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Blancpain S.A.
Le Rocher 12
1348 Le Brassus
Suisse
International PR: Aude Rosati
Tel.  (+41) 21 796 3636
Fax (+41) 21 796 3637
E-mail: pr@blancpain.com
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Monday, June 17, 2019

RADO – TRUE Thinline My Bird Edition


















RADOTRUE Thinline My Bird Ceramic Blue Limited Edition


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Light as a feather

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(Lengnau, Switzerland – March 2019) Symbolism, tradition, opulence and colour are the hallmarks of the work of renowned Russian artist and designer Evgenia Miro. Drawing on emblems and motifs that trace their origins back through centuries of storytelling, Evgenia creates beautiful designs that she applies to a range of materials to create enduring pieces designed to stand the test of time.

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From decorated silks to delicate china, Evgenia has now progressed to working on a micro scale with high-tech ceramic for the watch she has co-created with pioneering Swiss watchmaker Rado.

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Considered the most forward-thinking design player in the watch industry, Rado worked closely with Evgenia as she brought her unique vision and perspective to a watch collection that is known for its slim silhouette, confident construction and the way it revolutionised traditional watchmaking on its debut in 2011.

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Created in durable and scratch-resistant high-tech ceramic, the familiar monobloc case and bracelet of the True Thinline collection feature precision laser engravings of a delicate and distinctive feather pattern. Evgenia’s unique concept sees the bird’s feather creating a new philosophy of time with its lightness and dynamic rhythm of fine lines.

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She believes we are at our most active and productive between 1 o’clock and 7 o’clock and she chose to place the feather diagonally across the dial at these points to express this. The feather is also a symbol of the lightness of high-tech ceramic.

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Using the deep rich blue that she believes has a deep philosophical and symbolic meaning, Evgenia’s True Thinline is designed to communicate wisdom, nobility and spirituality. The strong, deep colour is complemented by contrasting rose gold coloured hands and the metallised Rado logo.

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An interesting contrast

To Evgenia, the symbol of the bird stands for tenderness, wisdom and refinement as well as for freedom and she chose to place it on the case back where it is worn next to the skin.

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The bird she has chosen is opulent and proud, its red and gold plumage symbolising warmth and light - a theme often seen in her work. The bird is digitally printed on the sapphire crystal case back – a first at Rado.

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Speaking about the collaboration with Evgenia Miro, Rado CEO Matthias Breschan said: “Working with Evgenia to create this watch was a unique experience. The ever-changing nature of time is one of the themes she often explores in her work. We felt this design idea was a very interesting contrast for a watch that is enduring and designed to stand the test of time.”

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The Rado True Thinline My Bird Limited Edition is one of the latest models in a series of designer collaborations for Rado, a multi award-winning designer in its own right. Featuring watches co-created with renowned designers from a range of design disciplines, Rado cements its claim as the go-to brand in watch design.

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About Evgenia Miro

Russian artist and designer Evgenia Miro graduated from the St. Petersburg Academy of Decorative and Fine Arts with honours in 1998. A year later, she joined the Union of Artists and Designers of Russia. With a focus on colour and symbolism, she continued to develop and exhibit her work around the world. In 2009, following a period of further study at the School of Arts in London, she moved to Paris where she now has an atelier. One of the key themes in her work is time, and she is known for her design collaborations which use materials including silk and fine bone china. Now Evgenia has created more than 500 collections. She was honoured by the cultural association, LA RENAISSANCE FRANCAISE for her contribution to French culture

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TECHNICAL DATA

Model: TRUE Thinline My Bird Edition


Ref. 420.0014.3.015

Movement
Calibre: ETA 282.002,
Quartz, 13 jewels, 2 hands
Case
Polished blue high-tech ceramic case
Dimensions 39.0 x 43.3 x 5.0 (WxLxH in mm)
Monobloc construction with a laser engraved feather pattern polished blue high-tech ceramic crown
metallised curved sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating on both sides
titanium case back with digital printed lucky bird on sapphire crystal
special engraving on case back: LIMITED EDITION ONE OUT OF 1001 EVGENIA MIRO
Water-resistant to 3 bar (30m)
Metallisation rose gold coloured Swiss Made and Rado logos
Dial 
Polished blue, matt blue printed feather pattern
Hands rose gold coloured
Bracelet
Three-row polished blue high-tech ceramic with a laser engraved feather pattern
titanium three-fold clasp

Limited Edition to 1001 watches

Suggested Retail Price     CHF 2'300 (VAT Incl.)

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