Yahoo Finance Blancpain X Swatch: Everything we know about the latest watch collaboration
Blancpain X Swatch: could this be the “innovative” collaboration they say it is?
The Swatch collaborations are back after a viral launch of the Omega MoonSwatch back in March last year.
Marking the 70th anniversary of the “Fifty Fathoms” collection, luxury watchmaker Blancpain says collaborating with Swatch will create a “playful” and “unexpected” version of its so-called “iconic” scuba diving watch.
The watch was built for French combat divers who required reliable watches that function underwater.
Now, the two well-known watch brands are teaming up for a “non-limited collection” which will feature five models full of “joie de vivre,” – which loosely translates to “enjoyment of life”.
A press release by Blancpain noted the brands are “diving into the five oceans of the blue planet, combining the best of both brands with innovative, bioceramic, water-resistant timepieces and a mechanical movement with a 90-hour power reserve”.
But does this collaboration really meet the hype?
With the brands finely crafted advertisements in newspapers across the United States, including the New York Times, Washington Post, and LA Times – teasing consumers for what is to come, could this be what watch lovers hoped for?
Here is everything you need to know about the Blancpain X Swatch collection collaboration
When will the Blancpain X Swatch collection launch?
Watch lovers, have no fear as the Bioceramic Scuba Fifty Fathoms drops worldwide on 9 September, according to an Instagram post by Swatch on 4 September.
Since its announcement, Swatch and Blancpain have released several teasers – getting fans excited for what is yet to come.
“The collection faithfully reproduces all the Fifty Fathoms hallmarks, such as superior water resistance, outstanding legibility, mechanical movement secured rotating bezel, and anti-magnetic protection,” Swatch said in one of its Instagram posts and people loved it.
One user commented under the post “Shut up and take my money,” while another said: “Much better than Swatch-Omega collab!!!”.
What will the collection look like?
Blancpain X Swatch will be launching five models with a “unique and patented blend of two-thirds ceramic and one-third biomaterials derived from castor oil.”
Each model is named after the world’s five oceans while featuring different bright colours with the words “Blancpain Fifty Fathoms X Swatch inscribed inside.”
The colours are the Atlantic Ocean in blue, the Arctic Ocean in red, the Pacific Ocean in yellow, the Indian Ocean in green, and the Antarctic Ocean in white.
For Blancpain President and CEO Marc A. Hayek, this collaboration is highly symbolic: "Without Swatch, the Swiss watch industry would simply not have survived and enjoyed such a wonderful destiny.
“This collection is a source of pride for me. We owed it to ourselves to work with this brand that is as much a pioneer as we are – a reality vividly proven with this collection. Swatch has brilliantly reinterpreted our iconic model, in its own way, with its own vision,” Hayek adds.
“As a keen diver myself, I really appreciate the attention to detail in this collection and the many references to the Fifty Fathoms. The fact that it is water-resistant to a depth of 91 metres – corresponding to exactly 50 fathoms, a nautical unit of depth – is a fantastic nod."
I want to know more about the models and price points
Watch fanatics, we’ve got you covered with all you need to know about each model, style and price point, according to the Swatch website.
First up we have the Arctic Ocean:
Price: £340
Case Material: Beige Bioceramic case including crown
Case diameter: 42.4mm
Case thickness: 14.4m
Lug to lug distance: 48.0 mm
Movement: SISTEM51 mechanical movement
Water resistance: 50 fathoms (91/300ft/9 bar)
Glass: Biosourced material with anti-scratch coating
Hand, hour markers, 60 minutes diving scale: Grade A Super-LumiNova
Bezel: One-direction rotating bezel in beige Bioceramic material with anti-scratch coating insert in orange
Strap: NATO strap made from recycled fishing nets removed from the sea
Pacific Ocean
Price: £340
Case Material: Yellow-orange Bioceramic case including crown
Case diameter: 42.3 mm
Case thickness: 14.4 mm
Lug-to-lug distance: 48.0 mm
Movement: SISTEM51 mechanical movement
Water resistance: 50 fathoms (91 m / 300 ft / 9 bar)
Glass: Biosourced material treated with an anti-scratch coating
Hands, hour markers, 60 minutes diving scale: Grade A Super-LumiNova
Bezel: one-direction rotating bezel in warm yellow Bioceramic material with anti-scratch coating insert in black
Strap: NATO strap made from recycled fishing nets removed from the sea
Atlantic Ocean
Price: £340
Case Material: blue Bioceramic case including crown
Case diameter: 42.3 mm
Case thickness: 14.4 mm
Lug-to-lug distance: 48.0 mm
Movement: SISTEM51 mechanical movement
Water resistance: 50 fathoms (91 m / 300 ft / 9 bar)
Glass: Biosourced material treated with an anti-scratch coating
Hands, hour markers, 60 minutes diving scale: Grade A Super-LumiNova
Bezel: one-direction rotating bezel in ocean blue Bioceramic material with anti-scratch coating insert in black
Strap: NATO strap made from recycled fishing nets removed from the sea
Indian Ocean
Price: £340
Case Material: green Bioceramic case including crown
Case diameter: 42.3 mm
Case thickness: 14.4 mm
Lug-to-lug distance: 48.0 mm
Movement: SISTEM51 mechanical movement
Water resistance: 50 fathoms (91 m / 300 ft / 9 bar)
Glass: Biosourced material treated with an anti-scratch coating
Hands, hour markers, 60 minutes diving scale: Grade A Super-LumiNova
Bezel: one-direction rotating bezel in green Bioceramic material with anti-scratch coating insert in black
Strap: NATO strap made from recycled fishing nets removed from the sea
Antarctic Ocean
Price: £340
Case Material: ice white Bioceramic case including crown
Case diameter: 42.3 mm
Case thickness: 14.4 mm
Lug-to-lug distance: 48.0 mm
Movement: SISTEM51 mechanical movement
Water resistance: 50 fathoms (91 m / 300 ft /9 bar)
Glass: Biosourced material treated with an anti-scratch coating
Hands, hour markers, 60 minutes diving scale: Grade A Super-LumiNova
Bezel: one-direction rotating bezel in ice-white Bioceramic material with anti-scratch coating insert in dark grey
Strap: NATO strap made from recycled fishing nets removed from the sea
Where can I buy the Blancpain X Swatch collection?
The non-limited collections mean the collaboration is set for continuous rollout, so the good news is – you won’t have to rush to the nearest Swatch store to grab yours as soon as possible.
With the worldwide launch taking off on 9 September, you can purchase your selected watch in the nearest Swatch store.
What is bioceramic made of?
Swatch first began converting its collections to use a new bio-sourced plastic derived from castor oil in 2020.
This new plastic is also combined with ceramic to create “bioceramic”.
Noted by Swatch as a “recipe for innovation,” now, similar to the MoonSwatch, this year’s collab is housed in Swatch’s hybrid plastic-ceramic material.
But what makes this watch slightly more pricy is the inside, built-in with an automatic movement in place of quartz. Despite the fancy upgrade, the Bioceramic Scuba Fifty Fathoms gives buyers the chance to wear the branded name on their wrists for hundreds of pounds.
