Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Milspec 1 | A stainless steel automatic wristwatch with humidity indicator, Circa 1968 | 寶珀 50 Fathoms Milspec 1 精鋼自動上鏈腕錶備濕度刻度，製作年份約 1968

Property from the Family of the Original Owner
Blancpain

Fifty Fathoms Milspec 1
A stainless steel automatic wristwatch with humidity indicator, Circa 1968

寶珀 50 Fathoms Milspec 1
精鋼自動上鏈腕錶備濕度刻度，製作年份約 1968

Dial: black
Caliber: automatic
Case: stainless steel, two part screw down case back
Case number: 2'879
Closure: stainless steel Rolex Oyster bracelet with folding clasp
Size: 41 mm diameter
Signed: case, dial and movement
Box: no
Papers: no

Condition Report:
Case: The case is in overall excellent condition with minor signs of use. The bezel has taken on a warmer hue to the luminous material and has aged evenly. A small crack to the bezel at 12 o'clock. Service crystal, the original crystal is damaged and accompanies the watch.

Dial: The dial is in overall excellent condition and has aged beautifully.

Movement: The movement is running at time of cataloging, however it was not tested for the accuracy of time or duration of the power reserve and may need service at the buyer's discretion. Please note that Sotheby's does not guarantee the future working of the movement.

Catalogue Note:
Blancpain's Fifty Fathoms was launched in 1953 and has since defined the specifications and qualities of the modern diving watch. Made at the request of the French Navy, Captain Robert Maloubier and Lieutenant Claude Riffaud provided technical specifications for a watch designed for combat divers. The design revolutionized the unidirectional bezel, which ensured divers could not inadvertently turn the bezel backwards thus threatening their air supply. Blancpain added their own critical feature, a humidity indicator which showed blue if the air in the case was dry. If water penetrated the case, the indicator would turn pink as a warning to the diver. Fifty Fathoms was named after the British measurement of 50 fathoms, or approximately 91.45 meters, considered the maximum depth which a diver could achieve with the oxygen mixture available at the time.

The present Milspec watch was modeled under the same military grade specifications but for civilian use.

We are pleased to offer this watch from the family of the original owner, an avid skin and scuba diver most active in the New England area.