Blancpain Fifty Fathoms 'No Radiation Bundeswehr' | A stainless steel automatic wristwatch, Made for the German Military, Circa 1965 | 寶珀 Fifty Fathoms 'No Radiation' 精鋼自動上鏈腕錶，製作年份約 1965

Blancpain

Fifty Fathoms 'No Radiation Bundeswehr'
A stainless steel automatic wristwatch, Made for the German Military, Circa 1965

寶珀 Fifty Fathoms 'No Radiation' 精鋼自動上鏈腕錶，製作年份約 1965

Dial: black
Caliber: cal. 1700/01 automatic, 17 jewels
Case: stainless steel, screw down case back
Case number: 208'445
Size: 41 mm diameter
Signed: dial and movement
Box: no
Papers: no

Condition Report:
Case: The case is in overall very good condition with visible surface wear throughout. The case back has noticeable signs of wear. The 'Bundeswehr' text and number has been polished off but is still slightly visible. The lower fixed spring bar is dented. The bezel with some noticeable wear and has a crack at 6 o'clock.

Dial: The dial is in overall very good condition.

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:
Fifty Fathoms has its roots in military use. In 1953, French combat swimmers were the first to use the watch on underwater missions, and for collectors, among the most elusive Fifty Fathoms are the mil-spec models.

The German military soon followed France's example and ordered the Fifty Fathoms RPG 1 model (a.k.a. the "BUND No Rad") to equip the elite frogman commando unit known as the “Kampfschwimmer.” Around the same time, Blancpain stopped using luminescent materials composed of harmful radium. The version used by the combat swimmers was stamped with a distinctive "NO RADIATIONS" logo.