$2,530
To be Sold Without Reserve, Blancpain, "Fifty Fathoms, Rotomatic Incabloc", Ref. 1573. Made in the 1950s. Fine and rare, stainless steel, center-seconds, self-winding, water-resistant, anti-magnetic diver's wristwatch. Four-body, polished, graduated and bi-directional revolving bezel, screwed-down case back, anti-magnetic protection shield. Black with radium-coated indexes. Radium-coated “bâton” hands. Cal. AS 1361N, rhodium-plated, 17 jewels, straight line lever escapement, monometallic balance, shock-absorber, self-compensating flat balance-spring. Dial, case and movement signed. Diam. 41 mm. Thickness 12 mm. Notes Fifty Fathoms Production of the Fifty Fathoms watch started in 1953 after an initiative of the French Ministry of Defense and the French Navy to produce a water-resistant watch for its special missions divers. At the time, an autonomous diver could reach 91 meters using normal compressed air. This depth meant 50 pitch-stirrers of 1.8 meters or 50 fathoms. It was a safety threshold for the divers and surpassed only later by Comex with a mix of helium and air; the watch itself could withstand the pressures in 150 meters’ depth. Ref. 1573 was made between 1956 and 1960.
Auctioneer:
Antiquorum
Date:
2005-09-28
