I think we wouldn’t be remiss in saying that when it comes to Blancpain their Fifty Fathoms dive watch acts almost as if a calling card for the brand. They have long argued that it was the first dive watch ever made and since its creation in 1953, by the brand’s CEO Jean-Jacques Fiechter, the design has hardly changed. And it is true that if something isn’t broken, why fix it? And so for this year in 2025, Blancpain has relaunched the Fifty Fathoms yet again, but this time in a smaller 38mm size.

From an outsider’s perspective, the simple addition of a new size is nothing quite so exciting. Still, from a watch enthusiast’s perspective, especially one who has long been eyeing the Fifty Fathoms but had slightly smaller wrists this is a momentous announcement from the brand. At 38mm, the core Fifty Fathoms collection is now complete with a large 45mm reference, a more average 42mm reference and for smaller wrists the new 38mm watch.

Although the idea of creating a smaller Fifty Fathoms watch, complete with the collection’s signature DNA may seem like a simple shrinking of the existing watch, in reality, it is hardly just that. Oftentimes the designers at Blancpain have to meticulously redesign each element of the watch including the hands and indices so it maintains the visual harmony of the original. What this translates to in terms of production is a recalibration of the many CNC (Computer Numerical Control) machines that cut and create the case, bracelet and many other components of the watch.

Inside the watch, Blancpain has installed the manufacture calibre 1150 that beats at a slower frequency of 3Hz. Although this frequency is slightly lower than the average, normally at around 4Hz, the automatic movement is then capable of a massive 100-hours of power reserve. Additionally, the movement also has a silicon balance spring that has a resistance to magnetism.

In the years that Blancpain have been making the Fifty Fathoms for the luxury watch market, they have added various materials to the collection, each speaking to a different type of collector. The stainless-steel variant will obviously remain as the core model in the Ref. 5007’s range and sits at the more affordable end of their pricing spectrum. But for the high-rollers you can even get this 38mm Fifty Fathoms in their signature grade 23 titanium for that ultra-technical, lightweight ethos or for the one that enjoys diving into investor meetings and boardrooms, there is even a version in 18K red gold.

With the advent of this smaller size, Blancpain has also taken the opportunity to create two more feminine options with mother-of-pearl dials. One comes in a powerful black colour scheme with an 18K red gold case but arguably the flashier of the two is a unique pink Fifty Fathoms that offers a matching pink bezel. Each dial will come with a dégradé effect on the mother of pearl lending it a touch more sophistication to an already very elegant watch.