HOLIDAY BUYING GUIDE: The Blancpain Ocean Commitment Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph
Felix Scholz
Ocean Commitment is Blancpain’s signature program that aims to raise awareness and help preserve the marine environment, through exhibitions, scientific expeditions and special watches like this Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph. This watch doesn’t just look good, it does good, too.
When it was announced back in 2014, we thought a mistake had been made on the press release. This handsome blue chronograph couldn’t genuinely be cased in ceramic, could it? Surely it was brushed titanium or steel? It wasn’t until we held the watch in our hands at Baselworld this year that we appreciated just how amazing this case is. It’s what we’ve since started referring to as ‘stealth ceramic’ – the grey gives it a metallic look, and the brushed finish completes the illusion.
But get in close and the similarity to metal disappears. The bezel and the angles on the lugs look like Oscar Niemeyer-esque monumental architecture. The crown and chronograph pushers are also in ceramic – but don’t go thinking this is purely for desk divers. The chronograph is a functional diving tool, safely operable at up to 300 metres, with no fiddly unscrewing of pushers required.
What we like most about the watch is how well the dial works with the rest of the watch. It’s hard to capture, but the combination of grey case and blue dial is magical, giving the Ocean Commitment edition a personality distinct from any other watch in the Bathyscaphe range.
RRP A$25,150 BLANCPAIN.COM