Swatch starts 2024 with a new Scuba Fifty Fathoms Ocean of Storms
Borna Bošnjak- The sixth edition of the Swatch x Blancpain Bioceramic Scuba Fifty Fathoms has arrived, featuring a blacked-out colour scheme and sunray dial.
- Rather than being inspired by one of Earth’s oceans, it’s inspired by one of the Moon’s lunar ‘oceans’.
- It’s not a limited release, unlike the Moonshine Gold MoonSwatch releases – it will be joining the Scuba Fifty Fathoms range permanently.
It seems like the torch of Swatch x Swatch Group brand special-edition collaborations has finally passed to the Swatch x Blancpain Bioceramic Scuba Fifty Fathoms after numerous versions of the Swatch x Omega Bioceramic MoonSwatch with differently patterned, gold-plated chrono seconds hands were released throughout 2023.
Released in September of last year, the Scuba Fifty Fathoms was the result of a Swatch and Blancpain collaboration celebrating the 70th anniversary of the legendary dive watch. Though it never quite captured the heights of hype the MoonSwatch enjoyed, whether for its higher price or less brand familiarity, it seems like Swatch is doubling down on its latest icon collaboration with the new Scuba Fifty Fathoms Ocean of Storms.
What’s actually new?
For starters, let’s discuss the inspiration behind the Ocean of Storms. If you’ve paid attention in geography class rather than doodling questionable shapes onto your desk (oddly specific, yes, don’t ask me why), you may notice that this is the sixth watch in the Swatch x Blancpain collection that is based on the five oceans on Earth. In what I’m sure is a subtle nod to the MoonSwatch, this all-black-everything number is inspired by Oceanus Procellarum (Latin for ‘Ocean of Storms’), an enormous lunar mare occupying more than 10% of the lunar surface. This dark region of the near side of the Moon isn’t really an ocean, but rather a lava-formed plain misnomered as an actual sea by early astronomers.
To go along with the colour scheme, the dial is rendered in a sunburst black, unlike the existing Scuba Fifty Fathoms models that all use fumé dials. The Fifty Fathoms handset and applied numerals are still there, along with 50 fathoms, or 91 metres, of water resistance. In many ways, the Ocean of Storms is the most faithful recreation of the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms yet, modern examples of which feature sunburst black dials too.
With a new “ocean” inspiration, we also get a new graphic covering the plates of its Sistem51 movement, as well as a new nudibranch. While the Ocean of Storms is faithfully represented, I’d wager that it was more difficult to find a Moon-dwelling sea slug, so the brand settled for the Okenia luna to grace the transparent rotor of the non-serviceable movement.
Enough with the Moon stuff?
With each new moon, we’ve gotten used to seeing a new MoonSwatch Mission to Moonshine Gold, but there’s now a possibility that the trend will shift to the ‘Thrifty Fathoms’. This could also be a clue as to what we’ll see with Swatch collaborations with conglomerate partners going forward. Does it mean we’re in for a year of special-edition Thrifty Fathoms releases, as well as a brand-new Bioceramic icon in September? I’m not so sure.
Unlike the Moonshine Gold MoonSwatch releases, the Ocean of Storms will not be limited, instead joining the other five colourways as a regular-production model. In-store availability will not change, however, as Swatch continues to insist on the selected-boutique-only method of distribution that has been met with criticism in the past. Whatever the case may be, we’ll certainly keep an eye out for the next full moon, as well as the Swatch Instagram page, for more clues.
Swatch x Blancpain Scuba Fifty Fathoms Ocean of Storms pricing and availability
The Swatch x Blancpain Scuba Fifty Ocean of Storms is a non-limited release, available in select Swatch boutiques only from January 11th. Price: A$655, US$400.
| Brand | Swatch x Blancpain |
| Model | Scuba Fifty Fathoms Ocean of Storms |
| Case Dimensions | 42.3mm (D) x 14.4mm (T) x 48mm (LTL) |
| Case Material | Bioceramic |
| Water Resistance | 91 metres (50 fathoms) |
| Crystal(s) | Bio-sourced glass with scratch-resistant coating |
| Dial | Sunburst black |
| Lug Width | 21mm |
| Strap | Black and white NATO-style made from recycled fishing nets |
| Movement | Sistem51, in-house, automatic |
| Power Reserve | 90 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, seconds, date |
| Availability | Available in select Swatch boutiques only from January 11th |
| Price | A$655, US$400 |