In 2014, Blancpain upped its commitment to the underwater world with the collaborative gathering of all its partnerships in the realm of ocean exploration and preservation under the label Blancpain Ocean Commitment, alongside the launch of the first series of Ocean Commitment limited edition watches.
Three years, ten expeditions and four million square kilometers of protected ocean later, Blancpain reconfirms its commitment with an all-blue limited edition.
The Swiss manufacture has had a historical link with diving spanning 64 years, established with the launch of the Fifty Fathoms, the world’s first modern diving watch, in 1953.
The ideas and concepts woven into that first Fifty Fathoms have defined diving watches for the entire industry ever since.
In recognition of this heritage, Blancpain is committed to the exploration and preservation of the oceans. Convinced that support for environmental protection is directly dependent on keeping the public informed, the Manufacture has been working to raise overall awareness by sponsoring significant scientific projects, ocean exploration initiatives, underwater photography, environmental forums, exhibitions, high-profile publications and a dedicated website. All these efforts since 2014 have been umbrella-ed under the Blancpain Ocean Commitment label.
In 2014, Blancpain presented a 250-piece limited edition timepiece, which at its launch was announced as the first in a series of limited editions. After the success of this first edition and the tangible results of its partnerships, Blancpain has now introduced the second limited edition timepiece, the Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph Blancpain Ocean Commitment II (BOC II).
This new watch expresses the brand's determination to pursue its commitment to the oceans while continuing to target extremely ambitious objectives.
The BOC II limited edition timepiece comes with a hand-numbered copy of a manuscript written by Professor Hans Hass in the 1960s and which to date has never before been published in full. Recognized among diving historians as the "Pioneer of the Pioneers," Hass changed the world of science with his revolutionary scuba diving developments, underwater photography, and scientific research.
The publication focuses on the years between the 1940s and 1960s and retraces the challenges involved in setting up his initial scientific expeditions, while offering a fascinating glimpse of the historical context of the period within which Blancpain presented the first modern diving watch: the Fifty Fathoms.
Blancpain and Professor Hans Hass, in addition to their shared pioneering spirit, are connected by their values. Among its Ocean Commitment initiatives, Blancpain supports the Hans Hass Fifty Fathoms Award.
This prestigious distinction honors excellence in two categories: Art and Literature in recognition of Professor Hass' pioneering work in both underwater imagery and printed word; and Science and Technology in acknowledgement of his equally pioneering work in marine sciences and underwater technical innovation.
