The Bittersweet Irony of the Swatch X Blancpain Scuba
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 21 июл 2024
- A Discussion around the Swatch X Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Scuba. With all the inherent hype surrounding these models and a fairly impressive portfolio of designs and colours, there is a lot to be said about what lies beneath the surface. From an unserviceable movement to the watches disposability. The future of these pieces is unknown. It goes directly against what Blancpain as a name has been trying to achieve for decades.
#swatch #blancpain #moonswatch
Intro 0:00
The Quality of Watches & Choice 1:30
Swatch Moonswatch vs Blancpain Scuba 2:28
Why Use Blancpain? (History and Success) 3:48
What do We want from Blancpain? 5:10
Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Scuba Design 5:48
Made to be Disposed? 7:37
The Consumable vs Quality Watches 8:29
The Bittersweet Aspect 9:25
The Irony 9:46
Conclusion 10:30
All Images are Sourced from either Press Release Photos or Public Listings.
Below are a list of the common sources that are used in no particular order:
Bob’s Watches | Revolution Watch | HQ Milton | Hodinkee | Monochrome Watches | Jomashop | Analog Shift | Bulang and Sons | Robb Report | Watchfinder | WatchBox | Phillips Watches | Christies | Timekeepers Club | Fratello Watches | Bexsonn | Worn and Wound | A Collected Man | Oracle Time | Time + Tide Watches
IDGuy Store: teespring.com/stores/the-idgu...
Support the Channel: / idguy
Follow me on Instagram: id.guy?hl=en
Contact me: enquire.idguy@gmail.com 
Развлечения
A lot to unpack with this one (I'm sure not everyone will agree) - what are your thoughts on this collaboration? 🥃
I think the collaboration is great for Blancpain for visibility, so it will attract new buyers, but I think the owners of Blancpain will not like it so much.
It's that evil catch-22. There's irony everywhere with these pieces brother 😆@@AbdulRWatches
Absolutely nailed again....cheap, disposable, and non serviceable - not for moi. Didn't do the Moonwatch thang, but was tempted with this Blancpain, but ultimately it's a no for a thing that will be in the end cheap, disposable and non serviceable. Thx again for your work and sharing.
Swatch when first launched were just cheap, throwaway watches. Never owned one. But plenty of Seiko’s especially mechanical (automatics) the odd quartz. Never desired a throwaway plastic thing.
Some channels says the watch movement can be replaced. And I assume the old movement can be recycled. Why then is this considered a disposable watch??
The real irony being the Swatchpains will end up in the oceans they’re named after
And why is that? Are other watches also ending in the oceans?
The real Irony has a metal case.
@@thilog5874Not necessarily ,people do service cheap watches as do I
I would buy and service this watch if it was serviceable. 😊
I went to a Swatch shop here in Switzerland (yes we have them in almost every city) and stayed around 2 minutes to see these watches. During this time 5 people came to ask about the availability of the most popular Moonswatches (Saturn, Mercury, Moon) and not one single one asked about the Blancpain collaboration. Even if watch channels or blogs speak about them the average consumer seems totally uninterested and checked out.
Fascinating to read this. And it does feel like that the bell curve is on the decline... the novelty has worn off already 😆 One year...
One year but they've sold how many? Making how much profit? And what is the closest comparable model line in terms of profit margins?
The gray one is my favorite. No date complication. I don't think Omega did better because it was a new idea. Omega did better because Omega has the name. Even though it's not new anymore, if Rolex came out with a $400 plastic watch, it would be an instant hit.
I bought the fifty fathoms bathyscaphe grade 23TI six months ago. Been hunting it down since 2013. I find it to be one of the most beautiful watch ever and the caliber 1315 is something even the trinity won’t give you in their sport watches that cost double the price of it. The amount of manual refinishing that comes with it is stunning.
I’m not buying one of this but still I’m happy blancpain is getting some spotlight eventually…
Fantastic to read this and massive congratulations! There's something about that hunting, searching, discovering and finally managing to land a watch like this that makes all the difference. Thanks for sharing this brother and congrats again! 🥃
I love the look & idea of the collab. I wouldn’t buy it for the fact that they are throw-away, though! It would be different if they were ~$200, but at $400, they’re encroaching on the price of a decent watch that can be serviced & worn for a lifetime.
Prices, they keep on climbing. And by using sorts of names like "Blancpain" they can really bump them up even more. Agreed though, the price is now getting out of hand compared to what you can find for similar 🥃
Do you service all you 400 watches? Sometimes service can be half of the price of the watch.
Hit the nail on the head. The conflict of interest is ironic!
Again IDGuy you have made great commentary on the state of Watch Community! "Swatch" is made to "Collect" Why would you wear MoonSwatch or the Scuba as a everyday(?)
Take them out once/twice a year. They are a marketing system, and they are working. Your point that they could end up back in the ocean is ironic but not likely. Of course Saving for something more "Robust" is always better. Can't wait till the next one.
Agree: “There are better things to pursue.”
Excellent production as ever, thanks. There is also some pleasure in keeping the 'disposable' item going way beyond anticipated product life. Perhaps not a good example my Volvo in year 20 approaching 250k miles, and ancient calculators or game consoles, whatever. A few of these collab sistem 51 pieces will find enduring dedicatiion within the target demographic. Arguably, and concerningly, all human artefacts are disposable.
Very well said here Glenn and thank you! 🥃
Fantastically well written review! This swatchpain is a performative contradiction, an oxymoronic waste of money and sense
Great video brother, I think the collaboration will extend to other Swatch group members, it worked like a charm for the first 2 times now, and I think it will attract more new people to these brands that are underrated. One part of me hates this, as it will mean the watches that were undervalued on the grey market may get a pump, but the other part likes this as more people will get into the hobby eventually.
The only question is where they'll go next. Precious Breguet 😉 Swatch Tourbillion will be on the horizon 🔥
@@ID-Guy heheh I would buy a Breguet Swatch to be honest, if they make something like the 7027 in plastic 😁😁
I don't think that this is selling really well. There are absolutely no fakes in sight on Ali, which usually attests popularity.
I’ve been waiting for your take on SwatchPain. Thanks for this video :)
My pleasure to share brother! Thank you for taking the time to watch it 🥃
Superb, straightforward analysis of the conflict by ID Guy. Entertaining, whilst retaining a laser sharp focus. Outstanding.
I feel the same.
..as I did about the Moonswatch.
I recently purchased a 70 year old unbranded Swiss market watch. After paying for a service and new crystal I am just a bit above the price of a Swatch/BP. With care it will be around and ticking for another 70 years.
Once the WatchCrunch channel answered to my comment that I said "I called it Swatch 50 Millimetres" that
"Swatch Micro PainIs"
It seems watch companies not giving us what we want is just SOP. The economy is changing in a bad way-I’m curious what brands won’t make it in the near future?😎
You’ve read my mind but I’ll add one thing. What if you could replace the movement? Buy a replacement s51 from swatch and swap it out. Would you buy it? I… might (but not the eBay prices!)
Can't wait for the Breguet x Swatch tourbillon in plastic.
You and me both! It's going to be a banger!😆🔥
Really enjoyed your video, very balanced and thought provoking 👍
Good job 👍! Thanks!
The hair spring is bonded directly to the main plate of the Sistem51. The pallet and escapement are plastic. The movement is bonded together without hardware. It cannot be regulated.
makes sense. thanks
Thanks for the shout out man
You know it brother 😉
@@ID-Guy funny fkr
What do you make of Perezcope's research (and criticism) of Blancpain?
It seems very solid and BP do make very very "optimistic" claims...
I need to read their article! This is the 2nd time I've been asked to take a look at it in this video. I'm sure it'll be a banger (and I'll be sure to make my thoughts known in a future video 🥃)
I bought an Atlantic and an Antarctic. I like them, yes they are disposable but they're fun. The real Blancpain that I want is the Ocean Commitment III, such a beautiful watch.
Why are they disposable? If the movement brakes, you take it to a Swatch shop and they replace the movement with a new one. Same as most do with Seiko movement. It’s better to recycle the metal in the movement to something else.
Could you elaborate on the career choice watches drove you to make ?
Absolutely, it was quite simple but something that was gnawing at me even through university. "Built in Obsolescence" is an entire course... and it quite horrified me. After a year or two in that industry (particularly consumer electronics) I decided to go private and began consulting - designing things like satellites and other pieces of tech. All round, it felt far more rewarding because my work wasn't being replaced every other week and most importantly, I didn't feel responsible for being yet another designer adding to the pile of disposable throwaway consumable stuff. Watches were that breath of fresh air - extremely intimate pieces of design that you wear 24/7, that you're responsible for making it function (mechanics) AND that they've been made with longevity in mind. A very rare thing to find these days. So that intersection was amazing. Being able to privately consult while pursuing a passion of mechanical watches... just goes to show there is always a silver lining 😉
I really like your stance on the fact that these watches are designed to be obsolete in a few years and then thrown away is anathema to your values! You are a man of principle, and I like that!
Really appreciate it Pooh, thank you brother 🥃
I suppose I’m in the minority here, but I really like the Blancpain x Swatch, unlike the MoonSwatch. The latter still looks like a toy to me (maybe with the exception of the more traditionally styled Moon variant) I still would like to own a BxS despite the lack of a serviceable/replaceable movement. And when the time came, I would dispose of it responsibly…
Must say, they managed to make the Scuba's look way less Toyish, you're right. And hey! To each their own. It's a pretty cool novelty experiencing their proportions and cases for a fraction of the price. Thanks for sharing this David 🥃
@@ID-Guy thank you…cheers 😏
I find the age of the brand to be irrelevant to what they want to do. It's always people on the outside who have pre--perceived notions regarding a brands and wanting to say what a brand should and shouldn't do; particularly watch brands. It's the same people who say that AP shouldn't do a Marvel collaboration because it cheapens the brand image.
Oris and most recently Timex have shown how to do this properly. They used plastic retrieved from the oceans to make a dial and case respectively. Price of the Timex: £80
My wife and I were checking them out at the Swatch store in Las Vegas last weekend.
We thought they looked great and would have bought the green one to share if any were for sale.
No such luck, they sold out on day one and only get a few replacements from time to time.
They had a bunch of Moon Swatches for sale - the BlancSwatch looks way better.
If BP wanted a more “affordable” FF out there, then at least throw in a 2824, but then, you wouldn’t have the Swatch collab. Which is fine. Make the case out of actual recycled ocean plastic, and with a screw down crown. Then you’ve got something.
Your suggestion would destroy the brand. Anyone that understands marketing would understand this.
You nailed it
Very well said.
As a longtime and serious watch enthusiast I find my reservations about the Swatch company and it's management fully confirmed. To reproduce the famous Moon Watch as a Swatch is nothing else as sacrificing long term brand value for short term gain. This strategy has short legs and it get's even worse with brands like Blancpain which at some point in time was just a brand name until kissed to life by one of the greatest marketing geniuses of all time. The problem with all the brands that have once ceased to exist is that their reputation will never be the same no matter how big your marketing budget. "Spent time in jail" - as I like to call it - will never be forgotten by watch enthusiasts and that's probably the main reason why Patek, Rolex, Audemars command such a high standing whereas Vacheron although being one of if not the oldest watch manufacturer has been left behind because followng the 70ties under the ownership of former oil minister of Saudi Arabia it passed a difficult period until famous brand found shelter in the Richemont group. Pristine history is absolut key when it comes to luxury watches and the aspiration by collectors.
Nice watch to wear on the beach or in places where you don't want your 70K Patek being ripped off you arm. Bought a green one.
Man you won't believe. Getting my exact Mark 16 back on Tuesday from the guy I sold it to... plus a metal bracelet he sourced... selling the Seamaster
I'm super keen to know what changed brother? Did the Seamaster love run out that quickly? 😆🥃
@@ID-Guy well...its a strange thing isn't it...I found the bracelet too heavy. Leather didn't suit. Natos were OK but I didn't like how fiddly they can be. So I bought a rubber strap. That felt a cheap way to wear a nice watch... and then the 90s look was just not really versatile
Then I got in touch with the IWC guy who was like "oh you know I'd be keen to sell"... and then I spent time looking back at all my iwc photos, thinking "man am I that stupid? What a cool legible balanced beautiful watch that was!"
...
He's sold it to me for the same price I sold it to him.... And extra £300 for the original iwc metal bracelet that he bought last year... so I've decided that's a great option..
Come on you know this - the mark 16 is super cool and beautiful
And a guy in Peebles sending it to iwc for a service, through his watch shop for only £300
I'm crazy I know... but I'm realising that I do need my main watch I be black and white, stark, classy and legible
. The pilot is like nothing else for looking striking and contrasty. I love it
The heart wants what the heart wants 😉 Must say, I'm also feeling the need for a field/pilot watch... and your IWC is a gem! I hope it gets to you soon and you can rock it on the new bracelet! 🔥 @@Valera_Scotland
@@ID-Guy thanks dude. Its gorgeous
It's good that you've obviously read my content, on the un-sustainable nature of these watches. No one mentioned this, forgetting the hot topic of plastic pollution last year. It's not made of ceramic. It's a resin, with some powdered ceramic added, like making a mastic. A ceramic watch would be special as it's highly skilled process. This is just a cheap nasty plastic watch, the case glued together, a non serviceable movement. It's a cynical way to take your money. It's just shoddy! And you say it's attractive? My arse! It looks like it's designed by a confused colour blind deck chair designer? Watch people. Just say NO!
If you search, you’ll find a teardown of one of these Sistem51 movements, and then hopefully you’ll have no doubt that it is a Humpty Dumpty design (not meant to be put back together again).
You helped design the Braun s9??!
I didn't, I didn't! These were just a handful of the best sized product images that were presentable and didn't look pixelated 😆 Most of the projects I worked on were way smaller (and disposable) ;)
@@ID-Guy Still--very impressive indeed.
In my opinion they just way over estimated how much people care for the brand Blancpain. The average non watch person has never heard of it. They don’t know what the fifty fathoms even is.
Also they should have called it the fifty one fathoms
This was the best video about watches I have ever seen.
In deed the Swatch X Blancpain Fifty Fathoms brought the original Blancpain in my awareness. I of course don´t have thousends of € to buy it. Then I saw a Spinnaker Fleuss for less than 230 €. It has a replaceable automatic movement which is an unspectacular Japanese workhorse, a really nice design and it will last for more than 10 years. So I bought it with a dark red dial that the Swatch X Blancpain Fifty Fathoms can not provide and a water resistance that works for every event I could bring the watch in contact with water. Although for swimming I prefer my Casio Duro. I would have not even thought about buying this plastic watch from swatch.
at least they got people talking about Blancpain out of irrelevance again
That's true, there's far more attention on them than ever 🥃
Design obsolescence and moving as much manufacturing to the cheapest location are bugbears of mine I chose an expensive Bosch toaster ( two times cheaper Bosch, five times cheapest brand) with tubes not poor wire heaters. - it was still made in China and lasted no longer. All it does is increase corporate profit as the manufacturing jobs are not improving the working conditions or lives of the locals and of course the transport distances/emissions are huge to many consumers. I recall a US university comparison of a notional US produced iPhone compared to China and the cost difference wasn't great and the savings in transport emissions would be considerable.
Excellently said all round! Thank you for sharing this 🥃
It's not just the pure costs that are driving manufacturing away. It's excessive eco-motivated regulations no one is willing to deal with.
That’s two Swatch Group watches I think I’m turned off by. I hope they don’t come for the others.
Maybe a couple of hundred. I'm currently wearing a Casio gw5000u, and couldn't imagine spending more money on a Swatch. I expect my G-Shock to last at least 20 years, this Swatch will probably last 5-7 at most.
It's all relative. Your phone will only last a year before you upgrade and your designer sneakers a maximum 2 years before they end up as landfill. You'll probably spend more on alcohol coffee which just washes up in the ocean too.
I personally don't like the gimicky-ness of the watch. Knowing that it is disposable makes it even worse in my opinion.
One important aspect of this, although rarely mentioned, is that a large number of the “apple watch generation” will buy this watch and so are being introduced to mechanical movements for the first time in their lives!
That’s quite possible. Question will be : what will they do with that ?
Be quickly bored and resume daily charging of their Apple Watches or see the light and start buying Ch Ward, Tissot or Longines ?
@@jeanlefranc3817 some of them will, some won’t
Price?
I have to wonder how many people @ Blancpain protested these……
What’s next from Swatch group? A Swatch/Harry Winston that has white diamonds for 3 grand.😂
Hell will freeze over and peace will break out in the Middle East before I buy any of these Swatch /x.
I loathe Swatch watches but I love allot of the houses that Swatch Group owns.
Edit- They’re supposedly made from recycled ocean plastic(not sure what percentage).
I actually like the designs and the colors that are for a specific ocean and Sea slug.
Oh we just know that it’ll be Breguet next 😉 A Swatchy dress watch to complete the trifecta! They’re going to use some kind of metal plating technique to bump the prices. Gold plating on plastic 🔥 Who knows what they have in store for us…
Many consumers are happy with disposable fashion. I guess that's the intended market and if 1 in 10 of these collaborations last 10 years it's better than the average Swatch or cheap Casio if worn daily that they may otherwise buy.
Very true on all accounts 🥃
Not true at all!
Well, how about 400 x 12 x 5?
.. if you want to really want to own a BP FF and skip the X hype/bs and something that will truly endure the test of time.
Stay focused for about 5 years and you're in the realm of possibility and ballpark where a new genuine BP FF can happen.. perhaps exceeding the bare entry level tier by a tad.
As we know, a lot can happen in just 1 year. Who knows how you'll feel about BP in 5? And, there's always something new out there to want, isn't there?
Worst case scenario you'll either be about $24000 richer or you'll open up a massive world of amazing possibilities.
Agree 100% Khrono. Your point on "what can happen in just one year"... I'm blown away by how much my humble collection changed and I achieved what I felt impossible last year (and the year before) - nothing better than finally getting that piece that'll endure everything you throw at it after years of wishing, waiting, hoping. Brilliantly said about how goalposts change 🥃
Great video. Content and comment unchallengeable. Modern living does not mirror that of the 50's 60's when consumer products were made and built to last, examples being, domestic hoovers, irons which still work today , not to mention original Singer sewing machines, still in factories all over the world. Advancement of product design quickly outpaced the previous models and we entered a cycle of 'lifetime' products so that companies could constantly update, replace, re-sell over and over gain. Your comments on your 'previous life' reflect this. My point being that modern day living on this planet and especially the last 2 generations feed on this frenzy, with cars, tablets, laptops, phones replaceable annually with version 15 just issued on one specific product, with no one really owning anything. Everything from phones to cars have a monthly price till the replacement comes along and we are on a lifetime treadmill. Everything is replaceable and disposable, Ah ! Progress..................PS nice acoustic guitar, built to last !!!!
That's a nice copy of The Lord of the Rings in the background 👀
Nice ❤❤
This is what I ve been waiting for.... Agree 110%.
Hit the nail on the head, the disposable element is ironic given the history of Blancpain.
good watch
❤❤❤❤
"beneath the surface" ...pun intended for a dive watch analysis ? :)
I'll admit this was a very deliberate pun (maybe too on the nose) 😆🥃
LoTR fan? Nice. I re-read it every year when Sept 22 comes around.
Never owned an LOTR hardcover (and the three books combined - always had them separate as paperbacks) so it's been quite an adventure! Also picked up the Silmarillion...never read it before... going to have to mentally prepare for that journey 😆🥃
The Silmarillion is not an easy read and didn't connect with me until the second time through and after I had read both The Hobbit and LOTR a couple times but it's worth the effort. Then you will see the connections running through all of Tolkien's works. Be careful because you may find your bookshelf full of his and his son's works. Thank you for your work and contributions to this community of watch lovers.
It's worrying because I've stumbled on so many books I never knew existed... Children of Hurin, Beren and Luthein, Unfinished Tales to name a few. Think you're right! And thank you for this Ray. It's always a pleasure to share these sorts of videos 🥃@@raysutton378
All good books which are longer versions of the stories in the Silmarillion. Enjoy! On another subject, if I may ask, where did you get the deployant clasp that I saw in your Big Eye reveal video? It is a great looking piece of kit.
Completely disinterested based on the 1st fiasco and the disposable component.
Love your comments/suggestions (that, yes, will never happen) - a retro Fifty Fathoms with decent sizing at a Sub price would be a definite buy.
I think it is a smart idea by Swatch actually and it creates an interest in other brands it is quite cool. I just wish the case was steel...
Swatch…Irony…I see what you did there.
Is the Apple Watch really serviceable? There is the warranty. You can replace the movement. Swatch is trying to create the Nike collectible shoe market but in watches. What Swatch needs to do is really make these limited editions like Nike.
I'm a fan. As you noted they are beautiful and considered. BUT, I also have the same concern that they will be disposable, or at least thought of that way by some ... but maybe not to the extent we think now. The sistem51 watches have been around for 10 years and have proven to last ... and they are better than they were even 5 years ago ... and maybe with all this talk Swatch provides an aftermarket option to swap the movement. They could make money doing so ... and thus manage this questionable situation. The design is enduring and definitely deserves to be around for a long long time.
Market poised for new Kia/Lamborghini release at Geneva CarShow….
While I don't always agree, I usually simply enjoy your takes but to this one I'd subscribe 100%
Thank you brother, it really means a lot! 🥃
It’s the same few thousand people who buy new Blancpain watches each year. I think it’s good that the brand is trying to get a broader customer base.
Well said, the exposure is always good. Blancpain deserves to be known by more people 🥃
Swatch x Breguet is up next mark my words
My thoughts exactly, a Swatch Tourbillion 😉
@@ID-GuyThat sounds cool .
As a designer, I think that anything that celebrates design in a world dominated by meaningless, hollow clickbait is a positive.
Well said brother 😉🥃
I'm not a designer and think they look awesome .
Lack of serviceability is a hard pass .😢
Solid critique as always.
My view of this watch is that it feels like this watch is a marketing exercise by Swatch to increase awareness of Blanc Pain while getting consumers to fund that awareness for them and turn a profit. Smart strategy for the corporation but not something for me who is after something enduring over something fleeting.
For all it's worth. I very much agree with you.
I took the time to see them in person, and had to go to the only Swatch boutique that was listed as point of sale in Northern Athens.
According to the store clerk they won't be readily available for a few months. So for the time being,
they are just display case items.
The best part of the watches is the dial, it is a convincing facsimile of the fifty fathoms.
From a distance they look the part, but on closer inspection the bioceramic plastic looks very gritty like sandpaper, and the case colors look washed out, thus dampening the first impression.
On the asking price (390€), there are far better options .
Best Regards
Appreciate the sharing Kostas and thank you brother! 🥃
Very simple. Shame on them.... plastic disposable waste. They really should be ashamed.
But we can say that for millions of objects...
Disposable? The watch consists mostly of plastic, metal and glass. Al of this can be recycled.
@@hansakselos4636 do you think the watches will be carefully disassembled and carefully recycled, piece by piece? In the same way that a proper watch is carefully serviced so that it can run for generations?
Or do you think that 99% will end up in the bin, and yes, a few will find their way into the sea ironically?
Well I don't understand your argument to be honest
I don't pretend to be above anyone who buys these. I buy plenty of plastic products too... but as a watch fan, and a fan of quality, these are dog sh*t
Well if the watch stopped working, I’d take it back to Swatch for service. If it not possible to service, I’d ask them to take care of it. And Yes, I would definitely expect them to have a great system for recycle their watches. I don’t think they throw it in the bin.
@@hansakselos4636 hey, enjoy the watch! It's totally your choice. They can't service these movements, so every 5 years or so, they would need to replace it. And with a plastic case, would it really be worth servicing?
For me, even watches with a decent quartz movement are more sustainable and can last for many decades...automatic is the most sustainable and serviceable option...
But anyway, enjoy it, if you love it. I have a £50 Casio G shock too... and an IWC as my main watch... so I'm not totally against a variety of watches, but these things... just no.. FOR ME, its like a toy that will break eventually
Hi
Can’t believe it’s a throw away watch… 🙄
FYI: SISTEMA 51 can not be regulated.
I thought that this Swatch X Blancpain was a great follow on to the MoonSwatch bringing the Blancpain brand to an audience it wouldn't otherwise be exposed to. I'm almost tempted to bite the bullet and get one, the colours appeal to me, it looks like "fun" to wear. To satisfy my Fifty Fathoms itch I got a Müller & Son Modern Gold Mod.1 which cost a bit more than the Swatch X Blanc watch. But, here's the rub, I know it's a watch my grandson should be enjoying long after I've gone to be recycled. The Swatch X Blanc .... ?
I was very drawn to the Orange and Beige models especially (seriously great use of colours) But I feel you... these sorts of watches would be great for a Summer season or two (no idea how long they'll last) but an Omega, Rolex, plenty of others etc. lifetime and then some 😉
You make some very on-point observations.
It makes me wonder whether when it comes to history, are we just deluding ourselves? Blancpain was established in 1735, but it has changed hands when family ownership ended and it became Rayville in the 1930s and was sold to SSIH in the early 1960s being absorbed by Omega so that, from the mid-70s until the name was sold to J-CB in the early 1980s, it had ceased to be. And then the revived company being sold back to Swatch Group (as SSIH had by then been renamed) in the early 90s. Does the age of the brand name really mean anything, or has it become just predictable marketing guff.
So, the only continuity is as the brand name of a revived company that takes its orders from Swatch Group HQ, as the Swatchpain, with its designed-in obsolescence and greenwashing, proves.
Perhaps it should say; “Re-established in 1982, Plasticised in 2023”. That would at least be true. 😂
Ship of Theseus.
You are right on a all your points, but a few things stand out. Ownership does not change who works there .... the craftspeople were also part of the deal as was the Villeret workshop with all the tools and history. I'm sure there were watchmakers spanning multiple generations in each of those eras. Ironically, Rolex and Omega have us thinking that watches are industrial products with millions made a year ... with NO handwork at all ... whereas a Blancpain is a mixed process with some mechanisation but all hand assembled and finished .... if you dive into the details, there are few watches that can compete at that price point. In reality they are bargains when compared to a Patek, VC, AP and A Lange .... you can buy one for 5-10k less than any one of those ...
@@kpmcclellan You also make very valid correct points. The thing that makes me think is that the watchmakers at Blancpain in the J-CB era would be well and truly retired by now - even someone still in their 30s when Swatch Group repurchased the brand. Swatch Group has done little, if anything, to promote Blancpain in the last three decades, unlike its wholly machine-made Omega, Longines and Tissot stablemates. Blancpains are excellent watches. I’d love one if I could afford it. But even as a watch enthusiast I struggle to define what today’s Blancain stands for as a brand - its image is undefined, its reputation is “1735” and the FF being the first modern diver and…er…. the Swatchpain? That really is a shame.
@@threethrushes “Trigger’s broom”
Im not a fan at all. Its way too thick and expensive in my opinion. Maybe around 200 USD id be interested.
They’re chancing a lot with these pieces (price included) - has the reception been as big as with the Moonswatch? Not really? Who knows what’s going to happen to these machines 🥃
That cool blue one could end up at the bottom of the Mediterranean? Possibly. But just think how cool it will be when someone finds it down there in 100 years. All the YT watch channels will gush over it and create a frenzy. I like them, plastic, disposable, whatever. I think Mother Earth can handle it. Great video!
Well said 😆🥃
Yup. This is quite a paradoxical situation. Agreed.
Better than Moon Swatches but STILL overpriced plastic disposable toys...fun for young people or older ones trying to be cool. I would simply save the money and buy a more decent watch. However, a great way of marketing to get new generations interested in watches.
I think a $10 mall watch is better , at least you only paid $10 and will probably last as long and won't stain your wrists. 😂
Collaboration? Collaboration! Exciting and sad...WTF over.....
Dear ID Guy, if Rolex or Omega tasked you with redesigning either the submariner or Seamaster professional 300…how would you design it? A video which shows your interpretation would be awesome 😎
Brilliant, brilliant question! I'd actually love to look at throwing a design or two together in the future 😉 Thank you for this!
I think the choice to echo the design of the current Fifty Fathoms was an error. It would have been far more interesting for them to have produced something in the same vein as the 1953 original , there would have been more of a story, effectively an affordable modern re-creation of one of the most important watch designs of the 20th Century, and it would have tied in far more smoothly with the MoonSwatch, a design that has remained virtually unchanged since inception. Effectively they could have made these watches into a series of modern views on watch history. People are already speculating on the next Swatch X ??? I wonder if the appetite for this concept has already gone.
I think the reason why they didn't was they wanted that "recognisable" aspect linked with the current case designs. Similar with the MoonSwatch (instead of opting for the CK case, going for the Lyre Lugs) - nowadays its all about being able to spot the product from the other side of the room 😉 Also think it was a cheaper exercise just using the tech drawings of the current gen for these pieces. But I agree, creatively, they could've done a lot more to give them more of a classic edge. And the next Swatch X... Breguet. I can see it now...
*Thank you* for saying out loud what's been bugging me ever since the SwatchPain's release: the whole eco-aware stance of these watches flying in the face of their factual disposable nature.
For the life of me, I cannot understand why they do not make a wearable, regular production, non-bathyscaphe fifty fathoms. It is baffling.
It would be too easy 😆 I think I know the reason why though: It's a sure thing. They know that every limited edition piece that comes out in 40mm's - no matter what, will sell. It constantly keeps the interest in the pieces and people will always return for more. If they were to give us the watches that we'd want... I think they'd lose that ace up their sleeve. This is all just a theory though 😉
@@ID-Guy Makes sense. Although I’m confident they would have a sure thing if the regular production model was well executed. In fact they could hit the ball out of the park, which means they are playing it safe at the expense of their own potential. Which is of course lamentable if you’re an enthusiast.
To everybody here so concerned about the disposal of the watch. Where did your 10 Iphones go???
Agreed 💯. Unlike the Moonswatch having its desire tied to yhe MoonWatch .... the BP an old name that makes diver watches. To the unititate this collaboration will last for a shoter period than the Moonswatch.
I never understood the recycled plastics materials that will find itself back in the landfill seems like a waste of energy. Granted a Seiko with a 4R movement is serviceable by name unless you can find a watchmaker that will service it since Seiko just replaces the movement. It is at least easily recycled since it is 96% metal.
So far is a NO NO for me to buy this watch because it becomes scrap after the movement die and not replaceable.
However, there are 2 solutions to Swatch group to make money and consumer to continue keeping the watch, a WIN-WIN situation:
1) making sistem 51 movement is replaceable , SMALL profit to Swatch group,
2) develop a caliber module that can fit ETA 2824 / ETA 2892 into Swatch X Blancpain Scuba. This will bring MORE profit to Swatch group because people will spend money to replace ETA movement to keep the watch running at the beginning. After several years, some of the teenager will ignite their interest to mechanical watch and become the prospect buyer for the mechanical watch.
If Marc A. Hayek is ready for option no. 2, I am sure Swatch group can bring back Blancpain, Breguet, and other less popular high end brands into the market again. Marc ambition to develop prospect customer is working based on previous Moonwatch campaign, but he also need to develop long-term customer interest toward these watch brand to bring these brands back to market.
I will forget what I throw away, but I will remember what I keep on my wrist and watchbox.
Are you aware of the shortage of watchmakers to repair mechanical watches? Imagine if those 1 million MoonSwatches sold last year had to be repaired at some point in the future. Swatch Group would have to start employing and training thousands of watchmakers. It's more efficient, easier, faster and more economical to let a robot make a disposable watch that can be replaced, not repaired within the 2 year warranty period. $400 for 2 years warrantied use. You'd probably spend that on a pair of unrepairable designer sneakers, your mobile phone or just the phone usage subscription.
I agree. It is somewhat of a travesty. And I am definitely not a watch snob or a Blancpain purist.. or an Omega defender for that matter. I get the idea of the benefits of such collaboration, and the execution is cool. Yet it symbolises something, and I don’t connect to that something 🤷🏼♂️
Well said brother 🥃
It symbolises a throw-away culture, a disposable culture, a FOMO-culture, and a culture which glorifies the now, with no thought of the nanosecond after now.
Just one year ago I was still used to wear a titanium 46mm 50 fathom everyday almost. I am quite used to a big watch. Then I started to wear Tudor and I would say that I prefer Tudor pelagos more than 50 fathom due to pelagos has more energetic and intelligence that Rolex as a #1 watch brand has. I still have the 50 fathom and would like to keep it due to its originality and iconic look. I may skip Swatch version 50 fathom.
Thank you for sharing this Xi. Really, really fascinating hearing your interest in both brands and how Tudor seems to have found that intersection. I have to agree... for the price and the kind of watch you're getting, they're hard to beat 🥃
I am not a watch collector, although I do have a number of them which I have accumulated over time which I enjoy. Lately, I have really enjoyed Casio. I have a $ 20 plastic three hand, day date dive style watch which I use for work. It does the job and is us very comfortable. It isn’t a luxury watch, but it isn’t a gimmick either which is what I think Blancpain x Swatch watch is.
Great Review & insight into this latest collab, but there are a few things which should be brought to light, Swatch has not done anything to help watch enthusiasts obtain these easily, in fact, it's done the opposite, by not selling this online and driving the high demand into the hands of the flippers and in many cases caused a general backlash against the watch company by paying the high price they are now asking for it.
As you say this is usually a short-lived fad to get your hands on basically what is a short term watch given it's lifespan will probably last 3 years at best, and I for one do not need another throw away watch?
After all, I have the moon swatch for that?
That's not to say that these watches aren't good, they are a good looking representation of the fifty fathoms, especially the grey one. Again, Swatch should have asked it's customers what people would like in the watch, and the way it was to be marketed, after all we are their target customers for whom this is marketed for, are we not?
And after all the problems with the last release, you'd think Swatch would have learned something from that?
I would also add, when I first saw these, I did not need another divers watch, and I'd never heard of Blancpain but after seeing it's history, I'd consider it, if the watch is marketed right.
I enjoy your reviews and your unique eye. But, guess what? I walked into the shop of the finest watchmaker in the western hemisphere in one of the fines buildings in Manhattan very recently and do you want to guess what his wife was wearing? A Mission to Mercury. Why she said? Because it was fun and exciting.
I can totally tell it's plastic (ceramiic) though.
Nice Swatch😂