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Fifty Fathoms MIL-SPEC 1
The Fifty Fathoms first launched in 1953 and the original models were being used by the French Navy’s combat swimmer corps. As time marched on, then CEO Jean-Jacques Fiechter, thought of adding a moisture indicator that would change colour from white to red that served as a warning signal that the watch’s water resistance had been compromised. This lead to the creation of the Fifty Fathoms MIL-SPEC 1 which the US Navy employed during 1957-58. Some would be made for the civilian market.
At around 41mm and with a bakelite bezel, this example is fitted with calibre R570 which features hacking seconds. I have no expertise or extensive knowledge about these watches but it seems to me the luminescent material has been reapplied at some point.
I’ve had the good fortune of encountering a few of these and trying them on and as much as I like the look of it, the lug to lug distance of this watch is such that it is too big for me. This is a watch you definitely need to strap on before you think of buying because of that lug to lug distance. I also find that the plexiglass distorts the minute / seconds hashes to the point where you can’t see them and as such you can’t tell what the exact minute and or second is. Add to this the glare that can be overpowering, legibility can be tough.
Fifty Fathoms MIL-SPEC 1
What is the
Stunning example
