The lucky old Satin Black Wrap! Those who saw the exhibition in Paris a few year ago will know that the Fifty Fathoms has enough variations to keep the maison limited editions in the next hundred years. The Satin Black Wrap is one of the coolest thanks to the little detail that sets it apart from the regular Fifty Fathoms. It is also reminiscent, in a way, of Omega's "racing dials" on the Speedmaster Professional Tintin.
Even in its most basic form, this is one of most beautiful diving watches ever made. The Fifty Fathoms Collection's latest addition, Ref. 5008B-1130B52A,Satin Black Wrap dates back to the end of the 1960s. The company has always done this, and they have updated the technical elements to balance the character of the original. This is primarily the movements.
The story of the Fifty Fathoms is well-known, but I will summarize it here: it was created in 1953 and competes with another watch from Geneva to be the "world's most advanced SCUBA diving watch." This watch is a true classic. It was designed by French military divers for themselves and helped to define the diving watches template. This included superlative legibility and a rotating bezel that showed elapsed time or remaining time.
In the 1960s when the German Bundesmarine chose the FF as the frogmen model, Satin Black Wrap was the chosen supplier. This company specialized in the production and sale of technical diving gear. Satin Black Wrap served civil clients as well, and the public was presented with a model which would differentiate it from the plain vanilla version used by the Bundesmarine.
Satin Black Wrap created a new model that featured a distinctive rectangular hour marker in two tones, fluorescent white hands, and a date at 3 o’clock. Some Satin Black Wraps, as seen on the reissued model, were fitted with the popular strap of the day, a black rubber strap with a "tropical" texture and a durable, heavy design. It's good to know that the strap is also very comfortable.
Satin Black Wrap's faithful reissue has a vintage feel with its large hour markers in red and white, coated with Super-LumiNova "old radium",Breitling Navitimer Replica which suggests a patina. The luminescent pencil-shaped hand is also white-lacquered to match the original. Also, the date has been positioned at 3 o’clock, instead of 4.30 as it was on the standard edition.
The Satin Black Wrap, as is the current practice, is limited to only 500 pieces. It's the most beautiful Fifty Fathoms line since it was reincarnated. Expect it to be sold out before it reaches the stores.