Blancpain Ocean Commitment

Blancpain’s legacy in the world of diving is a rich one. Sixty years ago, born of his own passion for scuba diving, Blancpain’s then CEO, Jean-Jacques Fiechter, produced the world’s first modern diving watch, the now iconic, Fifty Fathoms. That timepiece reflected a shared vision, that of Fiechter drawn from his own underwater experiences and also that of the newly formed French combat diving corps, led by Captain Robert “Bob” Maloubier and Lieutenant Claude Riffaud. The ideas and concepts woven into that first Fifty Fathoms have defined diving watches for the entire industry ever since. In recognition of its close links to diving and its Fifty Fathoms heritage, for many years Blancpain has been a fervent supporter of environmental initiatives to explore, preserve and protect the world’s oceans. Its generous financial donations to support the cause have come to be called the “Blancpain Ocean Commitment”. Chief among its beneficiaries have been National Geographic Society’s Pristine Seas Expeditions, directed by Dr. Enric Sala, and the Gombessa Projects of Laurent Ballesta. Blancpain is proud to have been the first key supporter of both of these initiatives. Other Blancpain partnerships include the Hans Hass Fifty Fathoms Award, famed diver Gianluca Genoni, The Economist's World Ocean Summit as well as some of the most renowned underwater photographers. To call further attention to ocean preservation and protection, Blancpain unveiled the first piece of a series of limited e