That's awesome. I was actually issued a Blancpain in 1968 as a diver in the navy. Awesome watches. I have a couple fifty fathoms in my collection that I absolutely covet. I'm super happy for you . I definitely know the feeling when you've wanted a particular peice for a long time and finally get it . Congratulations bro !!!
@davesouthwood1545
8 ай бұрын
true fact
@bootleggedkilla
8 ай бұрын
That's awesome. I hope whoever inherits them appreciates their beauty, inside and out.
@swilkobarfingtoniii1642
Жыл бұрын
My late father bought an 'Aqua Lung' in Miami, brand new in 1956. He paid $65.00 for it! Then, 20 years later I broke that watch when I wore it to school one day. 10 years after that, my dad sold the broken watch at a yard sale with some other watches. I have to wonder, could this be that 'FF"? Congratulations! I look at my own wrist and see the STEELDIVE Fifty Fathoms clone I bought because of nostalgia and I feel the same enjoyment you are getting from the real thing.
@minusED
2 ай бұрын
Congrats! For me, vintage is not as exciting, I’d rather take a new titanium 42mm FF on a bracelet. But I understand your points and feelings and it’s only great when people get and enjoy their grail watches:)
@PocketWatchTime
Жыл бұрын
Congratulations 🎉
@wrenside
Жыл бұрын
Dang! what i love about the Aqua Lung is the size ratio between the bezel and dial. there is something so classic about it. congratulations!
@typebflieger
Жыл бұрын
Congratulations! As a fan of the channel, I know how much you love this piece, and couldn’t be happier for you. I think it’s great that you still have some of the watches you bought in anticipation of acquiring this grail! It’s kind of a nice lineage in your collecting journey.
@johnbuckmaster569
Жыл бұрын
Awesome! Congrats! It’s a great feeling to be looking for a watch for a long time and finally finding it!
@johnepic2422
Жыл бұрын
Congratz. Lovely lovely watch.
@thetruebatman4632
Жыл бұрын
It is such an incredible design. I love that style of bezel, the donut profile.
@tomhudson1
Жыл бұрын
Congrats! Thank you for sharing!
@jameshoward9700
Жыл бұрын
Awesome watch! To be able to pair it with a Bathy is just phenomenal!
@razordefined
8 ай бұрын
Such a beautiful watch. It screams history. Enjoy
@mikegrant9108
6 ай бұрын
Absolutely beautiful. I just located one and purchased it right away before it slipped away. Thanks so much for generating even more excitement for me! Great presentation!
@777soul56
Жыл бұрын
Congratulations!! Really beautiful watch!! I love the history the fifty fathoms! Enjoy it in good health!!
@darkstar7742
Жыл бұрын
Congrats.
@jacklinks9631
Жыл бұрын
Awesome pickup! Congrats
@jaybarthelotte9520
Жыл бұрын
Congratulations! It’s absolutely beautiful…what a wonderful vintage watch.
@DisplayKeesBack
Жыл бұрын
It is my favourite high end watch aswell. Really like the watch!
@TheGrenadier97
Жыл бұрын
Beautiful, iconic watch & congratulations!
@fakenewsisthenews3542
Жыл бұрын
Yes! I'd love to have this, especially over a Rolex. What a cool watch and stealth wealth. :)
@BCallum
Жыл бұрын
Very nice! Congratulations on the purchase!! Cheers from Atlantic Canada!!!
@johnprosser5035
Жыл бұрын
Congratulations....beautiful watch wear it in good health.
@stoneriverwatches
Жыл бұрын
A huge congrats!
@sinjinadams2862
Жыл бұрын
Saw you on Roman's channel buying the watch so I had to come over here to watch your video. Congratulations on the new watch!
@nizarmurar
Жыл бұрын
Congratulations dear friend Nizar
@914Rocky
Жыл бұрын
Beautiful watch. I love the watch. Not being able to buy one, I bought a Baltic Aquascaphe. It looks similar but it’s not the Blancpain. Congratulations.
@rouju
Жыл бұрын
Beautiful. Simply beautiful. I bought Suggess 1952 because it's a homage of this watch ha ha
@jouwenlee7829
Жыл бұрын
Congratulations in getting your dream watch. My friend was working at Blancpain boutique before, it is a famous luxury brand in China that she sells a lots to the Chinese and not the local before the Covid lockdown preventing them from traveling out.
@gregwilliams5637
Жыл бұрын
Pure class.
@lukewalker1051
Жыл бұрын
Very cool. Watch taste is very personal. For example, this watch wouldn't be on many collector's radar ergo, I am unfamiliar with it. But love the aesthetic and appreciate your taste in watches Chris.
@jj1234346
8 ай бұрын
Bulova for the win! Well known name and great vintage feel
@dop5
Жыл бұрын
Very nice watch! I want to be honest, I will probably never achieve my dream watch (no wheel with the old Aqua Lung case). I now buy the individual parts piece by piece and then take them with another 3rd party clockwork. Thats my honest way to the watch of my dreams...
@roamy3605
Жыл бұрын
Great watch! So glad you had the chance to pick this one up. I don't think there is a better watch that says this is how you do a diving watch. The history is fantastic and it's why we have so many great diving watches from so many companies today.
@jamesblonde2271
Жыл бұрын
Interesting to note Vostock use the same caseback design, I noticed that early Fifties had them and thought it gave a lie to the doughty Soviet engineering innovation story that surrounds that watch. They rely on a similar pressure fit w/r on the acrylic crystal, as both sides of the case bet more waterproof the deeper they get.
@Deusmecumest
Жыл бұрын
Congratulations, well played.
@carrolle3231
Жыл бұрын
Congratulations on the grail!!!
@michaeldefillipo6833
Жыл бұрын
Great watch enjoy your grail watch for many years to come. Its a happy feeling when you finally are able to have it on the wrist. My grail is the Century Rubi Star When I finally found it on my master watchmakers wrist asked him if I could see it, when I had it I asked would you sell it. He said he had it for a client but he did not show and he sold it to me , I went crazy. Love the watch I saw it when I was 12 years old on tv, purchased it at 54 but the joy was worth the wait. Take care and keep up the good work love the videos and content.
@udojager2673
Жыл бұрын
Thanks for the review. Interesting Watches.
@cronicasrelojeras3005
Жыл бұрын
Great time peace congratulation Chris.
@georgecupac1202
Жыл бұрын
Good for you, I like the look of your watch 👍.
@runningawayvagabond5876
Жыл бұрын
Congratulations. The Fifty Fathoms is absolutely fantastically gorgeous. If any watch is a grail watch, that's the one to get.
@splootan
Жыл бұрын
You kidding me!! When you said Previous owner! I expected Jacque Coustous son or some dude who had been diving for the past 50 years and now you have it! Not some random watch dealer!! Jeez
@fayssalk
Жыл бұрын
huge congrats!!!! amazing catch
@edw333n
Жыл бұрын
Extremely happy for u! I would have thought your grail is a Mil-Spec... looking at your orange white banner. Hints from the Mil-Ships, one of my favorites being a Fifty Fathoms fan. I had that moment myself the year before. Truly love the sharing of a wonderful addition to your collection. 👍
@aaronswatches
Жыл бұрын
Gorgeous, simply gorgeous. Killer bezel 🥂
@robynsjp
Жыл бұрын
Congrats. The 1960s FF "norad" no date is on my radar but very difficult and expensive. Not sure I will be able to get it one day - this is big bucks. Closest grail is a 1963 Omega 165.024... with rare "Swiss Made" dial and ultrarare mark 1 bezel (Q1 1964) with original bracelet and top grade tritium patina. Came across it by chance after a couple of years hunting and got it. Felt like bagging the elephant. The FF "Norad" would be the ultimate. It would complete the 1963 Omega and 1967 5513.
@NICAsworld
Жыл бұрын
Congrats, Chris! This is quite a special timepiece. Happy for you.
@Sebastian-ui8rt
Жыл бұрын
It's AWSOME!!! congrat's
@rob5631
Жыл бұрын
Congrats! Awesome watch! My Squale Sub-3920 Corso Italiano (Whatawatch colab) is as close as I will ever get to a Blancpain Fifty Fathoms, but I fine with that.
@HarryJoiner
Жыл бұрын
It’s perfect
@marcusm3600
Жыл бұрын
Wow that's an awesome watch. Congratulations!
@borisstepanyan9611
Жыл бұрын
Congratulations
@wizard903
Жыл бұрын
Chris, what green 16mm NATO did you put on the Bulova MIL-SHIPS? The limited edition W-2181 comes only with the black NATO, correct?
@ae-ca602
Жыл бұрын
What a great watch! Congrats!!!
@frankphilpot3492
Жыл бұрын
Congratulations for finding one of your grail watches. You couldn't have found a better person to get it from, Roman is one hell of a great guy!! 👍 😃
@rsinger2597
Жыл бұрын
Sweet, dude -- legendary piece with timeless style :) I have the Helson homage of that watch and it looks very close, even down to the caseback text. It's one of the most solid watches I've owned and it makes a great beater I can smash around.
@swilkobarfingtoniii1642
Жыл бұрын
Helson seems like a nice option. The Steeldive I bought is also a very close copy, the one noticeable difference was the thickness and 'sturdiness' of the lugs compared to the original. I see that Helson has recognized this and made the lugs 'thinner' with less 'meat on the bone' more like the original. I'm not a fan of Miyota movements though, and neither is my watchmaker- who is a Seiko AD. I know from experience that those thin lugs can be bent with a hard knock, so be careful how much smashing around you do with it!
@rsinger2597
Жыл бұрын
@@swilkobarfingtoniii1642 The one-way rotor of the 9015 is a big downside because of the loud free spin it can go into. I tend to avoid Miyota now, too.
@OVR_LRD
Жыл бұрын
Congratulations Chris! Awesome addition to your collection and Roman is pure class 🫡 been really thinking about getting a mil-ships being a New Yorker and a fan of Bulova since child hood I think it’s the right move gotta rep ya know lol enjoy the Aqua Lung!
@jimt7292
Жыл бұрын
Chris, congrats!! Any thoughts on getting it serviced and polished? Beauty.
@morgan97475
Жыл бұрын
Very cool.
@jerrykottom7284
Жыл бұрын
Congrats. My grail as well. Hope it gets some wrist time for you. I think I own most of the micro brand variations or homages. One day....
@szur76
Жыл бұрын
Mate, it is an awesome watch!!!!. It is my grail too!!!
@davesouthwood1545
8 ай бұрын
hoping to achieve this soon
@onifrakimarq7663
Жыл бұрын
Congrats, mate It is such a cool watch!
@Supercruze
Жыл бұрын
FF really set the tone for all future dive watches from a design perspective. I think Cousteau also used Aquastar dive watches at some point in his career.
@stuartheyburn8741
Жыл бұрын
Well done on a achieving your grail. Great watch, love Blancplain but out of my reach unfortunately.👍
@Mikey2tt
Жыл бұрын
Editing glitch at around 5:25. Congrats on a grail, this watch is amazing!
@snapfitness1
Жыл бұрын
Two of the three i love ... never been a fan of this bulova model
@fakenewsisthenews3542
Жыл бұрын
Chris, where can I get a strap exactly like that one?
@nilesar6093
Жыл бұрын
@watchchris, you'll have to forgive the ignorance of my question, as I'm no expert in the many iterations of the 50 Fathoms, but is not the Aqua Lung variation a watch that had a longer seconds hand? The seconds hand on your watch does not appear to be original based on what I have seen of these Aqua Lung 50 Fathom watches. I do believe the seconds hand normally has a longer tip that extends to the seconds markings around the edge of the dial. Do have a look. Please correct me if I am mistaken. Beautiful watch otherwise!
@mondrayuk
Жыл бұрын
@WatchChris That watch set the benchmark of divers. Squale made these cases in the 60s. Great acquisition for many reasons. Well done and congratulations. I have the MilShips Swiss movement and Tornek-Rayville and they are both excellent. The Squale TGV Limited-Edition 1521 30 Atmos 100 pieces with Swiss 2824 100 pieces were made for 60th Anniversary - I have one of those and the case being the one in the 1960s Blancpain 50 Fathoms.
@drat1969
Жыл бұрын
Such a sweet piece. I'm not so lucky to have the resources to obtain a real No Rad edition so I build my own with a dial sourced from Aliexpress using an NH38 (no date) movement, and everything else from Namokimods. If you have the urge for something more modern with the no Rad logo, I'd entertain a swap. 😂 Seriously, huge congrats on achieving your grail!
@juniorjohnson5961
Жыл бұрын
Congratulations 🥳 Buddy I'm almost excited as you & good on Roman for selling it to you 👍 what movement is in the watch ? When Jean - Jacques Fiechter was told when he was trying to get the Fifty Fathoms made that there was no future in Diving Watches 😱
@juniorjohnson5961
Жыл бұрын
The Fifty Fathoms & me are both 70 years old this year my birth year watch
@alessandrocerioli2151
Жыл бұрын
Interesting video...may I ask the dimensions of the watch? Does it have a uni or bidirectional bezel?
@johnjuarez8005
Жыл бұрын
Hey Chris does it glow anymore?
@davidprice9968
Жыл бұрын
Congratulations :) That is really special. I bet you will never take it in the water though! ;)
@ichris2011
Жыл бұрын
The mil ships is one of the best fifty fathoms alternatives imo. So many homages from random brands that may do some things better than it, but such a big part of the coolness of the fifty fathoms is the history. the mil ships having a similar history makes it really the only fifty fathoms “homage” that looks perfectly at home right next to the “real thing”
@HudsonGTV
Жыл бұрын
I wouldn't call the Bulova a homage since it was made according to the US Navy spec at the same time as the Tornek-Rayville.
@ichris2011
Жыл бұрын
@@HudsonGTV true, but I think they certainly looked to the FF for inspiration. The specs weren’t as design centered as they were for the dirty dozen or type 20s for example. They could’ve done the bezel proportions or lug shapes however they wanted within those specs, but they definitely went FF-esque with them. No bad thing by the way, both watches look amazing
@Great-Scott
Жыл бұрын
Dude, congratulations on the grail. It really is special and thank you for sharing it and sharing its history. The Bulova is hot. The Waltham ,less so in my opinion, but what do I know. :)
@Edward1312
Жыл бұрын
Prefer the look of the Bulova because the bigger crystal size is better IMHO, however, the Bulova 16mm lug to lug width is going to limit the strap options even though its historically accurate to the first iteration of the 50. Thorn do a homage that costs peanuts but which looks stunning IMHO.
@courtesyflush4333
Жыл бұрын
Please tell me you're going to keep your FF Aqualung serviced 😰
@frankquarters
Жыл бұрын
My Baltic BronzeAquaschape scratches my Blancpain itch and although it turns greenish on my wrist, it won't turn my wrist Hulk green and alert the gamma ray swat team.
@canadianwatchmonkey3992
Жыл бұрын
I’ll stick with my Bulova Mil ships while I save up my pennies. Lol
@michaelriera6277
Жыл бұрын
Amazing watch with a tremendous history. Swatch Group has done terrible in developing and promoting this historic brand.
@jamieglikin9894
Жыл бұрын
Very nice, one of my favorites, doubt if ill ever afford one, but I do like them a lot, along with many others smh lmfao
@Pierluigi_Di_Lorenzo
2 ай бұрын
I bought WatchDive's hommage for $100 instead.
@thewatchloungechris
Жыл бұрын
Glad we could help you get your grail ! Urwerk next ?
@MrVitamincpp
Жыл бұрын
All russian divers have the same case back construction :)
@Tom_H327
Жыл бұрын
This makes me hate Rolex even more. Copy cats 🤨
@FUNZO1975
Жыл бұрын
F'n sweet piece! ...Still trying to get that "Tornek Rayville" that Mkll seems to only release a few of every 3 or 4 months.
@patrickblume7066
Жыл бұрын
A grail Watch, Guy!
@patrickblume7066
Жыл бұрын
Attention: The great Leader Putin likes Blanc Pain! I think he is the best Brand Ambassador…..
@the-watcher1596
Жыл бұрын
Congrats it's nice but I'm personally not a fan of that style of dive watch but that don't matter you love it it's one of your grails so enjoy my friend that's what it's all about collecting what you love and wearing them an not just leaving them in your watchbox. keep up the great content 👍
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