The collaboration between luxury diving watch brand Blancpain and renowned watchmaker Swatch has caused a frenzy among timepiece enthusiasts worldwide. Launched on Saturday, the much-anticipated release of the plastic Fifty Fathoms watch with an automatic Swatch movement drew massive crowds at stores from Sydney to Tokyo and major European cities.
The response to this collaboration, reminiscent of the sales surge in 2022 when Swatch introduced the entry-level version of the Omega Speedmaster, has been overwhelming. Swatch sold over a million MoonSwatches last year, and the excitement surrounding this new collaboration suggests a similar level of success.
Unlike the chaotic scenes witnessed during the MoonSwatch launch, this rollout appeared to be better managed, with tighter security measures in place. In Geneva, more than 300 people patiently lined up, with some eager customers arriving as early as noon on Friday. The Blancpain Fifty Fathoms, which served as the inspiration for this collaboration and initially debuted in 1953, has a rich history, even being worn by the legendary Jacques Cousteau.
To maintain order and ensure a fair distribution, security guards in Geneva allowed only two shoppers inside the store at a time when it opened at 10 a.m. Each customer was limited to purchasing just one watch and could choose from five vibrant versions on offer. The watches boast an impressive water resistance of up to 91 meters (300 feet).
In Paris, the anticipation was equally palpable, with people queuing along the Champs Elysees since 6 p.m. the previous day. Despite the scorching heat and hours of waiting, dozens of hopeful customers remained in line by noon on Saturday. Among them, a watch enthusiast named Orlando expressed his excitement about the collaboration, describing it as an excellent entry point into luxury. He saw it as a valuable addition to his watch collection, alongside renowned brands like Rolex and Tag Heuer.
Enthusiasts in Milan also eagerly queued overnight near a store in central Corso Vittorio Emanuele II. Riccardo Begliomini, a student at Politecnico di Milano University, arrived at the store at 11:30 p.m. and found around 30 to 40 people already in line. Securing a beige- and orange-colored version for €390, he planned to sell it quickly, considering it more of an investment than a personal accessory. Within moments, these watches appeared on watch trading websites with prices ranging from €1,000 to €2,000.
Similar scenes unfolded in cities like Sydney, Tokyo, Cannes, Vienna, and Dubai, with long queues forming outside Swatch stores. The initial supply of watches sold out in Zurich by early afternoon, according to staff members. Swatch Group AG, the parent company of Swatch, Omega, Breguet, and Mido, hopes that this collaboration will not only boost sales for Swatch but also elevate the status of Blancpain, whose watches typically start at around $10,000.
Chief Executive Officer Nick Hayek revealed that Omega boutique sales increased by 50% following the introduction of the MoonSwatch, and the company anticipates a similar trend with this collaboration. Blancpain, currently among the top 20 largest Swiss watch brands, achieved sales of around 420 million Swiss francs ($470 million) in 2022, according to estimates by Morgan Stanley.
Swatch has clarified that the Bioceramic Scuba Fifty Fathoms, like the MoonSwatch, will not be a limited edition and will only be available at selected Swatch boutiques, not online.