In 2014, Blancpain’s contribution to the deep sea world made a new breakthrough. The founder of this classic timepiece not only promoted comprehensive cooperation with major partners in the field of marine exploration and protection around the world, but also launched the first batch of ‘Mind Ocean’ limited Edition watch. Today, three years later, Blancpain has launched ten marine scientific expeditions, covering an area of four million square kilometers in marine reserves. The recently released full-body all-blue ‘Mind the Ocean’ limited edition watch once again confirms the firm determination of this well-known Swiss watch brand to protect the blue ocean.
Marine scientist and Blancpain partner Lauren Ballesta speaks on the coelacanth expedition research expedition, sponsored by the Blancpain brand.
Since its founding in 1735, Blancpain has always been determined to forge ahead. So far, Blancpain has been relentlessly exploring for more than 60 years in the field of diving. More precisely, Blancpain’s diving journey began in 1953 with the release of the first modern diving watch, the Fifty Fathoms. This classic reflects the common vision of two parties: one is Mr. Jean-Jacques Fiechter, then CEO of Blancpain, who was the helm of the brand from 1950-1980. He is also an avid diving master; the other is the founder of the French Frogman Dive Commando, Captain Robert ‘Bob’ Maloubier, and Lieutenant Claude Rifford Claude Riffaud, who was struggling to find a reliable watch capable of military diving. The collision and combination of the two sets of concepts has created the glorious birth of the first diving watch ‘Fifty Fathoms’, defining a new benchmark for diving watches for the entire watchmaking industry. To commemorate this precious history, Blancpain embarked on a public welfare road to explore and protect the deep blue sea. Blancpain firmly believes that its contribution to global environmental protection depends on public awareness. Therefore, it has been committed to improving the public’s performance by supporting major scientific research projects, ocean exploration projects, underwater photography, environmental forums, public welfare exhibitions, major publications and specialized websites. Marine awareness.
Blancpain’s ‘Hearts of the Sea’ theme exhibition and event was held at the Marina Bay Sands Museum of Art and Science in Singapore.
Since 2014, Blancpain has launched the concept of ‘Heart is the Ocean’ to further deepen the brand’s unremitting efforts in the field of ocean public welfare. At the same time, Blancpain has released 250 limited edition watches, which are the first limited edition watches born in the series. Following the successful release of the first limited edition watches, Blancpain launched the second batch of limited edition watches-the deep submersible Bathyscaphe flyback chronograph ‘Heart in the Sea’ 2016 new limited edition. This new watch expresses Blancpain’s firm determination to support the marine cause, as well as the brand’s enthusiasm and ambition to continue to explore ambitious goals.
The best friend of the Blancpain brand, the master of underwater photography, Ernest H. Brooks II.
Since 2014, Blancpain has co-funded and supported the development of ten scientific research projects, witnessed the doubling of marine protection area, and presented several award-winning documentaries, public welfare exhibitions and publications to the world.
Leslie Leaney, chairman of the Hans Haas Fifty Fame Awards Committee, and the winners, Hall and wife.
The submersible Bathyscaphe flew back to the new limited edition of the chronograph ‘Hearts and Oceans’ 2016, and also witnessed the debut of the full version of the 1960s manuscript by Professor Hans Haas (the manuscript has a handwritten number). Hans Haas is known as the “Pioneer of Pioneers” in diving and marine research, and has rewritten the history of science and technology in the world with his revolutionary portable underwater breathing technology, underwater photography technology and outstanding scientific research capabilities. The book focuses on the challenges of the original scientific examination from 1940 to 1960, giving people a gorgeous glimpse of that era, including the first modern diving watch officially launched by Blancpain: the Fifty Fathoms.
The Hans Haas Fifty Fifth Prize winner Hall is surrounded by Blancpain’s Vice President and Marketing Director Alain Delamuraz, Blancpain’s sales area manager Dimitri Aubert and Hans Haas Fifty Fifth Prize Committee Chairman Leslie Leaney.
Common pioneering spirit and values connect Professor Hans Haas with Blancpain. Professor Hans Haas advocates that the tourism industry should develop sustainably, and that we should not only explore but also protect nature. Blancpain has the same philosophy with many scholars: the deep understanding of the world’s oceans has created the brand’s eager proposition to protect the oceans. Therefore, Blancpain included the Hans Haas Fifty Fathoms Award at the beginning of the ‘Minds and Oceans’ project. The prizes cover two major areas: ‘Art and Literature’ and ‘Science and Technology’-the former remembers Professor Haas Pioneering achievement, the latter commemorates his indelible contributions in the fields of oceanography and underwater innovation.
The Fifty Fathoms Submersible Bathyscaphe flyback chronograph ‘Heart is the Ocean’ 2016 new limited edition watch.
Selected works by Hans Haas Awards Committee
Recently, the Judging Committee and Blancpain are proud to announce that Underwater IMAX filmmakers Howard Hall and Michele Hall have been awarded the 2016 Hans Haas Fifty Fathoms Award. The award was presented on April 5, 2017 by Leslie Leaney, Chairman of the Committee, and Alain Delamuraz, Vice President and Marketing Director of Blancpain. The awards ceremony was held at the Art Science Museum of Marina Bay Sands center, Singapore, in the form of a personal invitation.
Friends of the brand and underwater photographers are grouped with Blancpain’s Vice President and Marketing Director Alain Delamuraz (from left to right: Alan Lo, John Thet, Alain Delamuraz, Aaron Wong and Imran Ahmad.)
The Halls and the Hans are very similar, and they are world-renowned for groundbreaking underwater photography and their photographs, and have won 7 Emmys to date. Of the five highest-grossing 3D movies produced by IMAX, two are directed by Howard Hall. Among them, the box office of ‘Into the Deep’ is over 70 million US dollars, and the box office of ‘Deep Sea’ is over 96 million US dollars; and the ‘Under the Sea’ just launched by the Hall and the couple so far It has also achieved more than $ 52 million in box office results.
The winners of the Hans Haas Fifty Fathom Awards Committee and Blancpain Vice President Alain Delamuraz (left to right: Leslie Leaney, Ernest H. Brooks II, Dimitri Aubert, Michele Hall, Howard Hall, Alain
Howard has also directed many award-winning natural history films and television works, including his collaboration with Michelle’s National Geographic Special and the 3 seasons of the PBS documentary Nature. ). In addition, another award-winning documentary of the US public television, the five-hour series ‘Secrets of the Ocean Realm’ was also co-launched by Howard and co-produced by Michelle.
During the event, the guests tried on the watches of the fifty series.
Howard holds a bachelor’s degree in zoology from San Diego State University and is a member of the American Directors’ Association and the Motion Picture Humanities Association. Michelle, who holds a bachelor’s degree in health sciences, is a licensed nurse and a member of the Humanities Television Association. Both were inducted into the International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame.