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Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →For Mark Sinclair, the appeal of the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Chronographe Flyback Quantième Complet was its unlikely mix: a dive-watch identity, a flyback chronograph, a complete calendar and moon phase, and calendar correctors tucked beneath the lugs. He bought reference 5066F-1140-52B from an authorized dealer in Scandinavia in 2013. His account appeared in a Monochrome Watches interview published on 9 February 2016; its specifications and prices below are therefore reported as that interview presented them, not as current Blancpain product information.
Why did Mark choose this Fifty Fathoms?
Asked why he chose the Fifty Fathoms Chronographe Flyback Quantième Complet from Blancpain’s line-up, Sinclair pointed to the combination of functions and the way they were integrated. The watch brings together a complete calendar, moon-phase display and flyback chronograph in a model built around the Fifty Fathoms dive-watch identity.
Its four calendar and moon-phase correctors sit under the lugs. Sinclair says they can be operated with a fingertip, without a separate adjusting tool, and that this arrangement was a major reason he bought the watch. It offers a less conspicuous setting solution than exposed pushers, while making the correctors part of the case design.
Asked to describe the watch in three words, Sinclair answered: “Sub-zero, cool and exuberant.” That is his personal impression, rather than a technical description.
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What does reference 5066F-1140-52B include?
The 2016 interview identifies Sinclair’s watch as the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Chronographe Flyback Quantième Complet, reference 5066F-1140-52B. It says the reference was launched in 2010 and reports the following specifications:
| Feature | Interview-reported detail |
|---|---|
| Water resistance | 300 m |
| Case dimensions | 45.00 mm in diameter and 17.40 mm thick |
| Calendar and astronomical display | Complete calendar and moon phase |
| Chronograph | Flyback chronograph |
| Calendar and moon-phase setting | Four correctors under the lugs, operated by fingertip without a separate adjusting tool |
| Movement | Calibre 66BF8, with up to 40 hours of autonomy |
| Movement construction | 448 parts; column-wheel chronograph with vertical clutch, based on Frédéric Piguet calibre 1185 |
These figures and descriptions come from the interview, rather than a current manufacturer specification sheet. Its historical pricing is likewise not a guide to today’s market: the article gives an approximate suggested retail price of €20,000 in 2013 and approximately €24,000 at the time of publication in 2016.
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How should a prospective wearer think about the size?
At 45.00 mm across and 17.40 mm thick, the interview’s reported dimensions make wrist fit worth checking in person. Sinclair says trying a related red-gold model helped ease his concerns about the size. He nevertheless advises prospective buyers to try the watch on their own wrist; case measurements alone cannot show how a particular watch will sit or feel.
What does the interview say about diving and care?
Sinclair recommends researching the watch carefully and having its gaskets checked periodically. The interview also reports, secondhand, that the manual describes Fifty Fathoms models as not being professional diving instruments and advises using a professional instrument such as a dive computer when necessary. That reported caution should not be mistaken for a direct quotation from the manual or a current manufacturer statement.
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How does it fit into the wider dive-watch conversation?
The interview places the Fifty Fathoms in the history of dive watches, recounting its origins through Blancpain CEO Jean-Jacques Fiechter and French combat divers Robert Maloubier and Claude Riffaud. This is the historical account given in the 2016 article, not an independently verified history here.
It also mentions the Rolex Submariner, Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Diver, Omega Seamaster 300 and Girard-Perregaux Seahawk in the broader discussion of alternatives. The interview does not provide a systematic comparison. For a meaningful comparison, consider the complications you want, case size and fit, intended use and water resistance, how calendar functions are set, movement, and historical or collector appeal. Sinclair’s choice is most distinctive for combining the complete calendar and moon phase with a flyback chronograph and under-lug correctors in a Fifty Fathoms.
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Read the original Monochrome Watches interview by Frank Geelen, published 9 February 2016.
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