Monads at Crown Casino are having their watch week until 30th June, which is when they show off the novelties from the top end of the Swatch Group. Of course I went to take a look...
The Blancpain Air Command is a very nice piece, and it's got quite a vintage Fifty Fathoms vibe to it. I liked it.
The Nageurs de Combat is a fairly typical Fifty Fathoms, but with a black 7 on the dial. The caseback is solid.
Then there's the Barakuda. It's smaller than most Fifty Fathoms, and I love the dial design. However, I'd probably go for the Bathyscaphe Seventies instead. (Unfortunately Monads sold the one they had in stock a week or two ago.)
A few people got excited about the Glashutte Original SeaQ. I took a look at the panodate version, with the blue dial and fabric strap, or the one that I'd buy.
Compared to the Fifty Fathoms, the movement is more highly decorated, with stripes on the plates. The larger Blancpains have 120 hours power reserve, the Barakuda has around 80 from memory, and the Glashutte has 100. They've all got silicon mainsprings.
The Fifty Fathoms case is quite sculptural, with rounded sides. The SeaQ's is more basic, it's a very refined tool watch. They're probably about the same thickness, but I didn't get to compare them side-by-side.
I'd be tempted by the SeaQ over the Fifty Fathoms, particularly with the blue dial. If I went with the Blancpain, I'd try to track down a Bathyscaphe Seventies.
