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Old 26 July 2020, 05:40 AM   #1
IGotId
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Incoming...LE Blancpain Bathyscaphe Mokarran

So I've been interested in picking up a green dial watch for some time now...primary interests were the Submariner Hulk & the GO Sixties. I've also always been interested in the Blue Bathyscaphe however have been concerned that it may fit a bit too big as I prefer 40-41 mm. When the BP was announced it seemed like a no-brainer to me!

Initial impressions;

Pros: I love the colors, all of them! The green dial & bezel as well as the brushed black ceramic case. Although I do appreciate the date complication this dial looks really clean without the date.

Cons: It is a big watch, it's currently on the NATO it came with & I'll hold final judgement on the wearability once I've tried it on other straps. The biggest con/disappointment? A watch at this price point being sold only with a NATO strap! 🤦*♂️ That being said my salesman at the NYC boutique threw in a couple of straps with the watch (the salesman at the LV declined to do so!)

Time will tell if this watch is a keeper!

A couple of pics:



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Old 26 July 2020, 06:01 AM   #2
Dynamite_Kid19
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Congrats! Saw it on the cover of the lastest Watchtime magazine and thought it was really cool. Your pics prove that it is. Enjoy in good health.

Sent from my HD1905 using Tapatalk
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Old 26 July 2020, 08:56 AM   #3
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It does look lovely and you did score the extra straps, but point taken on the Nato- Oddly Blancpain used to do THE nicest Nato on the Bathyscaphes, especially the black ceramic models, with matching, removable, brushed ceramic fittings and keepers. Then they inexplicably switched to all fabric....

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Old 26 July 2020, 08:59 AM   #4
Jay (Eire)
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I do like the watch, the green on the dial and bezel seem in all the live pictures to be a good pick. And the lack of a date is a blessing.

Congrats.
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Old 26 July 2020, 09:12 AM   #5
ap1
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Love - enjoy
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Old 26 July 2020, 12:21 PM   #6
Droolex
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Gorgeous watch. As good a green as you can get!
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Old 26 July 2020, 01:54 PM   #7
MichaelFlash
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LOVE that watch. The green and black ceramic looks spectacular. Agree about the Nato strap. Makes no sense that BP is not making the one with the hardware anymore. Simply the best Nato made.
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Old 26 July 2020, 02:30 PM   #8
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Old 29 July 2020, 02:47 AM   #9
IGotId
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Thanks everyone!

Quote:
Originally Posted by asiparks View Post
It does look lovely and you did score the extra straps, but point taken on the Nato- Oddly Blancpain used to do THE nicest Nato on the Bathyscaphes, especially the black ceramic models, with matching, removable, brushed ceramic fittings and keepers. Then they inexplicably switched to all fabric....

I wasn't aware of the above NATO...that obviously would have been much more preferable!
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Old 29 July 2020, 04:17 AM   #10
Heu
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Congrats!
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Old 29 July 2020, 06:25 AM   #11
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Congratulations
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Old 29 July 2020, 08:58 AM   #12
Cayenne06
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Fantastic timepiece, congratulations.
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Old 30 July 2020, 12:09 AM   #13
OJONES
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Lovely colour. What’s the deal with the keepers. Is it just this model, or have discontinued them on the black/blue models as well. Would be seriously disappointed if they were.
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Old 30 July 2020, 03:00 AM   #14
EdwardC
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The green stands out from other green dials. Lovely
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Old 30 July 2020, 11:53 AM   #15
asiparks
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Quote:
Originally Posted by OJONES View Post
Lovely colour. What’s the deal with the keepers. Is it just this model, or have discontinued them on the black/blue models as well. Would be seriously disappointed if they were.
Yup, Officially all the Blancpain Natos, for all the Bathyscaphes ( and Fifty Fathoms ) now have the fabric keepers, even the Sedna Gold version.

Jomashop and some other sellers show the old versions in stock. There is a black/ceramic nato strap on the Bay, think it's around $1200. I tried to get an Olive strap with gold fittings to go with my gold Fifty Fathoms last time I was in the London Boutique, they had the black/gold available, I'd have to order the olive strap seperately and i think the total came to a little under $4k.

Ended up getting a canvas one with brushed "Rosey" gold off Amazon instead.

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Old 31 July 2020, 10:35 PM   #16
Frits1980
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The greens looks great and no date is much nicer and clean. But like always with Blancpain..... The size ruins it for average wrists. The Bathy (any) would be so nice in 40mm but noooo, lets make it in 38 and 43
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Old 6 August 2020, 02:44 AM   #17
tmaynard
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The move away from the nato straps with fittings that match the case was an odd one.

I ordered a SS bathyscaphe a couple of months ago and it arrived with the "new" strap, despite all marketing materials still displaying the SS fittings. The AD was ultimately able to track down one of the original straps.

My only loss were some scratches acquired by changing the strap by myself (the leather on the nato made it too thick to pass through the spring bars without removing them).

At some point I'd like to acquire the X-70 bracelet, but it's $$$
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Old 6 August 2020, 10:53 PM   #18
OJONES
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tmaynard View Post
The move away from the nato straps with fittings that match the case was an odd one.

I ordered a SS bathyscaphe a couple of months ago and it arrived with the "new" strap, despite all marketing materials still displaying the SS fittings. The AD was ultimately able to track down one of the original straps.

My only loss were some scratches acquired by changing the strap by myself (the leather on the nato made it too thick to pass through the spring bars without removing them).

At some point I'd like to acquire the X-70 bracelet, but it's $$$
I thought the SS Keepers survived the cut, obviously not. That’s definitely penny pinching, whatever about the durability of ceramic and gold (not that I’ve ever heard any issue), there’s no excuse to remove the SS ones
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Old 10 August 2020, 12:41 PM   #19
IGotId
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Thanks everyone.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Frits1980 View Post
The greens looks great and no date is much nicer and clean. But like always with Blancpain..... The size ruins it for average wrists. The Bathy (any) would be so nice in 40mm but noooo, lets make it in 38 and 43
FWIW, I've been considering a Bathyscaphe for yrs (the blue version) but always held off as all of my other watches are 40 mm as well. The BP wears smaller then 43 mm
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