Captain Robert “Bob” Maloubier, the real-life secret agent/diver/war hero who was responsible for the initial development of the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms watch, generally considered the first modern-era dive watch, passed away this week at age 92.
In a statement, Blancpain reported “It is with great sorrow that Manufacture Blancpain and its President & CEO, Marc A. Hayek, learned of the passing of Captain Robert “Bob” Maloubier at the age of 92. A secret agent of the British Special Operations Executive during the Second World War, Bob Maloubier parachuted into France and, subsequently into Asia. In the 1950’s he was the founder and commander, together with Lieutenant Claude Riffaud, of the French military’s combat diving corps. It was in this capacity that he became a part of the history of Blancpain’s Fifty Fathoms watch.”
He was possibly the original ‘most interesting man in the world,’ at least within recent watchmaking history.
Maloubier and Riffaud understood the importance of having a robust and reliable diving watch. The pair tested watches and quickly came to the conclusion that none of them were suitable for the task. After meeting Jean-Jacques Fiechter, then CEO of Blancpain, who was also a diver, Maloubier and Blancpain together developed in 1953 what would become the Fifty Fathoms dive watch.
According to Blancpain, Robert Maloubier describes his dealings with Blancpain thus:
“Finally there was a small watch company, Blancpain, which agreed to develop our project which imagined a watch with a black dial, large numerals and clear indications using triangles, circles and squares, as well as an exterior rotating bezel mirroring the markers of the dial. We wanted at the beginning of a dive to position the bezel opposite the minute hand so as to be able to read the elapsed time. We wanted in effect that each of the markers be as clear as a guiding star for a shepherd.”
Maloubier took part in many events around the world organized by Blancpain and assisted in the recent publication recounting this shared history in the reference book “Fifty Fathoms, The Dive and Watch History 1953-2013.”
Member of the Legion of Honor and three times cited for the War Cross between 1939-1945, Maloubier was one of the two last surviving recipients of prestigious Distinguished Service Order bestowed in 1945. In early June, the day before the ceremonies marking the 70th anniversary of the Normandy landings, Queen Elizabeth II recognized him as a Member of the British Empire in a ceremony held in Paris. iW joins Blancpain in extending condolences Maloubier’s family.