Blancpain Bathyscaphe MC4 by Waltham - New Arrival!

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I love it as is...nothing like a little wabi on a vintage tool watch

I agree, it definitely looks like this watch was used for its intended purpose. I really love the tropical dial -- I haven't see many Bathyscaphes turn tropical.
 
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Great read, thanks for finding this! I'm still enjoying the Waltham 😀

20181023_133331-jpg.645797
 
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I’ve always liked these - but have struggled to buy one, as the more common 34mm wide ones look too dainty on my gorilla wrists... that said I do kick myself for passing up a boxed one with papers on eBay for $800 last Jan plus one that was offered to me on here... can’t believe how much they are priced up at now!
 
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I used to like this thread a lot. So bump with a new arrival !

 
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Beautiful watches in the thread. It’s great to see how they all aged
 
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I used to like this thread a lot. So bump with a new arrival !


Nice one! Since this thread was made I found the original Bathyscaphe and sold the Waltham. Still a huge fan of both brands!



 
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Hello just purchased a waltham on ebay ands its missing a few bits!! googled the model and came across this thread any information on where to get parts for these watches i live in New Zealand and have never seen anything about . Thanks Tim
 
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Buy a parts watch, maybe? Or two.

Study eBay

Ask watch forums for help?

did you know it needed many parts before you got it in hand?

I hope the movement has no rust or corrosion.

welcome
 
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The case on yours seems pretty good from the front, with most of the wear out-of-view on the back of the lugs. Given the dial and bezel aren’t mint, then I personally wouldn’t consider re-plating at all. I think it looks great as it is, it wears its history well..



Well the bezels I have look like the early version,but they don’t fit. I’d be really interested to know the dimensions on your case (where the bezel fits), plus the dimensions of the bezel itself. Here’s one of the ones that looks right but doesn’t work.

hello just purchased this off ebay and im after a bezel and hands ? any help would be greatly appreciated
 
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Buy a parts watch, maybe? Or two.

Study eBay

Ask watch forums for help?

did you know it needed many parts before you got it in hand?

I hope the movement has no rust or corrosion.

welcome
any watch forums or specific websites you know of would be greatly appreciated
thanks
 
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any watch forums or specific websites you know of would be greatly appreciated
thanks

Hi Tim, I would suggest returning the watch if possible. If I recall, it was listed at quite a high price to begin with.

I don't think you will ever be able to find the correct bezel for this watch. If you do, be aware that the bezel dimensions for this generation and the later generation are slightly different and are not easily interchangeable. I'm not sure about hands...maybe you can find them someday.

Another issue will be finding parts that don't look out of place on this watch. Imagine finding a bezel that looks NOS - it just wouldn't work here. Same with the hands.

Buy a parts watch, maybe? Or two.

I hope the movement has no rust or corrosion.

A rusted movement would actually be the easiest thing to remedy on this watch. These came with generic AS movements that can be found in other watches from the time period.
 
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Hi Tim, I would suggest returning the watch if possible. If I recall, it was listed at quite a high price to begin with.

I don't think you will ever be able to find the correct bezel for this watch. If you do, be aware that the bezel dimensions for this generation and the later generation are slightly different and are not easily interchangeable. I'm not sure about hands...maybe you can find them someday.

Another issue will be finding parts that don't look out of place on this watch. Imagine finding a bezel that looks NOS - it just wouldn't work here. Same with the hands.



A rusted movement would actually be the easiest thing to remedy on this watch. These came with generic AS movements that can be found in other watches from the time period.
Sadly I agree- this is one of those project that you will probably never be able to complete- the parts are just not out there.
 
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Hi Tim, I would suggest returning the watch if possible. If I recall, it was listed at quite a high price to begin with.

I don't think you will ever be able to find the correct bezel for this watch. If you do, be aware that the bezel dimensions for this generation and the later generation are slightly different and are not easily interchangeable. I'm not sure about hands...maybe you can find them someday.

Another issue will be finding parts that don't look out of place on this watch. Imagine finding a bezel that looks NOS - it just wouldn't work here. Same with the hands.



A rusted movement would actually be the easiest thing to remedy on this watch. These came with generic AS movements that can be found in other watches from the time period.

hello
thanks for your concern in regards to this particular watch
firstly i have know great knowledge about this particular model other than my Grandfather had a blancpain and after he died ( the watch disappeared!! ) i have since always wanted one some twenty years later im now able to get some what half of one. I know its not in perfect shape nor the correct model as my grandfathers . But at least its a start as you im sure you can understand you can have a real connection to a watch and the memories and history they curate . I would love to be able to buy a period correct Blancpain but this is something well out of my reach . So this is my start point ... i understand for a lot of people the "franken watch" is looked down upon . For me this is not the case i do not inrend to sell or profit from this watch and my ultimate dream is to have it on my wrist in functioning condition and hopefully one day on my young sons!
thanks again for your reply but i wont be returning this watch as already it means a great deal to me

Tim
 
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The hands are pretty common. The bezel, well I'm in the market for one. Have been looking for years 🙁
 
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hello
thanks for your concern in regards to this particular watch
firstly i have know great knowledge about this particular model other than my Grandfather had a blancpain and after he died ( the watch disappeared!! ) i have since always wanted one some twenty years later im now able to get some what half of one. I know its not in perfect shape nor the correct model as my grandfathers . But at least its a start as you im sure you can understand you can have a real connection to a watch and the memories and history they curate . I would love to be able to buy a period correct Blancpain but this is something well out of my reach . So this is my start point ... i understand for a lot of people the "franken watch" is looked down upon . For me this is not the case i do not inrend to sell or profit from this watch and my ultimate dream is to have it on my wrist in functioning condition and hopefully one day on my young sons!
thanks again for your reply but i wont be returning this watch as already it means a great deal to me

Tim

That makes sense Tim. There are plenty of generic hands and bezels that will work for you in that case. You will just need to measure the sizes needed and use that to guide your parts search. It won't be "correct" but I am sure you can find something that is appealing to you.
 
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hello
thanks for your concern in regards to this particular watch
firstly i have know great knowledge about this particular model other than my Grandfather had a blancpain and after he died ( the watch disappeared!! ) i have since always wanted one some twenty years later im now able to get some what half of one. I know its not in perfect shape nor the correct model as my grandfathers . But at least its a start as you im sure you can understand you can have a real connection to a watch and the memories and history they curate . I would love to be able to buy a period correct Blancpain but this is something well out of my reach . So this is my start point ... i understand for a lot of people the "franken watch" is looked down upon . For me this is not the case i do not inrend to sell or profit from this watch and my ultimate dream is to have it on my wrist in functioning condition and hopefully one day on my young sons!
thanks again for your reply but i wont be returning this watch as already it means a great deal to me

Tim
You can try to restore it.

http://www.atelier-horloger.fr/contact.php

I'm also working on a project. Not sure what the end result will be but I'm giving it a shot!

https://omegaforums.net/threads/restoration-of-a-1st-gen-eterna-kontiki-what-to-do.127577/
 
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Hello just purchased a waltham on ebay ands its missing a few bits!! googled the model and came across this thread any information on where to get parts for these watches i live in New Zealand and have never seen anything about .
Thanks Tim

Hallo Tim,
as I am informed, Squale did supply Blancpain with the Bathyscaphe cases (as well as the FF 1000 and 3H Bund cases).
As Squale lately found a batch of NOS cases and built some historic 'hommages'
( see here: https://www.awco.nl/two-ultra-rare-squale-x-awco-special-editions/)
I would try to get in contact with Squale, they make service for their watches and maybe they can get your watch complete with old parts.
Greetings Konrad

https://www.squale.ch
https://www.squale.ch/en/customer-service

The AWCo batch of Squale watches with Rayville cases:
Edited: