The Blancpain Fifty Fathoms A review based on articles by S. Ciejka, R. Bruyeron, K. Knirim and the Blancpain website The Origins In 1952, two French naval officers, Commander Robert "Bob" Maloubier and Lieutenant Claude Riffaud were instructed by the Ministry of Defense and the French Navy to set up an elite unit called "Les Nageurs de combat" - i.e.