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Help me get my first Blancpain
I've been around this game for almost 15 years. The first love was, and in many ways still is, Rolex, both modern and vintage but I've also own/owned AP, PP, JLC, and even a Panerai or two. I'm a big fan of dive watches so of course I've always appreciated the historical importance of Blancpain's Fifty Fathoms but even if it made the short list many times, I never did get to pull the trigger on one - partly because they have no representation at any Washington, DC area dealers so it is hard to get to try them on thoroughly.
This time around the Fifty Fathoms is at the top of the list. I am particularly looking at the Tribute to Fifty Fathoms Aqua Lung because I'm a sucker for painted dials as well as brushed cases. Personally, I could have done without the display back, decorated rotar and extra sticker price but what can you do? Here is a quick wrist shot from when I finally got to handle one in person during a business trip to New York
Now there are a couple of areas left to cover in my due diligence that I was hoping that other BPFF owners could perhaps help with:
- How is the quality of the movement? My main concern is first of all robustness and accuracy. I don't baby my watches and I wear pampering them so eventually it will get bumped around, see various sport activities including diving and so forth. How has this Calibre 1315 held up to active daily use?
- What about the Blancpain service experience? This is part of the concern as BP isn't as well established here in the US. Does BP has their own service center here in the US or are the watches sent to Switzerland even for a basic 5 years service? How much is a basic normal maintenance service? Are we talking Rolex style $700 or more like 2-3 times that?
- My last area of concern has to do with value. I know this is a tricky area, but what about 2nd hand value? A lot can be said for instance about Rolex but at least you know it is easy to sell and you will get a good price for it, if it comes to that. I think the same can be said for PP and AP, if you bought them at the right discount but what about Blancpain? Is the 2nd hand market softer for BP than other equivalent brands?
Thanks you in advance,
Patrick
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Help me get my first Blancpain
I've been around this game for almost 15 years. The first love was, and in many ways still is, Rolex, both modern and vintage but I've also own/owned AP, PP, JLC, and even a Panerai or two. I'm a big fan of dive watches so of course I've always appreciate...
The Fifty Fathoms is an excellent watch.
Some answers. If you bang your watch on a wall, it is evident that you may damage it. It is not adviced to practice sports with your watch, with any mechanical watch, by the way. Think about it, when you play tennis, or golf, the rotor and the delicate pa...
Sorry to say my friend ...
but this statement "The Cal 1315 is ..., but a Rolew woukld be more accurate." is questionable from my point of view. Mine is the most the accurate watch I ever had (since 2007) and I know it is not the only one :-) Oliver
Well, I heard about several owners FF which had their watches accurate to 5 to 10 secs
Per day, while most of the Rolex owners will tell you that their watch are accurate within 3 secs per day. I even saw some Rolex which ran 5 secs fast ... Per month. I had one like this. Though, the Rolex movements are generally less... Spohisitcated than...
I need to jump on this...
... with some of my own experience. When it comes to the accuracy of the Blancpain calibre 1315, there is indeed some variance to be observed. I own 6 models, and I experienced rates of +1 and also + 8 per day. I asked the Blancpain Boutique in Munich to ...
Some answers ...
- Quality: Superb! Very reliable since 5 years and it is my "beater" watch - regular FF, but same movement. Finishing is quite good for a sports watch, but not Haute Horlogerie :-) - Service: My experiences are outstanding, because even when there was som...
My FF experience
I've had three FFs - all the regular Sport model and still have two No problems and they have all been accurate, between +1.5 and +3.5 /day with no special resting position overnight The long power reserve (120 hrs +) is great for obvious reasons, althoug...
Thanks for the input everyone!
I really appreciate and thank everyone who took the time to respond. I still haven't pulled the trigger, but the list is getting a lot shorter. Thanks again, Patrick
Hey Patrick
That TtAL looks so good on your wrist, I keep coming back to take another look : ) Just a suggestion... If you prefer a brushed finish there is a new FF available (shown at Basel last year and now on the Blancpain website), ref 5015D-1140-52B Same hands a...
blue flinqué dial...
do you think this is in line with the sports watch theme? Regards, Magnus
Good question
I have not seen the dial in real life... well, actually I have (sort of), on the Complete Calendar chrono I like it, although I expect others would prefer a plain dial like that used on the WG LE I think it's good that Blancpain are giving us a choice, wh...
