Blancpain’s New Air Command Is A Beauty In Blue

With the Fifty Fathoms became Blancpain one of the pioneers in the field of diving watches, but also in the sky, they are a trailblazer. With the Air Command, originally launched in the mid-1950s, they were part of a new era of rapid developments in aviation. Past, present, and future are now united in the new Air Command that Blancpain launched today.

While the 42.5mm large watch has a vintage appeal, it is made in the most modern way. Just like the recently introduced Fifty Fathoms Bathyscape, selected Blancpain also for this model the rarely used grade 23 titanium. The unique nature of this material comes in particular to life with the polished and satin-finished surfaces that Blancpain applied to the case of the Air Command. Additionally, does the brand also offer the watch in red gold. Both go in particularly well with the satin blue dial and matching ceramic bezel. Blancpain combined this with a blue leather strap, which gives a casual touch to a very serious watch.

That this watch is built as a serious performer and doing justice to its “tool-watch” heritage becomes apparent when admiring its movement through the sapphire insert in the caseback. Here we see manufacture caliber F388B. This movement runs at 5Hz, allowing to measure the elapsed time in 1/10th of a second increments, with a column wheel and vertical clutch for precise chronograph operation. The watch’s precision is further ensured by the silicon balance spring so that magnetic fields have no impact on it. Blancpain gave the movement a refined yet sober finish, aligning it visually with the rest of the watch. A nice detail is also the so-called box sapphire crystal covering the dial. This gives another vintage touch to a very modern aviation watch.