After the introduction of the Fifty Fathoms Tech with a diameter of 45mm last year Blancpain today has added the larger 47mm version to the regular Fifty Fathoms Tech collection, well timed on World Oceans Day. Let’s get up close and personal with the brand new timepiece and explore the design details and their evolution.
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Alongside the 70th Anniversary of the Fifty Fathoms Blancpain introduced an entirely new design concept for the iconic dive watch: the Tech Gombessa, created in collaboration with Laurent Ballesta to allow for timing of dives up to 3 hours.
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The same concept has been applied to the new Fifty Fathoms Tech reference 5019A-12B30-94A, but with a few changes: the watch now features a date indication and the strap quick change system we know from the 2025 FF Tech reference 5029.
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What remains unchanged is the case made of grade 23 titanium, an absolute black dial with full SuperLuminova numerals and indices as well as the 3 hour unidirectional ceramic bezel.
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In my previous reviews of the Fifty Fathoms Tech I shared my appreciation for the excellent design of this watch. This is not only a professional dive watch that does its job perfectly underwater, it is also a timepiece that warrants exploring it under a loupe.
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Other than the Fifty Fathoms 70th Anniversary Tech Gombessa the new regular collection model uses green SuperLuminova for the dial, the orange accents are limited to the 3 hour hand and the Tech signature.
But don’t worry, there’s an impressive catch: not only is the lume stronger than the Tech Gombessa, it also emits different colors for the time and dive indications.
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Since there‘s now a date function, the movement of the FF Tech 5019A is called 13P5A, still based on the excellent caliber 1315 and offering 5 days of power reserve running at a frequency of 4Hz.
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The quick change system for the strap is a comfortable and welcome evolution of the design concept. Embedded in the central lugs the system allows for a tool-free change between the three available straps in black, white and orange.
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Please note that other than shown in this review the Fifty Fathoms Tech 5019A is delivered on the orange strap only, the two other colors are available separately.
No doubt the 47mm FF Tech is a large watch, although the design of the central lugs makes it comfortably wearable also on smaller wrists. For a perfect aesthetic fit you better have a wrist circumference of 18cm or more, though.
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Let’s not forget that this timepiece with the capability of timing 3 hour dives is really focused on the underwater performance. It still works perfectly as a daily casual sports watch, especially with the now added date function, but you need the wrist size for it (or you consider the smaller FF Tech 5029).
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Conclusions
The new Fifty Fathoms design is now realized not only in two special editions (Tech Gombessa and Tech BOC IV) but also two regular collection models. The 45mm FF Tech 5029 offers the traditional dive watch specs, the new 47mm FF Tech 5019A has the unique feature to time longer dives.
These two may actually be the real successors to the 1953 Fifty Fathoms, at least in sprit and purpose. The Fifty Fathoms Tech proves that new designs for an iconic watch can work and offer a compelling alternative. Let’s close with some more impressions of the exceptional lume design:
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You find the new Fifty Fathoms Tech 5019A here on the Blancpain website. To put the watch in perspective I also recommend to explore the Blancpain Ocean Commitment website here. My hands-on with the FF Tech Gombessa is available here, the review of the FF Tech BOC IV here and the hands-on with the regular collection FF Tech 5029 on all three strap colors here in the blog.
I hope you enjoyed this hands-on and the photos.
Cheers
Henrik