When Blancpain introduced the new 42mm Fifty Fathoms size in January 2023 with the 70th Anniversary Act 1 and in February 2024 with the standard collection titanium and red gold models they answered a wish enthusiasts voiced for quite a while. Today let’s take a close look at the stainless steel FF 5010-1130 70th Anniversary Act 1 and the grade 23 titanium black dial FF 5010-12B30. There are more differences than you may see at a first glance, so let’s get started with a comparison of two timepieces an untrained eye would probably consider identical at first glance.
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Before we dig into the differences let me briefly talk about the (substantial) commonalities: both watches share the same case dimensions and shapes, a slight sunburst finish black dial, the sapphire bezel insert and the fabulous caliber 1315 movement. But that’s about it, there are a lot of details that make a notable difference.
The most obvious one is the case material and finish. While the FF 70th Anniversary Act 1 features a polished stainless steel case, the regular collection FF 5010 gives us a satin brushed titanium grade 23 case.
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Not only is titanium significantly lighter, the different color combined with the beautifully executed brushed finish gives the regular collection 5010 a stealthy look. The FF 70th Anniversary Act 1 on the other hand offers a more luxurious and shiny look with the rounded case shapes being a lot more pronounced.
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The faces of the two watches show some significant differences, too. For the FF 70th Anniversary Act 1 Blancpain used full block SuperLuminova numerals and indices which provide quicker and significantly stronger luminescence than we have seen before. Don’t get me wrong: all Fifty Fathoms timepieces show superior luminous capabilities, but the special solution used for the anniversary model is taking it to the next level.
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The regular collection Fifty Fathoms 5010 features traditional applied numerals and indices filled with luminous material. The numerals are probably the same size as those on the 70th Anniversary Act 1, but they appear slightly smaller. Especially in relation to the bezel numerals this difference becomes obvious: while the Act 1 has a perfect harmony between bezel and dial numerals the regular collection FF 5010 creates the visual appearance of different numeral sizes.
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The hands are different, too. The titanium FF 5010 features the faceted sword hands known from the 45mm Fifty Fathoms Automatique since 2007, the seconds hand with its red tip is more pointed. The FF 70th Anniversary Act 1 features a set of pencil hands unique to this model and a less pointed seconds hand.
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The print on the two dials is also a notable difference: the regular collection FF 5010 has the typical 4 lines of print with the Blancpain logo and signature in the top half and the Fifty Fathoms signature and water resistance in the lower half of the dial. The limited FF has all those 4 lines printed in the top half, leaving the lower half reserved for the 70th Anniversary and Series I/II/III print.
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What came as a surprise to me: the clarity of view on the dials is different, too. The sapphire crystal of the FF 70th Anniversary has no outer anti reflective coating, which pronounces the domed shape more but also offers a slightly more disturbed view on the dial. The regular collection FF 5010 has AR coating on both sides of the crystal which results in an extremely clear view on the dial under all light conditions.
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All these small but notable details add up to two rather different expressions the two 42.3mm Fifty Fathoms models offer. The regular collection titanium grade 23 Fifty Fathoms looks more technical, stealthy and cool (for the lack of a better term). The Fifty Fathoms 70th Anniversary Act 1 looks more sensual, luxurious and warmer, at least to my eyes.
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We are not done with the differences, though. Obviously the strap buckle corresponds to the case material and the choice of straps is similar (Nato, Sailcloth, Tropic) but the regular collection FF 5010 offers you the option of a bracelet made from titanium grade 23.
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And here’s the final difference: the rotor of caliber 1315 is made from platinum in the FF 70th Anniversary Act 1 while the regular collection rotor is made from 18ct gold, partly coated in anthracite color.
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Concluding this comparison let me share some additional thoughts: I was curious how a standard collection Fifty Fathoms 5010 would turn out after the 70th Anniversary model captured my heart and quickly became my favorite watch. As a collector you obviously don’t want a limited edition being compromised and Blancpain made sure that won’t happen by using satin brushed titanium and aligning the regular collection FF 5010 more closely to its larger sibling, the FF 5015.
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I also wondered whether both watches would make sense side by side in my personal collection. Actually I find them more complementary than redundant. Due to my joy exploring details and since I like to play around with different straps I find both 42mm Fathoms different enough in detail and character to enjoy both to the fullest extent.
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You find the full regular Fifty Fathoms 5010 collection here on the Blancpain website, my hands-on with this collection is available here in the blog. A deep dive into the FF 70th Anniversary is also available here.
I hope you enjoyed this comparison and the photos.
Cheers
Henrik