Today I have the pleasure to get up close and personal with an exceptional Fifty Fathoms 5015, the limited to 500 pieces Tribute to Aqua Lung aka TTAL. This version of the Fifty Fathoms has been an enthusiast and collector favorite right from the start, so let’s explore why that is.
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One of only 3 limited editions in 15 years
The Fifty Fathoms 5015 was introduced in 2007, marking yet another milestone in the rich history of the revered professional dive watch. Varieties of the reference followed swiftly, with the first limited edition being the Tribute to Fifty Fathoms No Radiations in 2009.
The third and so far last limited edition was the Fifty Fathoms Nageurs de combat, introduced 2019 and therefore 8 years after the second LE, the FF Tribute to Aqua Lung ref 5015C-1130-52B from 2011.
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Some distinct features of the TTAL
The Tribute to Aqua Lung was the first Fifty Fathoms 5015 with a satin brushed stainless steel case. This case finish emphasizes the tool watch character, despite unchanged shapes the visual appearance is significantly different to the polished 5015.
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The sapphire bezel has no minute indications between 0 and 15, picking up on the historic bezel calibration, which could previously only be found with the 40mm Fifty Fathoms 50th Anniversary in the modern collection. Since the TTAL it has not been featured again in any other FF 5015.
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The dial finish is similar to the regular Fifty Fathoms Automatique 5015-1130, the Arabic numerals however are painted with SuperLuminova, not applied, giving the dial a very unique character.
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The hands are also unique to this variation of the FF 5015: the pencil hands are again emphasizing the tool watch character.
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But that’s not all, the probably most attractive TTAL element can be found when we turn the watch: the anyway beautifully finished caliber 1315 with 120 hours power reserve features apropeller shaped rotor with drilled bubbles, a real feast for the eyes.
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Again, it can’t be found in any other FF 5015, but it is also used for the 500 Fathoms and therefore not absolutely unique to the Tribute to Aqua Lung.
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Blancpain was very serious about making the TTAL a stand-out timepiece, so they gave it a unique strap, too. The black sailcloth strap with holes finds some inspiration in historic rubber straps for dive watches, and it can still be ordered as a replacement part, now in the new style matte sailcloth material.
As you would expect, luminosity is fantastic with this luxurious and rare dive watch. Besides all excellence in every detail, it remains a professional instrument.
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Conclusions
The Fifty Fathoms Tribute to Aqua Lung was introduced 11 years ago and remains a truly exceptional watch and a favorite among collectors for some very good reasons.
Besides the 2019 FF Nageurs de combat the TTAL is one the two 45mm Fifty Fathoms capturing visual elements of the iconic vintage predecessors the most among all FF 5015 timepieces, albeit in totally different ways.
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The Tribute to Aqua Lung came in a special collectors package: a strap change tool containing spare pins and screws, an additional long rubber strap with additional tang buckle and a set of dedicated postcards. Please also note that the TTAL came with a deployant clasp.
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Since all 500 specimen are sold out for many years, you won’t seethe TTAL on the Blancpain website, but an overview on the current FF 5015 models can be found here. An essay on the FF Nageurs de combat is available here and an overview on all Fifty Fathoms 5015 since 2007 can be found here in the blog.
I hope you enjoyed this Flashback essay and the photos!
Cheers
Henrik