Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Barakuda 100 hours power reserve watch talk

[bwest76]

Please note this is in watch talk not SC or price watch.


Seeing that stunning watch on SC I went reading about it as I often do when I see a model I dont have any knowledge of (theirs a lot).

So 100 hours power reserve, my Zenith has 50 I thought that was a lot so how is it achieved,is it necessary?

Is it extra complications in the mechanism or just very fine tolerances and design?

I am asking as an enthusiast not an expert.


from the article below


It’s easy to overlook the fact that we’re talking higher level horology here, because of the utilitarian appearance of the Fifty Fathoms, but at the watch's core is a movement that requires painstaking assembly in one of the country's premier manufactures. This isn’t the "lets throw a supplied movement in a watch that looks like an old one" play. Has Blancpain been cashing in on nostalgia and milking the Fifty Fathoms legacy for some time now? Of course, but it's a legendary watch for a reason, and what we’re getting is a sports watch, with a mechanism that has been assembled alongside some of the finest watch movements within the Swatch Group.


some lovely photos here.

https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/bl...da-introducing

[Wallasey Runner]

That is one stunning watch, but then again coming from Blancpain what else do we expect. I previously owned a standard 45mm FF 52b with the deployant and the quality was just sublime. I sold it to buy an Ed White, which with the benefit of hindsight was a mistake in my opinion.

I had a cull earlier this year and was looking to consolidate (again ) and I had it down to two watches, either a nice full set 16600 or another BP, especially if a Blue dial turned up. Clearly the limited edition BPs were well out of reach and I ended up with the 16600, but longer term would love to add a BP to it.

Out of interest, I have read that the 40mm wear small due to the size of the bezel, maybe some owners or previous owners can comment. This was certainly true of the 45mm watch with a large bezel and curved lugs did wear more like a 42mm watch.

[ac11111]

Has a slightly lower beat rate at 3hz vs 4hz and perhaps a slightly larger main spring. Blancpain finishing generally thought as high but not quite at the level of Patek, AP, Lange.

[Hood]

I have the milspec tribute fifty fathoms and the power reserve is incredible on it,lume too.
Ken is correct in that they do wear to what you might think was a 38mm as opposed to 40mm but that suits me.
Endo also has one and he's more likely to have the technical knowledge.

[Sinnlover]

If I were to consolidate a few watches it would be for one of these or a milspec version (the standard FF would also suffice for the right price)
I am not a fan of the script down the side but I think I could learn to live with it.

[endo]

The movement is an F.Piguet 1151 which is a modified 1150 that is also used by AP,VC etc.
What helps extened the power reserve is the Twin Barrel, and slower beat at3hz 21000bph (for example average Rolex is 4hz, and the El Primero is 5hz)

As to finishing, lovely curved chamfers (which are more time consuming that straight edge polishing), countersunk jewels, lovely pearlage and striping.
You’d be hard pressed to find something nicer in the 7-10k range..... afterwards I personally think your in the world of diminishing returns unless you spend your life staring at the movement with a loupe looking for that extra 0.001%

Vs a PP 324, the 1151 is a serious contentder.

Endo also has one and he's more likely to have the technical knowledge.

Lol, all i know is I’ve had a whole bunch of F.Piguet powered watches, and they take a licking and keep on ticking.

[crazyp]

I think endo has covered it all the points about the movement. A real workhorse movement, but with quite a refined finish. I'm interested to see what Blancpain come out with this year. So far their 40mm LEs have been hits!

[Robsmck]

The size of the 40mm BP is an issue to me. I like a bigger watch, struggling with the size of my BLRO as it feels small, and the 45mm BP wears more like a 42mm from other makers. I actually had a barakuda reserved but didn't complete due to the size.
Stunning looking watch and movement tho.

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

[Hood]

[QUOTE=endo;5358640]The movement is an F.Piguet 1151 which is a modified 1150 that is also used by AP,VC etc.
What helps extened the power reserve is the Twin Barrel, and slower beat at3hz 21000bph (for example average Rolex is 4hz, and the El Primero is 5hz)

As to finishing, lovely curved chamfers (which are more time consuming that straight edge polishing), countersunk jewels,lovely pearlage land striping.
You’d be hard pressed to find something nicer in the 7-10k range..... afterwards I personally think your in the world of diminishing returns unless you spend your life staring at the movement with a loupe looking for that extra 0.001%

/QUOTE]
.[

Nicely put Mike but wtf is pearlage?

[endo]

[QUOTE=Hood;5358660]

The movement is an F.Piguet 1151 which is a modified 1150 that is also used by AP,VC etc.
What helps extened the power reserve is the Twin Barrel, and slower beat at3hz 21000bph (for example average Rolex is 4hz, and the El Primero is 5hz)

As to finishing, lovely curved chamfers (which are more time consuming that straight edge polishing), countersunk jewels,lovely pearlage land striping.
You’d be hard pressed to find something nicer in the 7-10k range..... afterwards I personally think your in the world of diminishing returns unless you spend your life staring at the movement with a loupe looking for that extra 0.001%

/QUOTE]
.[

Nicely put Mike but wtf is pearlage?

Swirl plate in laymans terms (lol i still call it that)

Sometimes it can looks pretty janky and uneven, but on the BP is nice and tool that made it is fairly fine grained so the circles are fairly nice to look at.

[bwest76]

I am still amazed it can run for 100 hours.

I took my Zenith off last Friday to see if it would last 50 hours which it did though I did wind it first,that’s the advantage of the non locking crown.

[ac11111]

I am still amazed it can run for 100 hours.

I took my Zenith off last Friday to see if it would last 50 hours which it did though I did wind it first,that’s the advantage of the non locking crown.

It’s really not that amazing, plenty of watches with long power reserves, part of it is the lower beat rate.

Like saying I’m amazed by how many miles a 1.4L VW Passat can go without needing to go the pumps. By the way, that is just an analogy, I’m not really comparing the BP to a VW Passat.

[bwest76]

Then why aren’t more watches running at a lower rate?

[ac11111]

Then why aren’t more watches running at a lower rate?

Vintage watches and older movements tend to run at slower rates, obviously exceptions like el primero and high heat Seiko movements.

Pros and cons with high beat and slower.

All else being equal slower rates = greater durability/less servicing and longer power reserve

Higher rate = greater accuracy but also greater wear and lower power reserve

Other factors come in to play obviously so you can have slow rate with very high accuracy no problem , and higher rate which are also proven to be very durable and have decently long power reserves also.

Sometimes no definite reason, it just is, a matter of engineering, historical design and industry standards

Most modern watches run at 4hz or 28,800 which is viewed as optimal in term of the above factors.

[bwest76]

OK thanks

[noidea]

I have a blue faced titanium Fifty Fathoms, bought from SC a couple of months ago, and I agree with the other comments about the size. It definitely doesn't wear like a 45mm watch. The 40mm version, as lovely as it is, must wear really small.
I particularly like the satin finish on the case along with the very high quality feel to the whole piece. This is my first experience with a Blancpain and must say they are very special.

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[muddymonkey]

I have a Leman 2100 which uses this movement and although a lot older than the FFs mentioned, the watch is an absolutely fantastic watch, movement, timekeeping, finishing all amazing. I wear it every day and love it.

[MartynJC (UK)]

Also Blancpain have perfected the rounded crystal and crystal lumed bezel - oozes quality.