Introducing the Blancpain Air Command Flyback Chronograph in Blue
After last week Blancpain introduced us to its latest model Fifty Fathoms Bathyscape in titanium, it is now time to present the new Air Command in two variants, one such as the latest version of the Bathyscape in titanium and the other in red gold.
In 2019 Blancpain, inspired by its 1950 Air Command chronograph built for pilots, introduced for the first time a re-edition of this iconic model as a limited edition, which distinguished itself by featuring a 42.5mm stainless steel case, black dial and gilt accents, and a flyback chronograph, which allows resetting and resetting the chronograph with a single click instead of the traditional three clicks that traditional chronographs require through the Stop-Zero-Start cycle.
The new Air Command takes on a more contemporary look, contradicting the previous version with more classic lines, starting with the case in red gold or grade 23 titanium alternating between satin-brushed and polished surfaces, countdown bezel with insert bezel in blue ceramic, sapphire glass, open case back through it is possible to observe among the others the oscillating gold weight with a snailed finish identical to that of the calibre’s bridges.
It’s the blue-hued dial and bezel that together with the Arabic hour markers and hands in the white-toned of the Super-LumiNova that brings a new, more modern soul to this Air Command. Inside, the dial features exactly the same configuration as the 2019 limited edition, a tachymeter and seconds scale, a 30-minute counter with three elongated markers marking three-minute increments at 3 o’clock, a 12-hour counter at 9 o’clock ‘clock, and a central chronograph seconds hand.
Powered by the high-frequency F388B movement, it features a column-wheel system with a highly advanced Blancpain vertical clutch, operating at a frequency of 5 Hz, which gives it superior accuracy and division of the seconds into 1/10th intervals.
The watch is offered with a blue leather strap with white stitching for the price of CHF 17,900 and CHF 28,800 in the titanium and red gold variants respectively.
Our Opinion
Undoubtedly, the blue tones of the dial combined with the white of its accents and the dark hue of the titanium case give the new Air Command a more contemporary look, thus filling a gap for a more cosmopolitan audience. We also emphasize the fact that the titanium variant has a slightly reduced price compared to the steel version, although the latter is a limited edition, it seems to us a positive point.
We, however, continue to prefer the classic variant with a black dial, whose fauxtina doesn’t bother us, despite it, we’d like to see in the future a titanium variant with a black dial, with or without fauxtina.
Read more here.
General Specifications:
Brand: Blancpain
Model: Air Command Flyback Chronograph
Reference: AC02 12B40 63B (titanium), AC02 36B40 63B (red gold)
Dial: Blue
Lume: Super-LumiNova
Case Material: Titanium, red gold
Case Dimensions: 42.5 mm diameter, 13.77 mm thickness
Crystal: Sapphire Glass
Case Back: Sapphire Glass
Water Resistance: 30 Meters
Strap: Blue leather strap
Caliber: F388B
Functions: Hours, minutes, flyback chronograph
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 5 Hz
Jewels: 35
Components: 297
Power Reserve: 50 hours
Price: CHF 17,900 (titanium), CHF 28,800 (red gold)
Availability: Now
