Blancpain FF

[AK797]

Originally Posted by improviz

The OEM strap is a 23mm which is difficult to find aftermarket, but I had read on one of the forms that some folks had used 24 mm straps successfully and so gave it a shot.

Fitment was no problem. I had to wedge it in there a bit, but it was not forcing type of deal; in fact it it went in very easily. I think it is helped by the fact that this particular strap has a rubber bottom, and so is somewhat flexible.

The spring bars are mini-hex which can be easily stripped, so you have to be careful with them. I actually bought a strap changing toolkit from Blancpain USA directly (the one without the dive strap), which works very well.

Many thanks, def worth it.

[M. Smith]

I’d love to see one in person on a bracelet.

[kbw]

I have one on the sail cloth strap, and I can noting but recommend it. It's a fantastic watch, I wanted one for 6-7 years before I finally bought one and I'm very glad I did! Despite its 45mm I don't feel that it's too large, it feels much smaller on the wrist than a 44mm Panerai for instance.

[AK797]

Beautiful piece, even more so in RG...

[brandrea]

You guys are making me all itchy

I have been eyeing the 5015 and have tried it on several times recently. I love the sapphire bezel, gives it’s an almost liquid metal look.

I’m very tempted ...

I’d love to hear feedback from owners who have the bracelet option. I’ve heard the quality is top shelf, but my AD doesn’t have one to show me ...

[drhr]

Preferred the blue and the smaller tribute piece, the bracelet is great . . . . . .

[JacksonStone]

Originally Posted by drhr

Preferred the blue and the smaller tribute piece, the bracelet is great . . . . . .

If they still made the FF in 40mm, that possibly could have displaced the SubC as my grail.

Maybe.

[drhr]

Originally Posted by JacksonStone

If they still made the FF in 40mm, that possibly could have displaced the SubC as my grail.

Maybe.

It's a tough addiction

[meganfox17]

Originally Posted by brandrea

I’m very tempted ...I’d love to hear feedback from owners who have the bracelet option. I’ve heard the quality is top shelf, but my AD doesn’t have one to show me ...

Don't be surprise Brian if you see me showing off a FF 5015 in the next 6 months.
The X-71 bracelet is absolutely top notched, superb comfort-wise and in engineering design & refinement. Arguably after trying 'em on just once at the boutique, I just have this feeling the X-71 bracelet is even better than an AP RO, Omega PO + SMP, Rolex Oyster + Jubilee. A Chinese friend who has a PP Nautilus was surprised at FF's bracelet built quality but claims comfort-wise, both are equalNext photos, the older discontinued FF 50th Anniversary model 40.5 mm belonging to a dealer friend showing me the double butterfly clasp X-71 version bracelet I might just pull the trigger on the 0ne below Brian, I prefer the FF 5015 on the X-71 rather than the sailcloth strap

[brandrea]

Originally Posted by meganfox17

Don't be surprise Brian if you see me showing off a FF 5015 in the next 6 months.
The X-71 bracelet is absolutely top notched, superb comfort-wise and in engineering design & refinement. Arguably after trying 'em on just once at the boutique, I just have this feeling the X-71 bracelet is even better than an AP RO, Omega PO + SMP, Rolex Oyster + Jubilee. A Chinese friend who has a PP Nautilus was surprised at FF's bracelet built quality but claims comfort-wise, both are equalNext photos, the older discontinued FF 50th Anniversary model 40.5 mm belonging to a dealer friend showing me the double butterfly clasp X-71 version bracelet I might just pull the trigger on the 0ne below Brian, I prefer the FF 5015 on the X-71 rather than the sailcloth strap

Thank you for this Megan, great detail (as always)

I’d really like to see one with a bracelet so I’m going to try and hunt one down in my area over the next few weeks.

I do like the sailcloth, but after wearing my Panerai, it always feels good to go back to wearing a Rolex ... the metal bracelet is just so comfortable and “cooler” wearing (if that makes sense).

My Rolex AD has a very limited selection of BP, so I may have to look elesewhere

Fantastic pics, and I hope to see an incoming of you soon

[GB-man]

I’d love a no date FF

[andrey_]

Good point, but the fact that my ff is difficult to perform in cosc doesn’t mean that the 1315 calibre is not accurate. I’m sure that other owners have better experience.
Apart from accuracy, it is a calibre with hand finishing, 3 barrels and 120 hours pr. If accuracy is everything, perhaps rolex is easier to adjust. But then there are other options, more accurate, like springdrive gs. And then high end quartz of course. It is a combination of factors.

[JacksonStone]

Originally Posted by andrey_

Good point, but the fact that my ff is difficult to perform in cosc doesn’t mean that the 1315 calibre is not accurate. I’m sure that other owners have better experience.

Fair point. I was responding to your comment at face value, but recognize it's just one data point, and not something upon which to draw a firm conclusion.

Originally Posted by andrey_

If accuracy is everything, perhaps rolex is easier to adjust. But then there are other options, more accurate, like springdrive gs. And then high end quartz of course. It is a combination of factors.

I wouldn't go so far as to say it's everything. If it were, I'd wear a radio-controlled watch and be done with it. Since I opt to wear a mechanical watch, obviously I'm willing to accept a certain amount of inaccuracy. Having said that, my Sub Date is typically accurate to between +0.5 to +1spd. Given that, I don't feel like I'm compromising much in the way of accuracy by wearing a mechanical. I would feel a greater sense of compromise with a movement I couldn't keep regulated at least to within COSC specs. Technically my Sub is still more correct after a week than your FF is in a day. On an apples-to-apples basis, that's a pretty big difference.

I'm not slamming the FF. I was just relaying my own feelings about it relative to the Sub, since there was a time I really considered the FF as a diver ne plus ultra, and the one watch I possibly coveted more than the Sub. For that reason, the comparison may carry more weight for me than for others. I still think the FF is a magnificent watch in its own right, but in practical terms, what I've read here indicates the Sub was the right choice for me. I can absolutely appreciate why others would covet the FF.

[AK797]

Originally Posted by JacksonStone

Fair point. I was responding to your comment at face value, but recognize it's just one data point, and not something upon which to draw a firm conclusion.



I wouldn't go so far as to say it's everything. If it were, I'd wear a radio-controlled watch and be done with it. Since I opt to wear a mechanical watch, obviously I'm willing to accept a certain amount of inaccuracy. Having said that, my Sub Date is typically accurate to between +0.5 to +1spd. Given that, I don't feel like I'm compromising much in the way of accuracy by wearing a mechanical. I would feel a greater sense of compromise with a movement I couldn't keep regulated at least to within COSC specs. Technically my Sub is still more correct after a week than your FF is in a day. On an apples-to-apples basis, that's a pretty big difference.

I'm not slamming the FF. I was just relaying my own feelings about it relative to the Sub, since there was a time I really considered the FF as a diver ne plus ultra, and the one watch I possibly coveted more than the Sub. For that reason, the comparison may carry more weight for me than for others. I still think the FF is a magnificent watch in its own right, but in practical terms, what I've read here indicates the Sub was the right choice for me. I can absolutely appreciate why others would covet the FF.

The sub is cool, but really is pretty boring after a while, I've been thru a few of them and they just can't hold my interest and being accurate and durable is not helping their cause. As for reliability there are no major issues reported so I won't have that as a black mark against the BP. The BP FF is crafted on a different level to the workman sub and when you are paying this much money over a cheap and more accurate quartz, that is far more important.

[KBM]

Damn, this watch is gorgeous. The 5015 was released in 2007, so an update is about due... hey BP, how about a 42mm version? A guy can dream.

[brandrea]

Originally Posted by kauebm

Damn, this watch is gorgeous. The 5015 was released in 2007, so an update is about due... hey BP, how about a 42mm version? A guy can dream.

It’s one of those rare pieces that actually looks better in the metal than in pictures IMO

FWIW, the 45 really does not wear that large. I’d say my SD43 wears larger.

[meganfox17]

Originally Posted by brandrea

It’s one of those rare pieces that actually looks better in the metal than in pictures IMO

Absolutely Brian.The Metal is "Sooo...Much" better in the Flesh !

[brandrea]

Originally Posted by meganfox17

Absolutely Brian.The Metal is "Sooo...Much" better in the Flesh !

Please stop ... you’re killing me (kinda)

[AK797]

Originally Posted by kauebm

Damn, this watch is gorgeous. The 5015 was released in 2007, so an update is about due... hey BP, how about a 42mm version? A guy can dream.

That is the only thing, and altho it does wear smaller, a 43mm wearing like a 41 would be my ideal. On the AP 42s they bent to customer pressure and made a CE bezel at last, so I had thought by now BP would offer this in a smaller size as well, as did the folks in their boutique.

[asiparks]

My 5015 runs about +6 a week.

Mine came with a timeographer printout, showing accuracy in a variety of positions. Unfortunately, I don't have access to it, but as I recall it showed it running an average of +4 a day. Maybe it's just settled in ?

The heft, detail and construction is in a different league altogether, I'll post detail shots later. I wear my watches loose, so I've never used the easy link on my Oyster so it's not something that I miss.

[GB-man]

Everytime I give a watch a pass for a 4:30 date window I end up flipping it quickly. That’s the only reason I don’t have a FF. Yet

[brandrea]

Originally Posted by GB-man

Everytime I give a watch a pass for a 4:30 date window I end up flipping it quickly. That’s the only reason I don’t have a FF. Yet

I hear you Tom, I’m currently trying to justify it

[meganfox17]

I'll just jam-pack this thread with some special FF photos with a Malaysian twistEver seen a FF Limited Edition All-Black polished treated with DLC coating and a Nautilus winding rotor? The "Dark Knight" really has a dramatic liquid metal effect on the bezel and indices that look like fangsHere's something special

[brandrea]

Originally Posted by meganfox17

I'll just jam-pack this thread with some special FF photos with a Malaysian twistEver seen a FF Limited Edition All-Black polished treated with DLC coating and a Nautilus winding rotor? The "Dark Knight" really has a dramatic liquid metal effect on the bezel and indices that look like fangsHere's something special

That’s it Megan, I need to plan a road trip to a boutique

[andrey_]

Although very beautiful, the mil-spec might seem quite small to someone used to the 45mm, like me...

[meganfox17]

Originally Posted by andrey_

Although very beautiful, the mil-spec might seem quite small to someone used to the 45mm, like me...

Would you like to hop on board my time-machine as we travel back to a time when watch sizes were a little smaller...

[andrey_]

Originally Posted by meganfox17

Would you like to hop on board my time-machine as we travel back to a time when watch sizes were a little smaller...

Great pics!

41mm was big for that period.

[AK797]

Originally Posted by brandrea

That’s it Megan, I need to plan a road trip to a boutique

I do love the blue dials and esp the blue flique "cartwheeling" dial, but the dull blue bezel I found a bit uninspiring, so black for me, brings out the sapphire crystal best and that is more paramount to me here.

[brandrea]

I totally agree with yiu Neil.

Had they left the bezel black with that blue dial ... I'd say it would be the clear winner.

Black on black for me too. It has such a rich lustrous appearance.

Now I have to find one with a bracelet to compare to the sailcloth

Originally Posted by AK797

I do love the blue dials and esp the blue flique "cartwheeling" dial, but the dull blue bezel I found a bit uninspiring, so black for me, brings out the sapphire crystal best and that is more paramount to me.

Sent from my SM-G935W8 using Tapatalk

[KBM]

Originally Posted by brandrea

I totally agree with yiu Neil.

Had they left the bezel black with that blue dial ... I'd say it would be the clear winner.

Black on black for me too. It has such a rich lustrous appearance.

Now I have to find one with a bracelet to compare to the sailcloth

Sent from my SM-G935W8 using Tapatalk

Brian, as beautiful (and praised) as the x-71 bracelet is, this one belongs on the sailcloth!!