Blancpain Speed Command Chronograph watch

Here comes the big one. With is 45mm Blancpain Speed Command Chronograph model, the Swiss watchmaker has introduced its sportiest watch so far.

Made of brushed steel with Diamond Like Carbon (DLC) coating, the watch’s case houses an ultra-thin self-winding chronograph movement, caliber Piguet F185.

Based on the well-known Piguet 1185 caliber, the new movement is built on the same 37 jewels, but features four more components and sports the flyback function.

Very convenient (if you really plan to use the chronograph,) the complication allows you to start, reset and restart the chronograph with a single push of a button.

Being only 5.5 millimeters thick, the movement is still capable of storing enough energy to provide the watch with at least 40 hours of uninterrupted power supply.
Although the Blancpain Speed Command Chronograph is not officially positioned as a diving watch, you can definitely use it as such, since it is not only water-resistant to 300 meters, but also features a bidirectional “countdown” type rotating bezel made of black sapphire: an inevitable part of a true diver.

The only problem that I see here is that the stock leather strap that comes with the watch may be seriously damaged (if not ruined) by salty sea water, so, if you really plan to use the Speed Command as a diver, it would be wise to change the leather strap for a rubber band.

Like the overwhelming majority of today’s sporty chronographs, the watch features a tradition dial design with a tri-compax layout.

The chronograph minute and hour totalizers are located at 3 and 9 o’clock respectively, while the small second sub-dial is conveniently placed at 6 o’clock.

The watch’s hour, minute and second hands, though thin, are clad with ultra-bright red Superluminova applications so there won’t be too much problems with legibility in the dark.

Blancpain Speed Command Chronograph watch specification:

Price range: N/A
Movement: Automatic column-wheel chronograph, caliber F185
Case material: Brushed steel with DLC coating with black sapphire bezel, scratch-resistant
Complications: Chronograph with flyback function, Date
Dial: Checkered carbon fiber, Black with orange or yellow Arabic numericals
Strap: Barenia leather strap with inner surface lined in rubber
Water resistance: 300m
Crystal: Sapphire
Case diameter: 45mm