Its more famous brother Fifty Fathoms may get most of the spotlight in the Blancpain family, but the Air Command Chronograph is no less rich in history, although definitely rarer and more obscure. Originally made for the US Air Force in the 1950s, this unassuming aviator’s watch is designed for function and elegance, all without going overboard and hitting you over the head with it.
This reissue is not a faithful reproduction of the vintage model but an updated rendition, featuring a 42.5mm steel case (from the original 42mm), slightly rearranged subdials (to be closer together as opposed to pushed to the edge), and missing running seconds subdial (replaced with a 12-hour counter). The watch features an automatic Caliber F388B movement with a 50 hour power reserve, flyback chronograph function, bidirectional rotating bezel, sapphire on both sides, and a solid gold propeller-shaped rotor.
Elegant and limited to 500 pieces, you should definitely treat the Blancpain Air Command Chronograph like a vintage watch. (The 30 meters of water resistance will see to that.)