Name: Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Automatique 5015-1130-52
Brand: Blancpain
SKU: 5015-1130-52

The Fifty Fathoms Automatique is the full-size expression of Blancpain's dive lineage, running the in-house caliber 1315 with a 120-hour power reserve in a 45mm steel case rated to 300 meters. It traces a direct line back to the 1953 original, which predates the Submariner and set the template for the modern dive watch. For a collector who wants depth and historical legitimacy in the same piece, there is no stronger argument in the category.

What it is

Blancpain introduced the Fifty Fathoms in 1953 in collaboration with French navy diver Robert Maloubier, making it the first watch purpose-built to modern dive watch specifications. It established conventions the entire category later adopted: rotating bezel, luminous dial, screw-down crown, water resistance measured in fathoms. The reference went dormant during the quartz era along with most of Blancpain's catalog, and was revived in the early 2000s as the brand rebuilt under the Swatch Group.

The modern 5015 Automatique arrived in 2007 as the flagship of that revival, offering the historical connection to 1953 with a fully contemporary movement architecture. Caliber 1315 was developed specifically for the Fifty Fathoms line and remains one of the more technically serious in-house dive movements available.

Buying notes

At 45mm, this is a large watch and will wear large on smaller wrists. Blancpain made no attempt to slim it down for modern taste, so try it on before committing. The 5015 reference spans nearly two decades and includes multiple dial and strap variations; confirm exactly which configuration you are buying, since some combinations are harder to resell than others.

Earlier examples from 2007 to 2012 have had isolated reports of lume degradation on the chapter ring, worth inspecting under a loupe. The sapphire exhibition caseback on the 5015 is a nice feature but makes the case slightly more vulnerable to impact from behind than a solid caseback. Gray market pricing on this reference is competitive, but verify the full documentation set as it affects both serviceability and resale.

Market read

The 5015 Automatique trades in the $10,000 to $14,000 range on the secondary market depending on condition, dial variant, and whether the original bracelet or strap is included. It holds value steadily rather than appreciating sharply, which means it is reasonably priced for what it delivers mechanically. New examples list around $17,000 to $18,000 at authorized dealers, so the gray market discount is meaningful.

Demand is consistent among serious collectors and tends not to spike or crater with fashion cycles.

Service expectations

Caliber 1315 is a robust movement with a five-day power reserve and a silicon balance spring, and Blancpain recommends service intervals of around five years for a watch used regularly in water. Service is best handled by Blancpain directly or by an independent with documented experience on the 1315, as the silicon hairspring requires specific tools and handling protocols different from conventional hairsprings. Budget roughly $800 to $1,200 for a full service including pressure testing, which is non-negotiable for a dive watch intended to be used as one.

Editorial copy is AI-drafted from primary sources and reviewed by Grail Atlas before publication. Where the text is uncertain about a fact, it says so. Email corrections@grailatlas.com if something reads wrong. Signals on this page (community, OSINT) are clearly separated from the editorial sections.

The Fifty Fathoms Automatique is the civilian production descendant of the 1953 reference co-developed with the French Navy, making it one of the few current dive watches with an unbroken specification lineage to the original professional tool.

Mass-producedlandmark#1 in familyOfficial press photos

Condition affects price

Pre-owned watches trade across a wide condition spectrum. These ranges are typical for the secondary market.

New Old Stock

Unworn example retaining original packaging, tags, and warranty documentation.

+30–50% vs median

Unpolished

Worn but the case has never been polished; original brushed and polished surfaces are intact.

+15–25% vs median

Polished

Case has been professionally or amateur polished at some point; edge definition is softened.

-15 to -5% vs median

Recently Serviced

Movement has been recently serviced with documented service records; case condition varies.

At median

Project

Needs service, has dial or hand issues, non-original parts, or other remediation before daily wear.

-50 to -25% vs median

Full condition grading guide →

Market price

$12,000–$17,000

steel·2026 Q2

Price trend chart coming soon

The Fifty Fathoms Automatique is one of the better-value in-house dive watches at this tier; secondary prices are stable because the watch retails near the top of this range without significant markup.

Editorial estimate, 2026 Q2. Actual prices vary by condition, date, and box/papers status.

Movement tier: unclassified · caliber Blancpain Cal. 1315: in-house automatic, 28,800bph, 120h (5-day) PR, 35j; three barrels, silicon anti-shock spring, mono-directional winding rotor · 120h power reserve (5 days) · see-through caseback

Also uses Blancpain Cal. 1315

Large case: suits wrists 7 in+ (18 cm+)

45 mm case. A bold, statement-size wear. Best suited to larger wrists where the case sits flush.

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Community + OSINT signals haven’t landed for this reference yet. We don’t publish a rating against zero signal: the number would mean nothing. Editorial body + caliber + market value still surface above; ratings appear once the signal corpus does.

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Authentication

The Fifty Fathoms Automatique is less replicated than the Submariner but attracts increasing attention as secondary values rise. Movement quality and dial authenticity are the primary concerns.

Known issues in the market

Lower-quality replicas exist and are identifiable primarily by dial printing quality and movement finishing.
The unidirectional bezel with the 0-60 minute scale is a functional component; replicas often use a looser ratchet mechanism.
Service history on a watch at this price tier is important; confirm movement service by Blancpain or an authorized service center.

Area	What to check	What is correct	Red flag
dial	Printed text and applied index quality	Applied metal indices with correct dimensions; all text printed in crisp Blancpain typeface; the "Fifty Fathoms" signature is in a specific italic font with correct weight	Fuzzy text printing under magnification; applied indices with uneven heights or gap between index foot and dial surface; incorrect font weight on signature
case	Rotating bezel ratchet feel and locking	The bezel rotates counterclockwise only with 60 distinct clicks; each click is firm and the bezel does not back-rotate under normal handling	Bezel that rotates in both directions; loose or mushy click feel; bezel that can be nudged backward with light pressure
movement	Cal. 1315 identification	Cal. 1315 runs at 28,800bph with 120-hour power reserve via twin barrels; silicon balance spring; rhodium-plated finishing on bridges; visible via caseback	Non-Blancpain movement; incorrect power reserve for stated Cal. 1315; absence of silicon spring color on balance
caseback	Exhibition caseback and movement view	Sapphire caseback displays Cal. 1315 with correct Blancpain decoration; caseback engraved with reference and serial; water resistance crown visible	Non-Blancpain movement visible through caseback; caseback with incorrect engraving; reference number inconsistent with the Automatique variant
dial	Moisture indicator presence	A small moisture detector disc is present under the crystal in the original specification; it changes color if water has entered the case	Moisture indicator absent on a stated original example; incorrect disc color suggesting water ingress history
crystal	Sapphire crystal with AR coating	Domed sapphire crystal with blue-green AR coating; coating is uniform across the surface and changes in tint at different angles	Flat crystal where dome is expected; mineral crystal; no AR coating; incorrect AR tint color

Common legitimate replacements

Strap replacement is routine; confirm correct Blancpain nato or leather with correct buckle.
Crystal replacement is a standard service item; confirm correct sapphire specification.
Bezel insert replacement after scratching is legitimate; confirm correct Blancpain ceramic insert.

Expert resources: Blancpain offers Extract of the Archives documentation via their service network. WatchUSeek Blancpain subforum for community knowledge on Cal. 1315 identification and known replica tells. For purchases at this tier, authentication by a Blancpain service center or authorized dealer is practical.

Authentication guide

Last reviewed June 2026

The FF Automatique 5015 is the 45mm flagship dive variant of the Fifty Fathoms line, carrying caliber 1315 with a 5-day (120-hour) power reserve via three mainspring barrels. The sapphire bezel insert is distinctive to this specific variant. Size and movement are the primary authentication anchors.

Known reproduction risks

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HIGH RISK

Wrong bezel insert material

Aluminum or ceramic insert on a watch represented as 5015-1130-52A (which has sapphire)
Insert has no transparency or light-transmission quality
Bezel scale appears printed rather than engraved

The 5015-1130-52A carries a sapphire bezel insert; ceramic belongs to the Bathyscaphe 5000-1110 instead. There is no current-production aluminum-bezel Fifty Fathoms Automatique -- a seller claiming one is misrepresenting the reference.

MEDIUM

Movement swap away from caliber 1315

Full-size rotor visible through caseback
Power reserve depletes well under 5 days
Bridge layout differs from Blancpain in-house architecture

Dial variants by era

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Era	Description	Identifiers
2007 to present	Dark blue or black dial with large applied luminescent indices. The case is 45mm -- noticeably large compared to the Bathyscaphe. "Fifty Fathoms" in script at 9 o'clock, "BLANCPAIN" at 12. Applied Arabic numerals for 12, 6, 9 on most variants. Date window at 4:30. The unidirectional bezel uses a sapphire crystal insert (not aluminum or ceramic), making it immediately distinctive.	Sapphire crystal bezel insert (not aluminum, not ceramic) -- transparent with engraved scale 45mm case diameter: large and substantial in hand Applied luminescent baton indices with Arabic numerals at key positions "Fifty Fathoms" script at 9 o'clock Date window at 4:30 position Lume-heavy dial presentation typical of serious dive watches

Service part flags

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Bezel

Original: Sapphire crystal unidirectional rotating bezel with engraved scale filled with luminescent material. The insert is transparent -- you can see through it slightly at an angle. This is the single most distinctive visual marker separating the 5015 from other FF variants.

Replacement tells

Aluminum bezel insert -- not correct for this reference
Ceramic bezel insert (typical of Bathyscaphe) -- wrong family variant
Non-rotating or loose bezel without proper unidirectional detents
Bezel scale engraving filled with paint rather than luminescent compound

Movement through caseback

Original: Caliber 1315 with a full-size bimetallic rotor. Three mainspring barrels are not visually obvious but the movement is compact and the dense, unidirectional-winding rotor is the key visual tell. The caseback is sapphire display.

Replacement tells

Micro-rotor or any rotor smaller than a standard full-size design: caliber 1315 uses a full-size bimetallic rotor
Solid caseback where display caseback is expected
Movement architecture inconsistent with Blancpain 1315 bridge layout

Case back markings

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2007 to present

Caliber 1315 designation
Water resistance: 300m / 1000ft
"BLANCPAIN" with mountain logo
Reference 5015-1130-52A with serial number
"LE BRASSUS" on some variants

Movement tells

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Caliber 1315 has a 5-day (120-hour) power reserve from three barrels. A watch that stops after 48 hours of full wind does not have the original movement or has a badly worn spring train.
The silicon anti-shock spring and silicon hairspring give the movement a distinctive appearance under a loupe. The hairspring is blue-tinted silicon rather than a traditional alloy -- a visual difference that experienced inspectors can identify.
Micro-rotor winding: the winding feel is lighter than a full-size rotor. The small platinum mass provides less angular momentum. Very heavy winding feel from a small-movement-sensation watch suggests a different movement.

Sources: Blancpain official.