A stianless steel automatic Blancpain Aqua Lung dive watcg. Launched in 1999, the Blancpain Leman Aqua Lung 100 Hours Limited Edition stands as a modern expression of Blancpain’s foundational role in the history of professional dive watches. The Aqua Lung name directly references the pioneering underwater breathing apparatus developed in the mid-20th century, a period when Blancpain supplied some of the earliest purpose-built diving instruments to military and scientific users. These early watches prioritised legibility, reliability, and water resistance at a time when recreational and commercial diving was still in its infancy. The Leman Aqua Lung collection carries this lineage forward, bridging Blancpain’s tool-watch origins with contemporary mechanical innovation.

This limited edition example is housed in a 38 mm stainless steel case and a high-contrast black dial designed for immediate underwater readability, but with a refined luxury. Broad luminous hour markers and sword-shaped hands are filled with Super-LumiNova, ensuring clarity in low-light environments. Powering the watch is Blancpain’s calibre 1151 is a long-power-reserve automatic movement developed in-house to prioritise stability, efficiency, and mechanical endurance. It is built on a twin-barrel architecture arranged in series, allowing torque to be delivered evenly across the entire running cycle rather than peaking and dropping off as the mainsprings unwind. This construction enables a power reserve of approximately 100 hours while preserving consistent amplitude and timekeeping performance.

Technically, the calibre 1151 measures approximately 26.2 mm in diameter and 3.25 mm in height, allowing it to be integrated into relatively slim sports and dress-sport cases, such as this. It operates at a frequency of 21,600 vibrations per hour (3 Hz) and contains 28 jewels. The movement is fitted with a silicon balance spring, improving resistance to magnetism, temperature fluctuation, and long-term fatigue. Automatic winding is achieved via a centrally mounted solid eighteen carat gold oscillating weight, and the movement is equipped with a date mechanism while retaining a traditional full-rotor layout rather than a micro-rotor or peripheral system. Being a limited edition piece, the unique pridtuion number of 1848 of 1999 is engraved onto the rotor.

Finishing reflects Blancpain’s manufacture standards despite the calibre’s utilitarian purpose. Visible through a sapphire case back, the movement features Geneva striping on the bridges, polished bevels, perlage on the base plate, and an engraved, signed rotor. The calibre 1151 stands as a modern technical movement defined by controlled torque delivery, extended autonomy, and material innovation, combining traditional Swiss architecture with contemporary performance requirements.

On the wrist, the Leman Aqua Lung 100 Hours balances technical authority with refined proportions. The case wears comfortably and avoids excess bulk, making it suitable as both a true dive instrument and a daily companion. Its restrained design language reflects Blancpain’s philosophy of quiet precision rather than overt spectacle. This limited edition captures the spirit of mid-century underwater exploration while expressing it through modern engineering, making it a compelling example of how historical purpose and contemporary craftsmanship can coexist within a single timepiece.

The watch is presented as full and complete set. It has the outer box, inner box (very degraded due to the faux leather used - it is the same article used by all watch makers at the time, including Patek Philippe) the manual and warranty and all important paperwork. The watch even comes wiht the original bill of sale. The watch was bought from a private collector that has many watches and was downsizing. The watch has seen no more than a dozen wears on the wrist in twenty four years! Needless to say, this beatuofully made and great looking limited edition watch, with a phenomenal movement is in like new condirion. THe watch comes on a "Tropic" stuyle rubber band, which was added to the watch from new by the owner, along with the original letaher Blancpain band it was sold with. it also has the Blancpain steel deployant.

Overall, this is a fabulous quality easy to wear, high qyuality time piece. This fall directly into the "Neo Vintage" category, and into the niche, ghreat brands from this period that were making superb quality watches by hand in smaller quantites.