Breitling has redesigned its SuperOcean family using cues from its archive of 1960s and 1970s dive watches.
In the 1960s, the emerging sport of scuba diving was all the rage, inspired by the adventures of ocean explorer Jacques Cousteau.
In diving, timing was everything—measured almost exclusively in minutes—and Breitling wanted to not only provide the best tool watch for the task, but to give it a sense of style.
To create this early SuperOcean, Breitling’s designers eliminated any superfluous features that didn’t support the lifesaving needs of divers underwater.
A high-contrast dial ring was introduced to the crucial minutes scale and out went subtle indexes in favour of chunky luminescent batons for easy readability.
In what Breitling describes as the boldest move of all, Breitling did away with the second’s hand. In its place came a revolutionary minutes-based chronograph, dubbed the “Slow Motion” because it took an hour to make a full rotation of the dial.
Today, Breitling has unveiled a new Superocean that goes back to the Slow Motion’s simplified tool-watch philosophy.
While the collection has been revised to meet the needs of modern wearers, a keen eye will spot several design nods to the original.
The collection was unveiled to media, retailers, and influencers at the Wheels & Waves surf-and motorcycle festival in Biarritz, an event which followed a day of sea-themed activities with surprise visits from European surf and screen personalities.
Speaking from the festival, CEO of Breitling, Georges Kern, commented: “There’s a certain sameness to the look of most dive watches, but the Slow Motion always stood out from the crowd. We’re so pleased to introduce our modern take on this classic, the all-new Superocean.”
Available in four sizes (46, 44, 42, and 36 mm), the collection’s colorful dials are paired with three different case metals—steel, steel-gold, and bronze.
The special alloy used in the 44 and 42 mm bronze versions has an excellent resistance to corrosion but will still develop a subtle patina over time that makes the watch even more unique.
The two strap options (a sporty rubber strap and a new three-row metal bracelet) have a folding clasp that allows for micro-adjustments of up to 15 mm for easy wear over rashies and dive suits.
Water-resistant to 300m, it contains a scratch-proof ceramic-inlayed bezel means it will never wear or fade.
For safety, the bezel is unidirectional on most sizes and bidirectional with a patented lock on the 46 mm. This watch is also shock-, sand-, and saltwater-resistant.
Its automatic Breitling Caliber 17 comes with a two-year warranty and an approximate 38-hour power reserve.
