It’s safe to say that Breitling is having an excellent year. Following the relaunch of the iconic Navitimer collection in March, the Grenchen-based watchmaker has turned its attention to the Breitling SuperOcean collection, reviving the well-loved dive watch with an entirely new design from the strap to the dial and everything in between.
In some ways, the relaunch of the Breitling SuperOcean collection represents a new era for the brand, as it was the final collection that was yet to receive an update under the tenure of CEO Georges Kern. As has been the case with the revival of the Navitimer, Chronomat and other collections, the approach has been somewhat maximalist, with no less than 16 new watches across a range of sizes, colours and materials.
While Breitling is very well-known for its pilot’s chronographs such as the Navitimer, the brand has been making dive watches for decades too, with the SuperOcean name first appearing on a Breilting dial in 1957. While the previous collection was robust and fit for purpose, the new collection has clearly received a great deal of thought into its design, which can be seen everywhere on the watch.
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The new Breitling SuperOcean collection includes 36mm, 42mm, 44mm, and 46mm sizes, with the majority in steel, but two references in bronze and a third two-tone reference in steel and red gold. In addition to the something-for-everyone sizing and materials, the watches are also available in black, orange, navy blue, green, aquamarine, brown and white, meaning you’ll always be able to match your SuperOcean with your outfit.
As far as updates to the design, the most obvious are the dial, hands and bezel, with the dials all framed by a white or bronze-coloured minute track that adds some depth to the visual impression. The hour markers are blocky, just like the all-new minute hand with a bold square luminous end that is designed to be super legible underwater. The bezel has also been updated, not executed in a glossy polished ceramic.
Depending on the size, colour or material that catches your eye, the watches arrive on either a comfortable rubber strap secured with a folding clasp, or a steel bracelet that also looks great. Every watch in the new Breitling SuperOcean collection is powered by the Sellita-based Breitling Caliber 17, which has a COSC (Chronometer) certification and elegantly eliminates the date window for an increase in dial symmetry.
Overall, the refreshed Breitling SuperOcean catalogue is a much stronger offering than in the past, with enough variation to have something for everyone, as well as being more refined and thoughtful in its design. The new collection ranges from $6,290 for the 36mm references in steel, all the way up to $9,190 for the two-tone steel and red gold, which is competitive pricing when you consider the competition.
