Jewellery & Watch News
Could this be the most capable dive watch from Breitling ever? Meet the new inconspicuous Breitling SuperOcean Automatic 46 SuperDiver watches
This week, Breitling has released some dramatic and beautiful dive watches that celebrate the original SuperOcean “Slow Motion” watch from the 60s surfing era. The designs recall a time of vibrancy and adventure. At the same time, the relaxed way of life along the sun-drenched coastlines of Hawaii and California really captured the spirit of the decade – a decade where professional dive watches were enjoying their heyday. It is thanks to the Breitling SuperOcean watch collection that we still get to revisit this important dive watch style. Retro aesthetics, legibility and robustness are still “musts” for modern collectors today. The recent releases to launch are adorned in vibrant rainbow colours and feature bold block-colour rubber bands. Unlike those, however, Breitling has released two SuperOcean Automatic 46 SuperDiver watches. These are clad in camouflage black and khaki outfits but still embody the recognisable SuperOcean “Slow Motion” silhouette that collectors love so much.
The Story of the SuperOcean
To give some background to the new Breitling SuperOcean Automatic 46 SuperDiver watches, we’ll take a trip back to 1957 – to the first SuperOcean watch. Breitling, at this point, had already developed its first dive watch and other wristwatches for underwater exploration were on the market too. Advancements had been made in the field of water-resistant cases. Hermetically sealed builds, unidirectional rotating bezels and patented crown-protection systems were setting benchmarks in the industry and Breitling’s 200-meter water-resistant watches were part of that competition. The SuperOcean offered a legible dial, rotating bezel and a slim case with a concave bezel that made operating it a cinch. But what Breitling really wanted to do was to create an innovative hand that would make measuring elapsed time underwater easy at a glance. That’s where the idea of the “Slow Motion” came into play.
The SuperOcean “Slow Motion” benefitted from a movement that sent the chronograph minute around the dial in an hour, rather than every 60 seconds. This made it easier for a diver to track how long he had been underwater for and how long he had left, without the hard-to-read sub-dials. But the movement looked motionless at a glance, and a diver really needed to know whether that measuring feature was operating or not. To make it possible to distinguish, a yellow indicator at 6 o’clock would let the diver know the complication was operating. When it had been paused, a black dot would appear in the indicator. And when the timing was deactivated completely, the indicator would show black.
Fast forward a couple of years later to 1969 and Breitling was in partnership with Heuer and Hamilton, designing what would be one of the first automatic chronograph movements. The Calibre 11 arrived within days of the El Primero movement by Zenith and the Seiko 6139 movement – so much so that there is still debate about who got there first. The Calibre 11 was implemented into Breitling’s first automatic SuperOcean watch, the reference 2105. This Chrono-Matic watch, as it was called, measured a large and imposing 48mm diameter and was bold and experimental for its time.
As we move along a little further to the year 1983, Breitling was pioneering a new and even more water-resistant watch – the SuperOcean “Deep Sea” watch ref. 81190. It could withstand depths down to 1000 meters thanks to a patented helium escapement caseback. Should you not have seen this before, it acted like a valve, allowing the release of helium. Suffice it to say, the Breitling SuperOcean has a remarkable and fascinating history that is still rolling today. Designs like the new Breitling SuperOcean Automatic 46 SuperDiver are example of the brand’s legendary role in the iconic dive watch.
The New Breitling SuperOcean Automatic 46 SuperDiver Watch
The new Breitling SuperOcean Automatic 46 SuperDiver watches are certainly going to get noticed on the wrist at a diameter of 46mm. The case, forged from titanium will also appeal to those looking for a comfortable, lightweight wristwatch for all sorts of underwater ventures. On the left side of the case, Breitling equips the design with a patented bezel-locking crown. This feature eradicates the risk of the bezel misaligning whilst you take a dive. Of course, while under there, legibility is paramount, so Breitling experts have painted the rehaut with a richly glowing Super-LumiNova material. The squared and rectangular hour markers have also been lume-coated, as has the baton hour hand, the square minute hand, and the lollipop second hand – all familiar features of the SuperOcean line.
Next, Breitling equips these black and green dials with a military pattern, which is put on show through a sapphire crystal glass front that promises anti-glare and scratch-resistant properties. The dials also go without the date feature and any other unnecessary features that don’t solely promote diver safety. The matte, brushed black and green ceramic bezels match their respective dials and the cases are also 1000-meter water resistant. Aside from this, Breitling’s tough yet lightweight case is also saltwater-resistant, shock-resistant and sand-resistant for hours spent catching the waves. The movement secured at the heart of the case also benefits from an anti-magnetic structure featuring an inner iron case that resists the harmful effects of magnetic fields. Said movement is the Calibre 10, which provides a 42-hour power reserve and performs at a rate of 28,800 vibrations per hour.
Order the New Breitling SuperOcean Automatic 46 SuperDiver Watches at C W Sellors Today
The new Breitling SuperOcean Automatic 46 SuperDiver watches are the most water-resistant and dive-capable watches currently in the brand’s catalogue. They come on a choice of a titanium three-link bracelet with a Breitling-engraved clasp and a micro-adjustment system, or a colour-matching black or green rubber band. If you’d like to order either of these two models, call and speak to a member of our C W Sellors sales team today on 01335 216004 or email us at sales@cwsellors.com
