TIMEPIECES
BREITLING SUPEROCEAN | BY SOMNATH CHATTERJEE
S
ome watches are about the craftsmanship and the story behind along with the design which envelops the entire personality of it. However, there is something endearing about a watch with an appeal stemming from its functionality. In other words, it is both form and function together in a minimalistic but stylish avatar. Breitling is not new to dive watches as it has been making them for a long time. It’s new SuperOcean collection however also takes inspiration from the past dive watches- especially from the 60s. In the 1960s scuba diving was all the rage and a dive watch perfectly fit under that scheme having quite a lot of significance in terms of timing. A dive watch then is an essential bit of kit that goes beyond just style. Hence, the new collection takes back the styling to the 60s and the 70s albeit within a modern canvas plus with all of the latest features. The ethos was clear from the start that needless extravagance was thrown away in favor of a functional look. The early SuperOceans had a high-contrast dial ring which was added to the minutes scale plus subtle indexes were shunned in favor of large luminescent batons for easy readability. Plus, Breitling had even removed the seconds hand since divers don’t really need it. The same philosophy has been carried over with the new SuperOcean with a minutes-based chronograph although a seconds hand has been added. Available in four sizes (46, 44, 42, and 36 mm), the dials of the watches under this collection are colorful and coincide with the hues of the sea along with aquatic life. The dials are 32 | UPSCALE LIVING MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2022
paired with three case metals in being steel, steel-gold, and bronze. Bronze has resistance to corrosion but will still develop a subtle patina which will add character to the watch. There are two strap options including a rubber strap and a new three-row metal bracelet strap which has a folding clasp that allows for micro-adjustments of up to 15 mm. Let’s talk functionality and here it is water-resistant to 300 m (1000 ft) while featuring a broad hands and indexes coated in Super-LumiNova. It also has a scratchproof ceramic-inlayed bezel which will never ever fade. 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. For this collection, Kelly Slater, Stephanie Gilmore, and Sally Fitzgibbons are the faces and there is a special-edition SuperOcean Automatic 42 Kelly Slater designed with the surf champion and limited to 1000 pieces. It’s is distinguished by its orange dial and a military-green rubber strap. At a starting price of $4,600, the SuperOcean collection is a welcome addition that brings back the designs of the past but within the cloak of modernity. The pricing straddles a fine line between accessibility and collector watch status while also mixing the correct amount of the past with the present. We like the chunky designs and the dash of color along with the pared back simplicity which is etched neatly into this collection.
