Breitling SuperOcean Heritage 2025 collection

Zach Blass

The Breitling SuperOcean has been a dive watch icon since 1957, and the SuperOcean Chronograph ref. 807, in line with Breitling, was the world’s first-ever devoted diver’s chronograph. Clearly, it’s a major watch assortment. However do enduring icons ever want a refresh? In fact, the reply is sure, however the query is what wants to alter? What must be refined? And the way a lot change is an excessive amount of change, the place it now not resembles what made it such a longtime design within the first place? Properly, the SuperOcean Heritage vary has now acquired its first refresh since 2017, and I think a lot of you’ll like this subsequent technology.

The vary is sort of expansive, with SuperOcean Heritage Automatics in new 36mm and 40mm sizes, together with 42mm and 44mm sizes as effectively, so each wrist is de facto catered to. The SuperOcean Chronograph, nevertheless, is strictly in a brand new 42mm measurement, which is notably down from 44mm. All of those instances have been refined to be thinner than their predecessors, together with extra ergonomic proportions, and we’ve got new calibres coming into the combination as effectively. There are a complete of 30 new configurations throughout the brand new Breitling SuperOcean Heritage vary, together with a restricted version designed in collaboration with browsing GOAT and longstanding member of the B Squad, Kelly Slater. However I need to hone in on the three examples we had been capable of get hands-on with: a blue sunburst dial configuration of the SuperOcean Heritage B01 Chronograph 42, a inexperienced sunburst dial variant of the SuperOcean Heritage B31 Automated 40, and a light-weight inexperienced reference inside the SuperOcean Heritage Automated 36 vary.

Breitling SuperOcean Heritage B31 Automated 40

The entire SuperOcean Heritage B31 Automatics, spanning from 40mm to 44mm, characteristic the brand new manufacture-exclusive B31 calibre that debuted in March with the High Time. The B31 not solely will increase the facility reserve from 70 hours to 78 hours, but additionally permits for a thinner case. So, simply how a lot have the scale actually modified?

Utilizing the 42mm measurement for instance, the thickness is down from 14.35mm to a svelte 12.03mm. The lug-to-lug has additionally come down significantly, dropping from a sizeable 51.58mm to a extra approachable 49.55mm. The SuperOcean Heritage B31 Automated 40 we’ve got in hand measures 40mm in diameter, simply 11.73mm thick, and 48.2mm lug-to-lug. I can’t think about anyone would take subject with these refined measurements, particularly when the instances stay a screw-down crown-secured 200 metres waterproof and now characteristic an exhibition caseback we didn’t have beforehand.

The SuperOcean Heritage B31 Automatics all have ceramic inserts that color match their respective black, blue, or inexperienced sunburst dials for his or her unidirectional bezels. It’s value noting, nevertheless, that the 40mm vary is barely out there in blue and inexperienced for now. By my estimation, it seems we’ve got a barely tweaked model for the utilized indexes, however, naturally, Breitling has stored the signature spear hours hand and sword minutes hand. The entire hour indices, and the three central fingers, incorporate Tremendous-LumiNova for visibility in darkness, and, lastly, we nonetheless have a symmetrically-positioned date window on the 6 o’clock place.

Transferring in direction of the strap choices, we even have a refined mesh bracelet, mentioned to be thinner to match the brand new case proportions and now built-in to sit down completely flush in opposition to the case. Breitling phrases this as “water-tight integration”. You additionally as soon as once more have dial-matching rubber straps with a textured sample that mimics the mesh bracelet, however there’s additionally now not a niche between the case and strap; as a substitute, identical to the bracelet, it now sits flush to the case. These straps are all secured to the wrist by way of metal folding clasps.

Breitling SuperOcean Heritage B01 Chronograph 42

Subsequent up, the Breitling SuperOcean Heritage B01 Chronograph 42, as its identify suggests, is now offered in a special measurement and makes use of a special computerized calibre than the prior Heritage Chronograph 44. As an alternative of the ETA 7750-based Calibre 13, the Chronograph 42 utilises the Breitling manufacture B01 calibre, which boasts 28 extra hours of energy reserve with its 70-hour stamina.

This B01 not solely affords the power to have a slimmer case that measures 14.55mm thick as a substitute of the 44’s 15.65mm thickness, it additionally leads to a very totally different dial format with a brand new sense of stability and symmetry we regularly see from B01-driven chronograph watches. And simply cross all of the T’s and dot all of the I’s, the chrome steel 200 metre waterproof instances measure 42mm in diameter, 14.55mm thick, and 49.56mm lug-to-lug.

As an alternative of 12 o’clock, 9 o’clock, and 6 o’clock-positioned counters and a day and date complication on the 3 o’clock place, the dial – whether or not inexperienced, black, or blue sunburst like we’ve got right here – has now been distilled all the way down to a small seconds counter on the 9 o’clock place and a elapsed minutes counter on the 3 o’clock place, with a date window positioned symmetrically between them on the 6 o’clock place. Just like the automatics, you’ve gotten the choice to buy the Chronograph 42 on both a mesh bracelet or a rubber strap that each sit flush to the case.

Breitling SuperOcean Heritage Automated 36

Lastly, whereas we’ve got seen 36mm SuperOceans, we’ve got not had 36mm SuperOcean Heritage fashions. The chrome steel SuperOcean Heritage Automated 36mm, out there in both blue or gentle inexperienced, measures 36mm in diameter, 10.42mm thick, and 42.84mm lug-to-lug, and regardless of its smaller measurement it stays equally strong with a 200-metre depth ranking that’s secured by a screw-down crown and equally correct with a COSC-certified calibre identical to the remainder.

It is usually paired with the identical flush-to-case “Ocean Traditional” mesh strap or dial-matching rubber strap. Nevertheless, the 36 doesn’t use the B31 manufacture-exclusive motion and as a substitute makes use of the 42-hour computerized Breitling Calibre 10, which is the model’s adaptation of an ETA 2892-A2.

The decision

Total, I believe we will agree that the entire refinements, enhancements, and new sizing are welcome evolutions. When sports activities watches are thinner and sit higher on the wrist, they really feel way more elevated and splendid. So, on these grounds, I’ve to present Breitling a tip of the hat; a job effectively achieved. With the B31, I admire the elevated calibre stamina and the brand new exhibition of the calibre.

My one notice, not even a criticism essentially, is that the B31 doesn’t have a full stability bridge that may presumably higher resist in opposition to shocks. Nevertheless, contemplating Breitling has constructed its identify on robustness, I think we don’t actually have something to fret about on that entrance. The Chronograph at 42mm is a extra democratic measurement, and its dial format (due to the transition to the B01) undoubtedly nets a extra balanced visage.

The Breitling SuperOcean Heritage Automated 36 broadens the demographic of who can get pleasure from a SuperOcean that rather more. Although some will contemplate the calibre drop off a possible Achilles heel, I think the section could have the benefit of bolder color exploration, just like the at present size-exclusive gentle inexperienced colourway we’ve got right here.