Breitlng Superocean ref. 1004, image credit: Caso Watches
Back in the early 1950s, Breitling was known for one thing: the Navitimer. Conceived for the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association in 1952 and properly launched in ’54, it was the most important watch of the decade, and not just from Breitling. In fact, the slide-rule equipped pilots’ companion was so successful that even today it’s the first watch you think of when you hear Breitling’s name.
And yet, while the 1950s saw Breitling solidify their mastery of the skies – at least when it came to aviation professionals needing a wrist-mounted calculator – that wasn’t the only direction they were heading.
Looking back now, the 1950s was the golden age of dive watches. This was when scuba diving was becoming something a layman could do and icons like Jacques Cousteau were showing the marine world on camera like never before. And watch brands were quick to capitalise.
Breitling Superocean 1950s Advert
The Blancpain Fifty Fathoms in 1953, the Rolex Submariner in 1954, the Omega Seamaster 300 in 1957, the most iconic underwater references ever built all came about within less than a decade of one another. So, when Breitling threw their bright red hat into the ring, there was already some stiff competition.
And yet, the fact that the design of the Superocean is still rippling through Breitling today shows just how big that initial splash was – a splash created by the Ref. 1004 and Ref. 807.
Breitlng Superocean ref. 1004, image credit: Vintage Breitling
The 38mm Ref. 1004 was a relatively straightforward diver with serious specs for the time. Circular indexes at the cardinal points, sharp, triangular indexes everywhere else, it was the perfect tool watch mix of boldness and minimalism. The same went for the odd concave bezel, which had the barest of markings but gave the watch its most distinctive aesthetic quirk. Most importantly however, it also had 200m water resistance. While that wouldn’t even raise an eyebrow these days, with 300m being the generally accepted ‘professional’ depth, for the 50s it was nothing short of impressive. To put that in context, it was double the depth rating of the original Submariner.
Breitling Superocean ref. 807, image credit: Christie’s
Then there was the 39mm Ref. 807 which has an even longer lasting legacy. Not only was it the first diving chrono (‘waterproof’ chronos were around since the 1933 Universal Geneve Z97, but not a proper diver), but it also had a very special dial. It shared the same overall design theme as the 1004, but with silver subdials against a black backdrop, a high contrast colourway that’s instantly recognisable today. The Ref. 807 was the first ever reverse panda. And it too had a depth rating of 200m.
Neither piece would look out of place today – and given Breitling’s relatively recent, aesthetically faithful Superocean Heritage ’57, we know that for certain. They may have opted for some funkier colours than the original monochromatic models, but they nailed the dimensions, those signature indexes the ultra-cool concave bezel. For Breitling though, getting all the way back to the Superocean as it originally looked was a very long journey. Before then, Breitling opted to double down not on the three-hand diver, but on the dive chronograph.
Breitling Superocean Slow Motion ref. 2005, image credit: Analog:Shift
By this point Willy Breitling had reinvented the humble stopwatch complication aplenty, and in the 1964 Ref. 2005 he did so again. This watch was dubbed the ‘Slow Motion’ as, if you didn’t know what you were looking at, you’d assume the chronograph seconds was incredibly sluggish. Instead, it was actually a central chronograph minutes.
The idea was to make the minutes the most readable element on the chrono as this, not the seconds, was what divers really needed to know. To that end, the chronograph minutes hand was defined by a chunky square of lume on its tip. The rest of the indexes were almost as blocky and with a white inner bezel it made for a particularly funky design. The only issue was that without seconds ticking, it was hard to see at a glance if the watch was running. So, Breitling added an on/off indicator at six o’clock, a circle that was black when the chronograph wasn’t running, lumed when it was.
It’s a rare model these days, but Breitling did at least release an ‘in spirit’ slow motion back in 2022. It wasn’t a central minutes chronograph – it wasn’t even a chronograph – but it did have a similar dial. Yes, it was a tad disappointing, but there’s still hope we’ll see a more authentic version of the Slow Motion.
The next big shift in the Superocean line happened in 1969, and it wasn’t entirely thanks to Breitling’s efforts alone. At the time, there was a bit of a horological arms race to see who could build and fire off the first automatic chronograph. The fact that Zenith’s El Primero is the legend it is shows who actually won the race, but the lesser-known Chrono-Matic gave them a good run for their money.
Breitling Superocean ref. 2105 Chronomatic
The Chrono-Matic was actually a consortium movement, developed between Hamilton-Buren (now just Hamilton), Heuer-Leonidas (now TAG Heuer) and Breitling (now… Breitling), and the first Superocean to use it was the massive Ref. 2105. At 48mm across, it was a beast even by today’s elevated diameters. It also had pretty modern colours to go with that modern girth, the combination of high-contrast black, white and red that’s synonymous with dive watches these days. Though between the left-hand crown and Milanese bracelet, it’s a slice of retro 60s perfection.
Over the next decades, dive watches went from tools for budding recreational divers to showpieces you’d need a submarine to test properly. Once again Omega and Rolex were butting heads over depth resistance, but Breitling too gave it a good go with the Superocean Deep Sea Ref 81190 in 1983, a quartz piece that looked very different from previous collection models and boasting a depth rating of 1,000m. The fact that it lagged behind the big boys belies the counter fact that it was leaps and bounds ahead of the wider industry.
Breitling Superocean Heritage 2007
That all brings us to the modern era of the Superocean when, to mark 50 years of the collection in 2007, Breitling launched the Superocean Heritage. The collection had been going strong before then, but they’d dropped most of the vintage-inspired elements opting for more modern dimensions and dials. The Heritage went back to the early days. I won’t dwell on those 2007 models too long however as, in 2017 Breitling refreshed the Heritage collection yet again and, now in 2025, they’ve done so once more.
The new models aren’t perfect recreations like the Heritage ’57 models, but they do have plenty of nods to the vintage models. The handset with an hour arrow and a minutes spear is present and accounted for while the indexes are still elongated and sharp, even if the original underlying circle is only on the 12 o’clock marker.
Breitling Superocean Heritage B31 Automatic 42, £5,400
Like the original watch, the new Superocean Heritage comes in both a chronograph model – equipped with the more-than-solid calibre B01 automatic movement – and a more paired-back version housing Breitling’s first in-house three-hander, the B31 with its weekend-proof 78-hour power reserve. Yes, modern Breitling smashed out chronographs before a time-and-date. They know where their strengths lie.
Just as importantly however is the overall vibe of the new collection. The Superocean was born in an era where recreational diving was becoming a thing. You didn’t need to be a military naval engineer to learn to scuba and the iconic watches of the era – the Fifty Fathoms, the Submariner – embraced the idea that diving was for well-heeled holidaymakers.
That idea’s part and parcel of the 2025 Superocean Heritage line, which have dialled up the boat-to-bar elegance with largely monochromatic colourways in bezel-dial parings of green, blue and black and slimmer, more integrated Milanese and Milanese-style rubber bracelets. The chronograph is only available in 42mm (and without a panda, reverse of otherwise in sight), but the three-handers offer 36mm-44mm to suit any wrist.
Breitling Superocean Heritage B31 Automatic 40 Kelly Slater, £5,600
One of those wrists is surf god Kelly Slater, whose limited-edition twist on the 40mm, time-and-date Superocean Heritage adds a tropical foliage pattern to the dial, a fittingly Hawaiian motif. Limited to 500 pieces, it’s not my favourite limited edition ever (I can’t stop seeing my grandma’s wallpaper in that dial), but it’s a nod that dive watches at this level are a lifestyle choice more than they are a serious tool watch. As is the collection’s tied-in launch of Breitling’s sunglasses, courtesy of British optical artisans Cutler & Gross. I’m not sure what else to say there. They’re nice sunglasses. Perhaps they can sweeten the deal if you’re considering buying one of the new watches?
The story of the Superocean is one that encapsulates the history of dive watches as an object. It went from cool watch for budding scuba divers on their first holiday abroad to more serious tool pieces to depth rating showpieces before finally riding the retro revival wave back to us today. While it’s a story that’s been eclipsed by its early ’50s contemporaries, it’s also one that included some genuinely cool designs and ideas. The Superocean is unlikely to ever be referenced in the same breath as, once again, the Submariner or the Fifty Fathoms… but perhaps it should be.
