26 WATCHES & TIMEPIECES
THE OCEAN IS CALLING :
EXPERIENCE THE NEW SUPEROCEAN
Breitling has just launched a redesign of its sporty sea watch . The new collection retraces the pared-down aesthetic of the original SuperOcean Slow Motion from the 1960s and 1970s , while adding modern features and a bright palette of color . Plus , it ’ s no longer strictly a dive watch — surf with it , swim with it , hit the beach bar with it .
In the 1960s , the emerging sport of scuba diving was all the rage , inspired by the adventures of ocean explorer Jacques Cousteau . In diving , timing was everything — measured almost exclusively in minutes — and Breitling wanted to not only provide the best tool watch for the task , but to give it a sense of style .
To create this early SuperOcean , Breitling ’ s designers eliminated any superfluous features that didn ’ t support the lifesaving needs of divers underwater . A high-contrast dial ring was introduced to the crucial minutes scale . Out went subtle indexes in favor of chunky luminescent batons for easy readability . And , in the boldest move of all , Breitling did away with the seconds hand , since divers … didn ’ t really need it . In its place came a revolutionary minutes-based chronograph , dubbed the “ Slow Motion ” because it took an hour to make a full rotation of the dial .
Today , Breitling launched a new Superocean that goes back to the Slow Motion ’ s simplified tool-watch philosophy . And while the collection has been revised to meet the needs of modern wearers ( the seconds hand was , of course , a must ), a keen eye will spot several design nods to the original .
THE ART OF LUXURY Issue 54 2022