Breitling's Latest Watches Take Their Cues From California's Vintage Surf Scene
I'm willing to lay heavy odds that surfing does not rank among the top five Swiss national sports. But that hasn't stopped legendary timekeeper Breitling from some rather out-there—and timely—thinking and creating for summer 2020. The result is a new capsule line of sea watches inspired by the California surf culture of the '60s, and based closely on its first Superocean sea watch, which first appeared in 1957.
Many of the most obvious design cues from the original appear in the new 42mm Superocean Heritage watches, which are available for a short time, though not limited to a particular number. The concave bezel and the unique combination of hour markers and oversize luminova dots makes this a visually arresting proposition, one that Breitling takes to radical extremes with the one limited edition: the Superocean Heritage Automatic 42 "Rainbow" which, as the name suggests, uses a bold spectrum of hues for the lume dots for what Breitling CEO Georges Kern calls "a festival of color."
The "Rainbow" edition is limited to 250 watches, only available at Breitling boutiques. But if all that color in one dial is too much festival, the rest of the capsule, available for pre-order now, features a more restrained approach closer to the original, with just blue and green luminova. Plus, you can always add a touch of beachy color with a strap by Outerknown, the sustainably minded label from Kelly Slater (a Breitling ambassador). The brand's Econyl recycled nylon straps, in a range of surfy colors, are available for separate purchase now on Breitling's website.
Breitling has built its reputation on high-tech innovation based on exacting technical needs at sea and in the air. But lately it has branched out to embrace unfamiliar new territories that are as much about lifestyle as they are about precision. Breitling currently has three pro surfers—Slater, plus Sally Fitzgibbons and Stephanie Gilmore—on its roster of ambassadors.
For serious watchheads out there however, Breitling’s interest in technical rigor remains unabated. All these watches are COSC certified chronometers, meaning they—like all Breitling watches—have been independently tested and certified at a higher level of precision than the majority of mechanical watches. If only they could guarantee perfect timing when catching a wave. Oh, well. Maybe next summer.
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