Switzerland is probably the last place you think of when 60s surf culture is mentioned. Sun kissed SOCAL (Southern California) where it was first popularized, yes - with its bikini-clad chicks and dudes in baggies getting amped.
And this is exactly where Breitling want to take us with their newest Superocean collection. The models of the new Superocean Heritage ’57 Capsule Collection draw inspiration from Breitling’s OG SuperOcean from 1957 as well as 50s 60s surf-life.
I can’t say that I’ve come across a Breitling Capsule Collection per se; I thought these were reserved for the fashion world, but what the hey – they say of the collection that it will be produced for a limited time and consequently in limited numbers.
However, unlike Limited or Special Editions, the watches are not numbered, but allow the brand to express themselves through specific stories rooted in the history of their core collection.
First up is the Breitling Superocean Heritage ’57 Capsule Collection which certainly introduces some interesting and in some places colorful twists to a diving icon.
Each watch in the collection is a neo-retro interpretation of a classic nautical watch that evokes the laid-back lifestyle associated with surfers and beach bums. ;)
While 50s & 60s surfing itself lies at the heart of the collection, Breiltling say they have also focused on the relaxed SOCAL beach culture that defined an era.
The Superocean Heritage ’57 Capsule Collection is available with two dial options. One has a classic black dial and is presented on a black vintage-inspired leather strap with a pin or folding buckle –
while the other has a blue dial and is equipped with a brown vintage-inspired leather strap with a pin or folding buckle.
Both are also available with an integrated Ocean Classic Stainless steel bracelet with a butterfly clasp. There is also a two-tone version featuring a bidirectional rotating bezel in 18 k red gold with a black ceramic ring.
This watch has a black dial and is available with either a gold-brown vintage-inspired leather strap or an Ocean Classic stainless-steel bracelet with a butterfly clasp.
One of the key design features of this model is its bidirectional concave Stainless steel bezel with an ultra-hard scratch- and shock-resistant ceramic bezel ring, whose luminescent dot at the 12 o’clock position is an ideal feature for a dive watch.
The watches of the Superocean Heritage ’57 Capsule Collection are powered by the Breitling Caliber 10, which offers a power reserve of approximately 42 hours. Like all Breitling watches, they are COSC-certified chronometers.
Breitling has also launched a bit of a statement piece with the Superocean Heritage ’57 Limited Edition (AKA the SO ‘57 on acid) which shares design DNA with its cousins in the Capsule Collection, however with the 60s vibe dialed up to ten.
The Superocean Heritage ’57 Limited Edition has a 42mm Stainless steel case and bidirectional rotating bezel with an ultra-hard black ceramic bezel ring and a black dial. However its dial has received a bit of psychedelic paint job – far out man!
Splashes of color adorn the hours at 12, 3, 6, and 9 o’clock on the dial. The hour markers and the hour and minute hands are coated with Super-LumiNova in a rainbow graduation of yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet, red, and orange.
On the plus side – this apparently makes the watch particularly easy to read in a range of lighting conditions.
If you want to add even more color, your Limited Edition can be paired with a vibrant Outerknown ECONYL® yarn NATO strap, which can be purchased separately in one of six color combinations:
blue with dark blue stripes and lining, light blue with dark blue stripes and lining, yellow with orange stripes and lining, gray with black stripes and lining, red with black stripes and lining, and green with black stripes and lining.
The Breitling Caliber 10 inside the case delivers a power reserve of about 42 hours, and the watch’s precision has been independently confirmed by its COSC chronometer certification.
The Superocean Heritage ’57 Limited Edition is a boutique watch limited to juts 250 pieces. The case-back is engraved with the words “ONE OF 250”.
If you want to get in touch with your inner hippie, you’ll have to visit one of Breitling’s boutiques around the world. Breitling’s words – not mine!
Thoughts? All joking aside, the only minor complaints I have regarding diver’s features or not so diver’s features such as the bidirectional bezel and perhaps the 10atm rating.
But design wise I love the simplicity of the silhouette, the oversized dial markers, the hands – it’s a looker for sure. Even the rainbow variant isn’t utterly intolerable.
I wonder if Breitling would ever consider doing a more diver focused variant in the future. What do you think?
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