Sure, Breitling might be most recognized – and rightly so – for its pilot’s and aviation-inspired watches. But it didn’t just leave exploring the depths of the oceans to its competitors. No, in 1957, Breitling introduced the SuperOcean, both as a time-only diver and (true to form) as a chronograph. Soon, it’d release other vintage models like the SuperOcean “Slow Motion” and the Chrono-Matic, now favorites of modern enthusiasts.
What we have here is the Breitling SuperOcean Automatic 42 A17366, a dive watch from 2019 measuring 42mm in diameter and 13.5mm in thickness. This modern Breitling SuperOcean Automatic is an impressive dive watch with 500 meters of water resistance, more than you’ll find on many of its competitors. It’s defined by a number of bold design choices. It starts with the thick and deeply-toothed, unidirectional bezel that features raised indices as a luxurious touch. The dial is a similar matte black, with large raised Arabic numerals and indices, giving off the impression that modern diving functionality was actually considered in the design of this dive watch. At 42mm in diameter and about 50.5mm lug-to-lug, the stainless steel case is large, but not unmanageable for many wrist sizes.
This Breitling SuperOcean Automatic is powered by the Breitling caliber 17, an automatic movement based on the ETA 2824-2 – a no-nonsense movement that means the SuperOcean continues to be a reliable, (relatively) affordable option for those looking for a no-fuss modern diver.