Breitling Introduces The Stylish Reverse-Panda Superocean Heritage B01 Chronograph 42
One of my all-time favorite chronographs is the Breitling Top Time ref. 810. It’s a stunning classic hailing from a long line of legendary reverse-panda chronographs that Breitling produced in the ’50s and ’60s. I could easily create a list of 5–10 of my Breitling favorites from that era, so when the brand announces a new chronograph based on one of its historic models, I am all ears. With the newest Superocean Heritage B01 Chronograph 42, Breitling pays homage to the SuperOcean ref. 807 from 1957. This classic diving chronograph is another favorite among collectors, so it’s time to find out more.
Allow me to go back to the Top Time ref. 810 for a minute. I wrote a passionate love letter to Breitling about it, asking the brand to bring back the classic reference after it had just relaunched the current Top Time collection. Four years on, Breitling has expanded the Top Time collection with a string of new models predominantly linked to racing, American muscle cars, and classic motorcycles. Consequently, the Top Time collection does not feature modern versions of some of the best vintage references. That, however, is why a watch like today’s latest Superocean Heritage B01 Chronograph 42 is so much more interesting to see.
Evoking the Breitling SuperOcean ref. 807 from 1957
The SuperOcean series was inspired by Jacques Cousteau’s undersea documentaries and the growing popularity of recreational scuba diving. It resulted in the SuperOcean ref. 1004 diver, which debuted in 1957. Breitling brought that classic back in 2020 as the Superocean Heritage ’57, and it has been part of the brand’s collection ever since. But Breitling didn’t stop at simply releasing a three-hand dive watch back in 1957. The brand also decided to introduce a dive chronograph, the SuperOcean ref. 807, and that’s where the story becomes super interesting.
Not only did it introduce the now-famous reverse-panda dial configuration, but that watch was also the first dive chronograph. While both have become steady fixtures in the watch world, back in the late ’50s, they were rather revolutionary developments, especially the latter. As we all know, the addition of pushers creates more openings through which water can enter the case. To solve this challenge, Willy Breitling turned to renowned casemaker Huguenin Frères. The company cracked the code by using dual-seal pushers, and the result was the world’s first dive chronograph. Not only was it a watch with great functionality, but thanks to its remarkable style, it also stood out in social situations on land.
The details of the Breitling Superocean Heritage B01 Chronograph 42
The new Superocean Heritage B01 Chronograph 42 takes inspiration from the classic SuperOcean ref. 807. It brings a reverse-panda dial into the revamped Superocean Heritage lineup that debuted last year. Before today, Breitling had introduced steel models with all-blue and all-green dials, as well as a black-dial steel and rose gold variant. If you ask me, today’s new version is the best out of the four by far. It might even be one of my favorite dive chronographs currently around.
Let’s go over the details. This stainless steel watch has a 42mm diameter, 14.55mm thickness, 49.56mm lug-to-lug, and 200m depth rating. The case features a screw-down crown and pump-style pushers for the classic Superocean look. The stainless steel bezel features a black ceramic insert with hash marks for every five minutes.
Inside the characteristic case sits a black dial with applied luminous indexes and two silver sub-dials. The signature marker at 12 o’clock and the date window at 6 o’clock are nice touches. Hovering over the dial are a big arrow-shaped hour hand, a sword-style minute hand, and a lollipop elapsed-seconds hand. Finishing the stylish look is a mesh bracelet that fits the design perfectly. However, Breitling also offers the watch on a textured black rubber strap that also looks great.
The in-house B01 movement
If you turn the watch around, you’ll find the Breitling’s caliber B01. This automatic chronograph movement comprises 312 parts, operates at 28,800 vibrations per hour, and offers a 70-hour power reserve. On top of that, it is a COSC-certified chronometer and features a column wheel and vertical clutch. This in-house movement now powers the majority of the brand’s chronographs and has garnered much respect in the watch world.
On top of that, it is the perfect powertrain for this great-looking dive chronograph. As Mike already explained in the intro article for the revamped Superocean Heritage collection, for the Superocean Heritage Chronograph, Breitling chose a two-register layout with a running seconds and a 30-minute counter. The B01 usually displays three sub-dials, but the brand removed the 12-hour counter. It results in a cleaner look while still maintaining the functions for underwater diving.
Final thoughts on the new Superocean Heritage B01 Chronograph 42
As I already mentioned, I think this is the best-looking current Superocean Heritage Chronograph model. It has a bit more retro charm than the other three. On top of that, the watch has a nice backstory that strengthens its historical relevance. This welcome addition to the Breitling Superocean Heritage collection costs €9,100 on the black rubber strap or €9,400 on the stainless steel mesh bracelet. For the money, you will get one of the best-looking dive chronographs currently available.
