Breitling's Superocean Heritage was revamped in 2025. Shigeru Sugawara, a journalist born in the 1950s and with over 30 years of experience covering the watch industry, reviews the watch in detail, experiencing its city diver style inherited from the original 1957 model in Yokohama and other parts of the city.
Photographs & Text by Shigeru Sugawara
[Article published on January 22, 2025]
A review of the "City Diver" that's perfect for both the ocean and the history museum
Speaking of summer in Japan, diver's watches are synonymous with them. They're the only reliable watch for weathering the unusually high temperatures and humidity we've been experiencing lately. I've owned several diver's watches over the past few decades, but they're almost always worn in the summer. Since I rarely use them for serious marine sports or water activities, I'm more drawn to their everyday usability and cool looks than their high technical specs. I used to see guys around Shonan or downtown Tokyo sporting authentic diver's watches on their tanned wrists, with the look of someone who was trying to show off their surfing skills in Chigasaki, but I'm not into that sort of thing.
This summer, I'll be wearing Breitling's latest 2025 model, the Superocean Heritage B31 Automatic 40, for this review. This is my first time holding this model, so I'm very interested. Above all, the design is perfect for my tastes. I love the vintage look that recreates the original model released in 1957. I like the fact that it's a sports watch that gives off a "modest, youthful look" and doesn't make an overly assertive statement. The colorful and fun Superocean Automatic of recent years, inspired by the Superocean Slow Motion from the 1960s, is also appealing in a different way. Perhaps it's because I was born in the 1950s that I feel a greater affinity with the new model.
Automatic movement (Cal. B31). 28,800 vph. Power reserve: approximately 78 hours. Stainless steel case (40mm diameter). Water resistant to 200m. Price: 902,000 yen (tax included).
Incidentally, the fact that the original 1957 model originally had a "city diver" feel is clear from the description on Breitling's official website: "It took an approach that set it apart from other diver's watches of the time. The Ref. 1004 (a sophisticated three-hand model) and the Ref. 807 (the world's first full-fledged diver's chronograph) were designed not simply as tools for underwater exploration, but also with an emphasis on style."
On the second day, I went to a port with a view of the ocean and spent a few hours there. When I held the watch up towards the sea at Yokohama Osanbashi Pier, the visibility of the dial was generally good. I say "generally" because, even though the sapphire crystal is anti-reflective coated, there were times when light reflected and made the dial difficult to see at certain angles. This phenomenon occurred not only in natural light in the open air, but also under indoor lighting. Conversely, the luminescence in dark places was outstanding. I also wore it twice in the city center, enjoying matching the watch with fashion. Is it thanks to the "City Diver" design that it looks a bit like a watch connoisseur and stylish?
The stainless steel case is 40mm in diameter. While the lineup also includes 36mm, 42mm, and 44mm sizes, this is apparently the first 40mm watch. I'm not sure if this was inspired by the recent trend toward smaller diameters and genderless styles, but it's definitely a comfortable size in terms of wearability. Incidentally, I've always limited myself to 40mm when purchasing watches, so this is a no-brainer. It's also thin for a diver's watch, at approximately 10mm, and weighs just 100g (measured on a kitchen scale; the official weight is approximately 83g) for the stainless steel and rubber strap, a comfortable weight. The rubber strap, which mimics the pattern of a metal mesh bracelet, is flexible and didn't feel sticky, even when I got sweaty during a sweltering 35°C (95°F) outing. The deployant buckle with push buttons on both sides is well-made and easy to use. Overall, the overall rating for comfort is excellent.
What impressed you when you saw the case back?
Another highlight of this latest model is its newly developed in-house movement. The Breitling Caliber B31 with three hands and a date display boasts a power reserve of approximately 78 hours, double the 38 hours of the Breitling Caliber 17 used in the existing Superocean Automatic. The new generation of automatic movements now typically run for approximately three days, meaning a watch can be taken off the wrist on Friday night and still running the following Monday morning. This movement also meets this practical requirement. I didn't specifically test the power reserve during the five days I wore it (though this is difficult when wearing an automatic watch continuously). However, since the watch's specifications state that it is a COSC-certified chronometer, I compared its rate with that of a standard radio-controlled watch and found that it tended to gain about 10 seconds per day. While individual variations are likely to occur, this is just for reference.
What really impressed me about the Breitling Caliber B31 was the decorative finish of the movement, visible through the sapphire case back. Even those who have seen many different movements over the years will be impressed by this sophisticated finish. The pattern is the classic Côtes de Genève, a signature of high-end movements. Looking at it through a magnifying glass, you can see that this authentic pattern has been applied with great care. In addition, the spiral curves engraved into the ridges are also found on the free-sprung balance cock and bidirectional rotor, creating a beautiful harmony as a whole. If a diver's watch were simply a tool watch, there would be no need to go to such lengths, but this clearly shows Breitling's intention to emphasize style and aesthetics.
Shigeru Sugawara's profile
Born in 1954. Watch journalist. In the 1980s, he covered France and Italy for fashion and jewelry magazines. Since the 1990s, he has focused on watches, covering the annual watch fair held in Switzerland for over 25 years. He has written and published numerous articles in watch magazines such as "Chronos Japan" and general magazines. He also translates books on watches.
