The Breitling SuperOcean, launched in 1957, was the brand’s first purpose-built dive watch, introduced as two references at once: the time-only automatic reference 1004 and the hand-wound chronograph reference 807. Both were water resistant to 200 metres. A 1959 reference 807 sold by Phillips has a 39 mm stainless steel case and the manually wound Venus calibre 175 with 17 jewels. The defining feature is a revolving concave bezel larger than the case, designed to be easy to grip with diving gloves and to protect the domed crystal. The dial uses large numerals and oversized hands for legibility, and the 807 has white registers on a black dial, which Phillips says scholars believe was a first for any watch.

With the SuperOcean, Breitling, already known for its aviation watches, entered the dive-watch market against Rolex, Blancpain and Omega. The two versions targeted different users: the 1004 was aimed at stylish beachgoers, while the 807 chronograph was built for experienced divers. In 1964 the SuperOcean 2005 followed, with a chronograph hand that completes one rotation per hour to track dive time and a disc indicator at 6 o’clock showing whether the chronograph is running, stopped or paused. In 2007 the brand marked the 50th anniversary with the SuperOcean Heritage, featuring a braided steel bracelet and the 1950s logo, and later the SuperOcean Heritage II with a ceramic bezel ring.

Collectors value the original SuperOcean references for their bold design and their place as the start of a long-running line. Phillips describes the reference 807 as among the rarest dive chronographs to appear at auction, with few made, and sold a well-preserved 1959 example for CHF 26,250 against an estimate of CHF 20,000 to 40,000. The essay also highlights the concave oversized bezel and early use of contrasting white registers as the design details that make the first SuperOcean stand out among 1950s divers. The 1957 references are no longer produced; Breitling continues the name with its current Superocean collection, including the Superocean Automatic and Superocean Heritage models.