Stories

Dive watches hit the mainstream in the late 1950s when Jacques Cousteau, co-inventor of the self-contained underwater breathing apparatus (SCUBA), captured the public’s imagination with his undersea documentaries.

Breitling was gearing up to meet the emerging demand for water-resistant watches, but there was a catch. Willy Breitling’s specialty was the chronograph. Naturally, he wanted his dive watches to carry his prize complication, something that had never been done.

So, Breitling’s engineers went to work, and in 1957, the Superocean 807 became a first on two fronts: the first dedicated dive chronograph and the first chronograph to have what’s popularly known as the “reverse panda”–a black dial with white subdials. Its goal was to create a high contrast between the chronograph counters and their background, making it easy to read underwater. The result was not only optimal legibility, but the birth of an enduring dial design still used throughout all of watchmaking today.

The ref. 807 could descend to depths of 200 meters, a feat remarkable for the time. Several versions of the Superocean have evolved over the years complete with other firsts, including the first dedicated minute-hand dive timer (Superocean Slow Motion, 1964) and the first automatic dive chronograph (Superocean Chrono-matic, 1970). The collection remains a vital part of the Breitling catalog. It’s a line that has transcended its practical origins to become a symbol of style at sea.