Breitling announces the launch of the Superocean Heritage ’57 Outerknown, the third watch in collaboration with Outerknown, the sustainable apparel brand co-founded by surfing legend Kelly Slater. With its bronze-colored dial and Outerknown ECONYL® yarn NATO strap, this modern-retro sea watch expresses the cool, laid-back lifestyle associated with the surfing scene in Southern California and Hawaii in the 1950s and 1960s. It is available with a classic stainless-steel case or as a limited-edition model with an 18 k red gold bezel for anyone who wants to make an even bigger splash.
The Superocean Heritage ’57 Outerknown and the Superocean Heritage ’57 Outerknown Limited Edition watches celebrate Breitling’s partnership with Outerknown, the sustainable apparel brand co-founded by Surfers Squad member Kelly Slater. Following the Superocean Heritage Outerknown in 2018 and the Superocean Outerknown in 2019, this is the third collaboration between the two brands, and there is now a model from each of Breitling’s sea-related collections.
Both brands share a commitment to clean oceans and beaches. Their goal of helping to maintain and protect a healthy, safe environment is reflected in the creation of the Outerknown NATO straps. These straps are made from ECONYL® yarn, a material sourced from repurposed nylon waste. At the same time, the watches’ modern-retro design recalls the era-defining fun-in-the-sun culture associated with Southern California and Hawaii in the 1950s and 1960s. These landmark decades are remembered fondly for great music, hot cars, and an almost spiritual connection to the freedom found on endless sandy beaches and in the search for the perfect wave.
Breitling CEO Georges Kern says, “We’re thrilled to be able to build on our strong partnership with Kelly and everyone at Outerknown. The projects we work on with them go beyond watchmaking. They underscore Breitling’s commitment to sustainability. Of course, we also love the link to the cool surfing lifestyle, and working with the greatest surfer of all time makes that even more special!”
Kelly Slater: “Georges and his team at Breitling have shown that they have the same passion for clean oceans and beaches that we do. And creating watches with the ECONYL® yarn straps we designed with Breitling is a nice message and our symbol towards a cleaner environment while developing products.”
The Breitling Superocean Heritage ’57 Outerknown
The Breitling Superocean Heritage ’57 Outerknown is available in two versions: one in stainless steel and the other – an edition limited to 500 watches – with an 18 k red gold bezel. With their arrow-shaped hands, oversized indices, and concave bezel, the watches clearly draw inspiration from the original 1957 SuperOcean. The caseback features an engraved Outerknown logo. Both versions are powered by the Breitling Caliber 10, which offers a power reserve of approximately 42 hours. Like all Breitling watches, they are COSC-certified chronometers, an independent confirmation of their precision and performance.
The stainless-steel version features a bronze-colored dial that gives it a unique modern-retro touch. Its dial is complemented by a brown Outerknown ECONYL® yarn NATO strap. The concave bidirectional rotating bezel in stainless steel has an ultrahard scratch- and shock-resistant black ceramic bezel ring with a luminescent central dot at the 12 o’clock position, an ideal feature for a dive watch.
The Superocean Heritage ’57 Outerknown Limited Edition also has a bronze dial and a brown Outerknown ECONYL® yarn NATO strap, but its concave bidirectional rotating bezel is made of 18 k red gold, which is beautifully offset by its black ceramic bezel ring. This model is available in a limited edition of 500 watches.
Breitling, Outerknown, and ECONYL® Yarn
A Story of Sustainability
Breitling’s Outerknown ECONYL® yarn NATO strap collection was launched in 2019. Created in cooperation with Outerknown, the straps are fresh, vibrant, and colorful, and, while they were designed specifically for Breitlings Superocean collection, they can be paired with any Breitling watch. Not only do they contribute to the superb design codes of watches like the Superocean Heritage ’57 Outerknown, they also support Breitling’s unrelenting dedication to sustainability. ECONYL® yarn is created exclusively from recycled nylon waste, some of which is recovered from discarded or lost fishing nets. The straps are not only recycled but are also completely recyclable.
The Breitling Superocean Heritage ’57 Outerknown watches may pay a remarkable tribute to the memorable surfing culture and lifestyle of the 1950s and 1960s, but they are also focused on the very real challenges faced by our planet and on the people who are looking for ways to drive positive change.
