While there are various strap options for the Superocean Heritage II watches, this watch has Breitling’s steel “Ocean Classic” mesh-metal bracelet that I ended up really liking. My initial hesitation with mesh-metal bracelets is the following: First, they are often uncomfortable to wear if you happen to have arm hair. Second, they can be finicky to size, resulting in a bracelet that is either too long or too short. Third, they simply don’t always go with the style of the watch. All mesh-metal bracelets have flat end bars that often do not gracefully flow with the design of the case. That said, when a high-quality mesh-metal bracelet is effectively matched to a case, then the results are good.
I am happy to say that the Breitling Superocean Heritage II is among the few watches I find goes really well with the bracelet. Breitling uses a thick-gauge steel for the mesh, and the bracelet has discreet links that can be taken out to size the bracelet. Additional micro-adjusting for the bracelet length can be done via the spring bar holes in the deployant clasp. More so, I didn’t experience any hair pulling issues – which is really a testament to the overall bracelet construction.
As a diver’s style watch, the Superocean Heritage II is water resistant to 200 meters and has a screw-down crown. I have a feeling Breitling could squeeze 300 meters out of it, but that goes against their marketing approach, which is to position the Superocean (not Heritage) models as the more “serious” diving timepieces. For the vast majority of daily wear and recreational diving purposes, 200 meters of water resistance is entirely adequate.
As I said above, this Superocean Heritage II model is in steel and 42mm-wide. The case is 14.35mm-thick and has a roughly 50mm lug-to-lug distance. According to Breitling, the watch (without the strap) weighs 91.5 grams. The curved lugs help the case sit on the top of your wrist, which appreciably helps wearing comfort, in my experience. The screw-down caseback of the watch is nothing fancy, but it helps the watch retain a tool-style personality that I think benefits its character.
Once of the most interesting stories with regard to this watch is mostly unknown outside of watch nerd circles — and not mentioned on Breitling’s own website. The caliber B20 automatic movement inside the Breitling Superocean Heritage II B20 Automatic 42 is not produced by Breitling or ETA, but rather Tudor (a sister company to Rolex). The Tudor Heritage Black Bay Chronograph contains a Breitling-made movement, and this Superocean Heritage II contains a Tudor-made movement. I mused that this was part of a “movement exchange program.” I didn’t find anything particularly noteworthy about the movement during the review — but that is how it should be. The 4Hz automatic movement has a power reserve of 70 hours and apparently edges out the ETA on chronometric performance.
As a daily wear for a variety of people and lifestyles, the Breitling Superocean Heritage II B20 (in blue or otherwise) is an excellent choice. It isn’t alone, but watches like this that are wearable with sportier or fancier outfits can be hard to find. Some people love the idea of having the correct watch for the correct situation, but many prefer versatile designs that are satisfying even when you only have time to grab-and-go with your favorite timepiece. Moving forward, I fully expect the Superocean Heritage II to continue to be one of the brand’s bestsellers. Price for the ref. AB2010161C1A1 Breitling Superocean Heritage II B20 Automatic 42 watch is $4,885 USD. Learn more or order at Breitling’s website here.
Necessary Data
>Brand: Breitling
>Model: Ref. AB2010161C1A1 Breitling Superocean Heritage II B20 Automatic 42 as tested
>Price: $4,885 USD
>Size: 42mm-wide, 14.35mm-thick, and approx. 50mm lug-to-lug distance.
>When reviewer would personally wear it: A comfortably and classy daily wear anytime blue colors match what I am wearing.
>Friend we’d recommend it to first: Casual luxury watch-lover who wants to add a solid dive-style watch for years of comfortable and versatile wear.
>Best characteristic of watch: Price remains comfortable, despite a good slew of improvements and features over the first generation Superocean Heritage models. Excellent fit and finishing, as well as being fashionable in a range of situations.
>Worst characteristic of watch: Lume volume isn’t as much as competitor watches. Breitling doesn’t get enough into the details of the movement and makes it appear as though they produce it — which they don’t.
