Breitling Sets Laid-Back Tones with Surf Legend

Growing up in South Africa, you spend a lot of time outdoors barefoot, and a lot of time in the sea. You also spend a lot of time watching people surf. 

One of those guys was Kelly Slater, who remains one of the greatest of all time, and whose style on and off the board inspired my own. In classic surf style, he struck the balance of being “chilled” while simultaenously dogged in his pursuit to win. When I heard he was partnering with Breitling to design a watch, seizing the opportunity to interview him was a no-brainer.

When Breitling introduced the Superocean Heritage in 1957, it carved out its own lane in the dive watch world—one where looking good mattered as much as going deep. The Ref. 1004 and Ref. 807 weren't just tools for underwater exploration; they were statements of intent for the stylish adventurer who understood that true sophistication lies in effortless capability.

Now, for 2025, Breitling has refreshed the collection, which spans four sizes—36mm, 40mm, 42mm, and 44mm—with the larger models introducing Breitling's new B31 manufacture movement, launched this March as the brand's first exclusive three-hand caliber. Aesthetically, Breitling has shown admirable discipline. The colour palette has been pared down to essentials: black, blue, and green, each paired with matching ceramic-inlayed bezels that promise to age gracefully. New mesh-metal and mesh-rubber bracelets sit closer to the case, creating cleaner lines and improved water resistance. Subtle refinements—tone-on-tone subdials, a discreet date window at six o'clock, and the signature arrow-and-spear hands—maintain the collection's distinctive character while enhancing legibility. Select models introduce responsibly sourced 18k red gold to the outer bezels, adding warmth without compromising the collection's inherent restraint. It's the kind of thoughtful luxury that whispers rather than shouts. 

The launch campaign draws inspiration from Hawaii, channeling the islands' saturated colours and laid-back luxury. This connection runs deeper with the Kelly Slater Limited Edition—a tribute to surfing's most accomplished athlete as he transitions from competition to legend.

"From as early as I can remember, I dreamt of Hawaii," reflects Slater, whose 11 world titles and 56 event wins have redefined professional surfing. "After living here, I realised it's much bigger than that. The respect Hawaiians have for their land, people, and culture runs deep."

His limited edition features a tree-patterned dial that captures dappled sunlight through tropical canopy, while the open caseback reveals the B31 movement. Limited to 500 pieces, each comes with a personal note from Slater himself. 

Slater's relationship with watches runs deeper than sponsorship. "As a kid I was super enamoured with watches," he recalls, remembering a rudimentary digital game watch from fourth grade that got him in trouble at school. Later, as competitive surfing demanded precise timing—30-minute heats where every second counted—watches became essential tools. "You just do the math: there's 120 waves possible in 30 minutes," he explains, developing an almost supernatural sense of competition rhythm.

The design process was deeply personal. The dial's Hawaiian pattern wasn't arbitrary—it represents childhood dreams of a mythical surfing paradise that eventually became home. "When I was a little kid, I fell in love with Hawaii through surf magazines. It was just a dream, and now it's my neighborhood."

Perhaps most poignant is the story behind his previous Breitling collaboration's orange dial—an homage to his father's lost dive watch. After twenty years of faithful service, it slipped from his father's wrist during a surf session. "He went home, got scuba tanks, and spent two hours diving for it," Slater remembers. "The water was murky—he probably went right past it a few times."

Now, seven years into his Breitling partnership, Slater appreciates how the brand recognizes surfing's legitimacy within luxury's traditional boundaries. "Surfing is not traditionally synonymous with luxury brands," he notes. "For them to recognize what we've done as something special—that's been really meaningful."

Available on both rubber mesh and steel bracelet, the watch reflects Slater's practical approach: rubber for ocean sessions, steel for evening engagements.

The Technical Details

Housed in a 40mm stainless steel case measuring 11.73mm thick, the Kelly Slater edition is powered by Breitling's new Manufacture Caliber B31—a COSC-certified movement delivering approximately 78 hours of power reserve. The blue dial features a stamped "tropical foliage" pattern with Super-LumiNova luminescent indexes, protected by cambered sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating on both sides.

The unidirectional ratcheted bezel incorporates a ceramic insert matching the dial colour, while the screw-locked crown ensures water resistance to 20 bar (200 meters). The exhibition caseback reveals the B31's 181 components operating at 28,800 vibrations per hour, with the outer ring engraved "One of 500" and "Kelly Slater Limited Edition."

Available with either a blue rubber strap and folding buckle or the Ocean Classic stainless steel bracelet with butterfly clasp, it is serious capability wrapped in effortless style, designed for those who understand that the best adventures happen when you're not trying to prove anything at all.