Breitling Superocean Heritage '57: Vintage vs. Re-Edition Comparison

amanico · 2020-05-21T00:21:08Z

Explore the Breitling Superocean Heritage '57 re-editions, including the 'Rainbow' models. Amanico compares vintage vs. new, sparking debate on design, movements, and Breitling's strategy.

amanico

WPS member · Horological Meandering forum

30 replies5186 views12 photos

Nicolas (amanico) offers a detailed comparison of the vintage Breitling Superocean Heritage '57 alongside its contemporary re-editions, including the controversial 'Rainbow' limited editions. His insightful post prompts a community discussion on Breitling's design choices, movement philosophy, and the evolving market for vintage-inspired timepieces. This article delves into the nuances of these releases, exploring collector sentiment and technical considerations.

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The original:

Credit picture: Fred Mandelbaum:

Mine:

Here we have a 38, 5 mm case, an ETA movement. a concave bezel, and a domed plexy.

And now, the re editions:

THE LE in black, 250 pieces:

Curiously, Breitling decided to launch a new limited edition of the " Rainbow " Superocean Heritage 57 in blue... 1000 pieces. The collector who decided to go for the black version will certainly... " Appreciate ".

And the non limited editions:

A last family picture:

Here we have a 42 mm case, 9, 99 mm high. The proportions are good even if I would have preferred a less big case. We still have the concave bezel, but the plexy has been changed for a sapphire glass.

Beating inside is an ETA / Sellita automatic movement, with a power reserve of 42 hours.

The non limited editions are serious watches, for sure. But the big question, for me, is to know what to think about the " Rainbow " limited editions. As an owner of the vintage, I have been surprised, to say the least, by the Rainbow. But on second thought, why not, after all? Why not a bot of madness? Still not very sure about my feelings on that one, and I have to see it in the real life to have a definitive feeling and judgement.

Uber cool ala rolex Daytona platinum, or a sacrilege?

Best,

Nicolas

Key Points from the Discussion

The decision to release a second 'Rainbow' limited edition in blue, shortly after the black version, was perceived as disrespectful to early collectors of the initial 250-piece black 'Rainbow' LE.
ETA movements like the 2892 and 7750 are reliable workhorses, and some collectors prefer them for their proven predictability over new in-house movements that can introduce 'teething issues,' such as the IWC Spitfire's 32110 mechanism's second hand hopping.
For watches in the 5-8k price range, the distinction between a modified ETA/Sellita movement and an in-house caliber has become less critical for some collectors, as much of the cost is attributed to brand recognition rather than solely movement quality.
While the 'Rainbow' models are surprising and fun, some collectors express fatigue with the general trend of vintage re-issues across all brands.
The concave bezel design is considered awkward by some, who feel a bezel platform should be the opposite, though this opinion is often held without having seen the watch in person.
The use of a mesh bracelet on a watch intended for diving raises concerns about its suitability for frequent exposure to salt water and sand, suggesting it might be more of a 'desk diver' than a true tool watch.
The choice of hand colors, while aesthetically pleasing for promotional photography at specific times (e.g., 10:08), raises questions about how legibility and overall aesthetic will hold up during everyday wear at other times.

The Discussion

Bruno.M1

May 21, 2020

über cool

those Rainbow editions. Ans I confess I was amazed and even pissed when they introduced the blue rainbow. This is very disrespectful to those that were lucky to get the black. That aside it was a big mistake from Breitling to make only 250 black rainbow and I guess they realized that after about 1 minute lol. For such a big brand even 1000 is a small number so I would guess the 1000 blue are probably sold out too. The charity thing is good, very good but they could have taken another watch than

amanico

May 21, 2020

Well, I totally hear you about then launch of the Limited Blue only 6 weeks after the black. Now, as for good value for money, I don't know... The Tudor BB has a great in house movement...

And is less expensive than this Breitling ETA powered... And I don't even mention the Longines Legend Diver, which was a bit above 1000 Euros when launched, with the same ETA movement... Now, as said, I really have to see these Rainbow, in the metal. Thanks for your feedback, Bruno. Best, Nicolas

Bruno.M1

May 21, 2020

We all know in-house movements are marketing BS ;-)

The Tudor BB eta and the Tudor in-house BB had as good as the same price. I believe it was barely 250 euro difference About the quality... ETA and Selita ( cause Breitling uses both for that Calibre) deliver superb quality I honestly don’t care anymore if a 5 or 8 k watch has a modified ETA or in-house movement The longines legend diver is indeed a great watch but so are some Tissot and these cost only a fraction of the longines. When paying several thousands for a watch.... most of tour money g

amanico

May 21, 2020

That's why I am not giving much importance on prices. [nt]

Jun 4, 2020

That's true

Actually I would prefer the BB with the ETA movement because it is thinner and more elegant. ETA movement such as the 2892, 7750 are predictable workhorses. If the wheel isn't broken, why fix it? It is embarassing for houses such as IWC to put a new mechanism into their watches, only to bring back "teething issues" they did not anticipate. For example, the IWC spitfire's 32110 mechanism has a problem with the second hands hopping back when the backwards when the seconds are deployed. My only wis

amanico

Jun 4, 2020

Interesting point of view. Food for thought. One thing is sure, the 2892 is a very good movement. Reliable and accurate. [nt]