While Breitling isn’t exactly the watchmaker that comes in mind when you think of triathlons, the Swiss brand is apparently the “Official Luxury Watch of Ironman.” Yes, those Ironman triathlons that require competitors to swim 2.4 miles, bike 112 miles, and run 26.22 miles in succession. Well, now, those guys can do all that while wearing the Breitling Superocean Automatic 44 Ironman.
No, it’s not a completely new watch. Instead, it’s a special edition of the 44mm Superocean Automatic that bears slight changes to make it consistent with the popular triathlon series. Specifically, they integrated the Ironman logo and added the event’s signature color as accents, so you can quietly tell the world you’re not just into dive watches, you love yourself some endurance sports, too.
The Breitling Superocean Automatic 44 Ironman doesn’t veer too far from the original model. It has the same not-quite-that-big 44mm size, along with the all-steel case with the dual-gasket crown that allows it to survive diving in depths of up to 3,300 feet. Yep, this is quite the capable dive watch, albeit not as capable as the 46mm version, which doubles the smaller model’s depth rating (and definitely a far cry from this 10,000-foot dive watch). And while we would rather wear a GPS sports watch if we get fit enough to perform in of these Ironman races, we won’t mind working towards the finish line in one of these, too, although we’d probably just wear it after the race once we’ve changed into a more casual attire.
Like other Superocean watches, it uses the Breitling Caliber 17, an automatic self-winding mechanism that boasts 25 jewels and 38 hours of power reserve. To the unfamiliar, it’s a fast-ticking mechanism (28,800 bph), with dead-silent operation, high-accuracy, and a more efficient bidirectional winding capability.
The Breitling Superocean Automatic 44 Ironman’s most prominent departure from standard versions of the dive watch happens underneath the glare-proofed cambered sapphire crystal, where you see the date taken out of the dial. In its place at the three o’ clock position is the highly-recognizable Ironman branding (in a pretty large font), along with a selection of red accents on the seconds hand and the seconds indicators. Another noticeable change is a red rubber strap with large Breitling branding to dress it down enough for pairing with athletic attire, apart, of course, from matching all the red accents on the dial. And yes, it’s the same rubbery-looking band you can get with other Superocean watches (just in a color unique to this model), which means it’s designed for great performance in the water.
If you’re a collector of Breitling’s core dive watch collection or a triathlon enthusiast looking for a classy way to front your love for the endurance sport, this timepiece sounds it should be the kind to pique your interest. Only 300 pieces of the watch will be made, all of which are available exclusively on the outfit’s website and selected boutiques, although you can also pick them up if you’re attending the Ironman events in Nice, France and Kailua-Kona, Hawaii (apparently, they’ll be on sale there).
Now available for preorder, the Breitling Superocean Automatic 44 Ironman is priced at $3,950.