Timeline: For Water’s Sake

Luxury watchmakers are making waves in ocean conservation – particularly through their dive and yachting collections. Navigator’s Mike Espindle explores the leaders driving change.

Breitling
Superocean Heritage B31 Automatic 40 Kelly Slater

Nobody, but nobody, cares more about the health of the oceans than surfers. Champion board-rider Kelly Slater is a Breitling spokesperson, and this connection just makes the watchmaker’s dedication to conservation that much more profound.

The new limited edition Superocean, approved by the GOAT of surfing, of course, is infused with design cues that honor his Hawaiian home (and the state’s impeccable surfing and environmental heritage). The deep blue dial carries a subtle tropical floral motif, while the lumed broad hour hand arrow, contoured minute hand, lollipop seconds hand, and simplified indexes and gauging add a distinct vintage vibe to this 40mm steel watch.

While Breitling prefers to refer to the Superocean line as a “water” watch, the COSC-certified manufacture B31 movement carries 78 hours of power supply and can handle depths of up to 200 meters. Breitling proudly sponsors the one-million-member-strong, surfer-founded Surfrider Foundation, which is dedicated to a multi-faceted mission to keep oceans clean and rideable — from eliminating plastic refuse to preserving fragile ecosystems, advocating for universal beach access, and more.

breitling.com

Ulysse Nardin
Diver Air

As the Swiss watchmaker’s story started with a reputation for making incredibly accurate maritime chronometers during the Golden Age of ocean navigation, Ulysse Nardin is all-in on helping sea conservation efforts. It is a partner with Ocean Odyssey, an organization that aims to reduce plastic pollution in our planet’s waterways, and supports the non-profit, scientific Ocearch research group working to conserve dwindling global shark populations, as well as other water-related activations.

But in terms of the ultimate expression of those efforts, this new Ulysse Nardin Diver Air watch, which debuted at this year’s Watches and Wonders show, sets the bar high (or rather, deep). At 52 grams, it is the lightest mechanical dive-ready watch ever created. A new UN-374 titanium movement has undergone extensive skeletonization to not only reduce the amount of metal used but also cut additional weight.

A combination of recycled titanium and carbon (from up-cycling racing boat materials) makes the 44mm case equally feathery. The ability to withstand 5,000 grams of impact, 200 meters of water resistance, and a beefy 90-hour power reserve make this a seriously impressive wrist companion under the waters, on a minimalist elasticized white or orange fabric strap.

ulysse-nardin.com

Blancpain
Fifty Fathoms 5007

Any experienced diver will recognize Blancpain’s Fifty Fathoms timepiece as one of the most cherished, stylish, and pro-quality dive watches on the market, ever since its auspicious debut as one of the world’s first true diver watches in 1953. For this year, the watchmaker shakes things up a bit with this first-ever smaller 38mm case version. Also offered in a more genderless black-and-18K red gold execution, this bright pink option with a titanium case and lovely mother-of-pearl dial doesn’t give up a lot of serious diving chops to the gleaming beauty.

Based on the rugged Blancpain Manufacture 1153 movement with a whopping 100-hour power supply, 300 meters of water resistance, and an appropriate sail cloth or NATO fabric strap (or optional titanium bracelet), this “pink lady” can do everything a Fifty Fathoms for the boys can do, and then some. Backing up the watchmaker’s long-time dedication to diving, its Ocean Commitment program is one of the industry’s deepest.

From supporting important scientific undersea expeditions (one of which rediscovered the coelacanth “Dinosaur Fish” in Indonesia that was once considered extinct) to partnering on the Blancpain x Sulubaai Marine Research Center in the Philippines’ Palawan archipelago, there is no shortage of ocean concern here.

blancpain.com