Rolex dive replica watches are still most classic in this size

This was a pivotal year for Breitling's Superocean Heritage collection, as it marked the beginning of the adoption of the B20 movement, derived from the Tudor MT5612, in the series. While this should have been a commendable move, the problem was that despite using a higher-grade movement, Breitling stubbornly refused to include a see-through case back. I honestly couldn't understand Breitling's thinking at the time, as it simply didn't make sense.

The movement measures 28mm in diameter and 4.8mm in thickness. This size is not only smaller and thinner than the B20, but more importantly, it perfectly accommodates case sizes ranging from 38mm to 44mm. In terms of performance, the movement beats at 28,800 vibrations per hour and boasts a 78-hour power reserve. Not only has it passed the Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC) certification, ensuring an accuracy of -4 to +6 seconds per day, but it has also undergone Breitling's rigorous 16-year accelerated aging simulation test—a test far exceeding industry standards—specifically designed for its in-house movements replica watches. In this extreme test, the crown undergoes 100,000 windings to ensure the durability of the gear train; the rotor is evaluated for automatic winding efficiency through 3,456,000 rotations; and finally, the movement is subjected to 60,000 500G shocks to verify its shock resistance, ultimately ensuring long-term stable operation in extreme environments.

Beyond its superior performance, the movement is also remarkable in its decoration. It features a beautifully skeletonized rotor, and its gear bridges and mainplate are adorned with exquisite Geneva stripes and perlage, respectively. Beyond its aesthetics and performance, the biggest highlight of this movement is its free-sprung balance wheel with weights, a rarity in its class. The biggest advantage of a free-sprung balance is that when adjusting the watch, there's no need to use a regulator to adjust the delicate balance spring; only the weights on the balance wheel need to be adjusted, ensuring greater accuracy and stability during adjustment.

The excellent movement results in an excellent case size. Although the new Superocean Heritage series, equipped with the B31 movement, offers three case diameters—40mm, 42mm, and 44mm—the thickness of all three is successfully kept below 12mm. The 40mm version, in particular, is only 11.73mm thick. This is a far cry from the 14mm or more thicknesses of the B20 era, making it much more comfortable. Besides the reliable thickness, the first appearance of a 40mm case diameter in this series is also a pleasant surprise. Personally, I believe 40mm is the perfect size for a dive replica Rolex, a point proven by the Submariner of yesteryear and the limited-edition Classic Fifty Fathoms.

The new Superocean Heritage series has undergone a comprehensive upgrade in both aesthetics and detail. Firstly, the more refined dial incorporates the distinctive visual features of the 1957 Superocean Heritage model, such as the striking hour marker at 12 o'clock, a combination of a large circle and a triangle, and the arrow-shaped hour and spear-shaped minute hands. Secondly, the ceramic bezel and mushroom-shaped crown, matching the dial color, add a touch of softness to the overall refinement. Even the series' signature Milanese bracelet has been upgraded to a more integrated end-link design, significantly enhancing the watch's overall cohesiveness. Among all the details, I believe the most important is the removal of the redundant "Automatic" line on the dial! Since the 40mm version we're discussing today is the Kelly Slater limited edition, the dial is also decorated with a tropical foliage pattern. Although this watch is a limited edition, I want to say that for the new Superocean Heritage series, whether it's limited edition or not is unimportant; what matters is the 40mm size!