Rolex Submariner vs Breitling Superocean

[wegeman76]

Who wins? Whats more durable? Better looking etc.

[improviz]

Well, looks-wise is subjective; the Submariner is one of the most iconic (if not the most), recognized watches in the world, and is aging better than fine wine. But, imitation being the sincerest form of flattery, it is also one of the most widely copied....the Breitling is a lovely piece, but with increased size comes increased weight, although a strap model will mitigate this (this assumes there is a bracelet model of this watch available, which off the top of my head I can't recall).

Movement-wise, the Rolex is considered to be superior to the ETA movement in the Breitling, but in practice either of them keep very good time when adjusted/maintained properly; I would look into servicing costs, as Rolex fees are quite reasonable, whereas when I sent my Crosswind in last year for servicing, it cost nearly a grand...

Money-wise, you can get better deals on the Breitling, but they don't hold their value well, so depending upon *how* good of a deal you get your overall ownership costs (price paid less price sold plus servicing, the latter assuming you keep your watches for five years or more) may be similar.

Name recognition-wise, Rolex wins hands down, but through the magic of mass marketing (and making beautiful watches also helps) Breitling has gotten ever more popular since I got mine back in '01.

Only other thing is the anti reflective coating; Breitling has it inside and out, which imo improves the look of the watch and makes it easier to read. Some have said that it is easily scratched, but despite some pretty good hits on mine I've observed no scratches (they are built like tanks, as are Rolex), and it does make the watch easier to read...the lack of AR coating on the outer lens surface is one of my few complaints about Rolex watches, aside from the somewhat limited model linup...

But again, this is mostly subjective, sort of asking which ones are hotter, blondes or brunettes (me, I love 'em both!! ). I'd say go to a jeweler, put one on each wrist and A/B them, get the best deal, and go with the one that makes your heart sing.

[SDDS]

thats the best thing to do try both and c which one u like..but i would vote for the Submariner..

[peppermannen]

Submariner, hands down. No offense to Breitling lovers, but I never really liked their looks (watches, not owners). They are a bit too much for my taste, especially the bezels. The exception would be the Superocean Heritage on a mesh bracelet, they are fantastic! But since prices are about 50-60% of the Submariner (where I am, anyway), you know the Sub will always be more desirable.

Petter

[DanP]

Sub>Superocean
It's not TBF
so I think most ppl wi say Sub

[Roselló]

Who wins? *Dont't know. Whats more durable? *I will say both. Better looking etc. .*In my opinion, Rolex.

Ask the same question in a Breitling forum and see what happens.

[cody p]

i'd rather have a sub. although i do really like the 38 mm heritage on mesh bracelet.

[vjb.knife]

I own both and like both. I own two Subs, one older date 16610 and a two year old 16610LV green bezel. I recently purchased a Breitling SuperOcean and I like it very much.

I have owned Subs and Seadwellers for about 26 years and they are fantastic watches, of which I have had 5 in that time. Even though I have only had the SuperOcean for a few months I previously owned a Breitling Avenger Seawolf for about 3 years, which uses the same ETA based Breitling caliber 17 movement and it was very accurate tough and reliable.

There are pluses and minuses to each vs the other and in all practicality they are probably very close. They can do the same things and both do them very well. I will take some pictures and post them showing some comparisons.

It is a little hard to compare the two when you consider that a Sub sells for close to 3 times as much as the Breitling. I will take some pictures and post them showing some comparisons.

I will say that the Sub LV is my favorite watch of all time and I wear it more than any other watch. Overall I like the Sub better, but the SuperOcean is a very good watch as well and I would say that if cost was a big consideration the Breitling could be the one I would chose.

[wegeman76]

Hopefully my pic shows up

[towernick]

I had a SuperOcean Heritage, it really did not hold it's value very well, however, the mesh bracelet was about the coolest looking thing ever. Traded it for an IWC MK XV, really don't miss it much at all.

[jtbold]

just simply classic

[Tools]

Originally Posted by wegeman76

Who wins? Whats more durable? Better looking etc.

I'm pretty sure that here on The Rolex Forums, the Sub wins in all those categories..

If you want a different outcome, you need to go to the Breitling Forums where the SuperOcean will win..

[Nakow]

Originally Posted by Tools

I'm pretty sure that here on The Rolex Forums, the Sub wins in all those categories..

If you want a different outcome, you need to go to the Breitling Forums where the SuperOcean will win..

Well said !

[NavitimerNut]

Originally Posted by Tools

I'm pretty sure that here on The Rolex Forums, the Sub wins in all those categories..

If you want a different outcome, you need to go to the Breitling Forums where the SuperOcean will win..

You are 100% correct. I am a Breitling fan (hence my name is Navitimer Nut), but I would have to say I would choose the Submariner over the 'ling. Let me tell you why... The Rolex never looks out dated, and looks better over time. The Breitling would look outdated within 10 years. The Rolex has an in house movement (correct me if I am wrong), the ling does not. The Rolex has 700 - something gradse steel, the ling (guess what) only has 316L.

Overall, Rolex 3, Breitling 0.

[Deep Sea]

Here is my response from an earlier post asking this question comparing the superocean & the sea dweller. Nearly all of the discussion is relevant due to the similarities of the Sub & SD.

Here it is:


Movement...Rolex, becuase it's in-house & has stood the test of time. That being said, I've abused the heck out of one of my Superocean's, and they have not missed a beat.

Case...toss-up in my opinion. Rolex possibly for using the superior grade of steel, but what does that really do for me other than cost more?

Crown...Rolex, becuase it's bigger & I like the sealing system better.

Bracelet...Breitling by a mile. That being said, there is nothing wrong w/ the Sub bracelet; I'm just not too crazy about the hollow links.

Crystal...Breitling, becuase it's domed & AR coated in & out (which could be a negative for some).

Bezel...Breitling, because there is no insert to scratch up, and the Rolex bezel is harder to turn w/ thick neoprene gloves on you hands (especially when you hands are very cold). The rider tabs (which some really dislike) on the Breitling are much easier to grip w/ a gloved hand.

Bling...Rolex, for no polished bits, but this is only true when comparing the new Superocean to the Sub. The Superocean Steelfish is all brushed, and has crazy lume on the dial, which is very easy to read. However, the LV Sub has some of the best lume of any Rolex. Rolex also, for the recognition factor, if that's important to you. Me, personally, I'd prefer to fly a little more under the radar, and the Explorer II is one of the best for low-level flying, especially w/ the white dial.

Dial...Toss-up, in my opinion. I like the lume on the Superocean dial, and the way it's numbered (on the last edition of the Superocean, NOT the newest version; I'd buy a Timex before I bought the newest version of the Superocean...which should prove to you I'm not drinking the Kool-aid for any particular brand). However, the Rolex dial is classic looking, so it gets some style points, and the LV dial gets points for the maxi dial. Not a fan of the cyclops, though.

Size...Breitling. I've determined that ~42mm is the perfect size watch for me. That being said, I'm typing this while wearing an Explorer II.

Value...Breitling, especially when buying to wear & keep. Rolex for long-term resale, but that's not why I buy watches. Secondary market, again, Breitling by a mile, as you can pick up a Superocean for about 50-60% off retail.

And the winner is.....both, or neither. If I had to choose only one, I'd have a hard time, as I like both for differing reasons. For sure, if budget played a large part, I'd have the Superocean, and then possibly something else to compliment it. Everybody chooses based on their criteria & rationale.


If budget were not an issue, I'd probably get the LV Sub & a black insert. And, a Superocean Heritage 38 w/ black dial.

If budget comes into play, I'd shop for a second-hand Superocean on one of the watch sales sites (TZ, WN, TRF, WUS, etc). You can also get some very good deals on Sub's these days also, but will still be in the $3K-$4K range, verses $1K-$2K range for the Superocean.


Here's a few pictures:

[vjb.knife]

OK here are some comparison pictures and more detailed comparison. Right off the bat let me tell you as I said before that I have been a big Rolex fan for over 25 years and the Submariner is my favorite watch. That being said I am not a close minded person who only sees the brand and can not consider others. I was a commercial diver and am a degreed engineer and I think I can see the technical merits of any diving watch.

Let me elaborate on some of the comparison points already made Rolex is an in-house movement and it is one of the best of it's type for rugged, accurate performance in harsh environments and situations. The Breitling caliber 17 is based on the ETA-2824-2 but is highly modified and is a work horse that also meets COSC requirements and I have used watches equipped with each movement quite a bit in various activities including diving, biking, shooting, camping, hunting, etc.

Which one is tougher, I don't know but I have put both through the activities listed above and seldom babied them and they have never failed to perform flawlessly. My conclusion is that they are both tough enough.

Physically the SuperOcean has a larger case, bracelet, crystal, dial, crown, etc. It is larger in diameter, thicker and heavier. I do like the fact that the crystal and dial create a larger area to view and the domed sapphire crystal on this Breitling is a real thing of beauty.

The quality of build is excellent on both. Anyone that tells you that there is significant difference in fit, finish, detail or materials is either biased or does not know what these terms mean. The Rolex is made of 904L stainless steel where the Breitling is 316L. This difference in material makes very little if any difference in any way; hardness, corrosion resistance, machinability, appearance, strength are all more than adequate for the application in both steels.

The design is similar in that they both have the same typical diving watch features with the exception that the SuperOcean has a Helium Relief Valve, which nobody needs anyway so who cares. But the styling of the watches is quite different and that is a personal taste thing; I happen to like both of them but the classic simplicity of the Sub is just a bit nicer to me.

I guess the last comparison is price. The Sub LV, My favorite, has a retail of $6400 and the regular 16610 Sub retails for $6000, with typical discounts around 10% or an approximate sales price of $5760 and $5400. The SuperOcean retails at about $2900 with typical discounts around 25% or an approximate sales price of $2175. This is significant and can't be overlooked. I am not getting into resale value anymore than to say that generally Rolex holds a higher percentage of it's value than Breitling.

All in all I really like to wear the Breitling right now because it is new but overall I still like the Sub better.

[westsideclock]

Sub!

[watchstudent]

if you can afford either then i think when you see both in the flesh the sub will likely be a no brainer

[T01]

Sub

[capote]

Originally Posted by westsideclock

Sub!

You brought back a five year old thread just to say that?

[Pete26]

Never owned a Breitling but always admired them, for my money the Rolex Sub

[nickb732]

Does anyone ever look at the original post date? Has anyone seen padi lately? He'd be locking this in no time..

[bayerische]

Holy thread bump....

[Roger1079]

Originally Posted by wegeman76

Who wins? Whats more durable? Better looking etc.

As others have stated, the Submariner is about the most recognized watch ever produced.

That being said, durability wise I give it to the SuperOcean for one reason. On my model (the older model chrono with the bezel that looks similar to the Blackbird and Super Avenger) the crystal is deep below the bezel markers. My watch crystal has survived several drops on tile on its face because of that. My SO has been tortured for lack of a better way to say it. I have gone swimming, run cable in buildings, played sports, worked on my car, etc. with it on and short of surface scratching and one small dent in the bezel the watch has zero issues. My Sub has been through the same with the exception of the fact that I have never dropped it. Both watches have been impressive and both do their job well. I would let it come down to personal preference and price being that (at least when I bought mine in 2009) the SuperOcean can be had at an AD for around $4000 out the door where the Sub rings in at about $9000 after tax.

Either way, longevity should not be a concern as both watches will last you decades as long as they are maintained properly. After 5 years my SO has gone from +1 to +12 and finally went in for service. Other than time that is out of spec, the watch ran fine, and sending it was a personal choice rather than a necessity. Hope this helps.

[Roger1079]

Originally Posted by nickb732

Does anyone ever look at the original post date? Has anyone seen padi lately? He'd be locking this in no time..

Nope. This is the only site I frequent where threads get resurrected like this so when posting a reply to a thread on the first page, I usually think it is recent and don't pay attention.

It doesn't bother me though as the information and images are still relevant. This thread could provide good info for someone trying to make a decision and would only need to have the redesigned SuperOcean posted about to be current.

[beshannon]

Originally Posted by wegeman76

Who wins? Whats more durable? Better looking etc.

Depends on what someone likes.

I have both and like both equally.

Not a contest.

[nick c]

Sub any day

[mikkolopez]

IMO Submariner is my choice :)

I like chunkiness ... in my cheeseburgers but not on watches. SO is a chunky piece.

[AK797]

Originally Posted by beshannon

Depends on what someone likes.

I have both and like both equally.

Not a contest.

Same here, Breitling's are great value, esp preowned, you get a lot of watch for your money but for a similar price I would always get a Rolex.

[mike]

I'm going to guess the OP has made a decision.