Breitling Special Edition Superocean Heritage II B20 c.2022
This rare and special Breitling Special Edition Superocean is the 5th of only 40 produced exclusively for members of the Metropolitan Police Specialist Firearms Command (MO19).
Affectionately known as “The Trojans of London”, MO19 are the elite armed response unit of the Met Police and are responsible for dealing with armed robberies, hostage situations and terrorist attacks.
The original owner of the watch is a serving member of MO19. Interestingly, he was one of the first responders to the 2017 Westminster Terrorist Attack. Some prominent photographs were taken of him at the scene of the attack.
Inspired by the original Superocean from the 1950s, the Superocean Heritage combines iconic design features with a modern touch. Sporty and elegant, the Superocean Heritage is a true embodiment of style at sea. Featuring the iconic triangular-shaped hands as well as a unidirectional bezel with a polished ceramic ring, the Superocean Heritage is an elegant-looking diver’s watch.
The Superocean Heritage is powered by the Breitling Manufacture Caliber B20, a COSC-certified chronometer based on the Tudor Caliber MT5612.
The dial on the special edition watch for sale is particularly pleasing and features the number 19 in Roman numerals (XIX) below the Breitling logo, a Trojan head and a yellow “19” marker on the chapter ring. All these subtle additions signify it to have been specially designed and produced for MO19.
We understand it took Breitling two years to produce the watch, and its former owner and his colleagues helped to design the dial. One initial idea of theirs was to make the number 19 in the calendar window yellow. However, this idea was soon abandoned as the wearer would only see it once a month. As an alternative to this, Breitling suggested making the “19” marker on the chapter ring yellow.
All Metropolitan Police Armed Response Vehicles are marked with a yellow circular sticker to signify they are armed, which explains why yellow was chosen in the design of the dial.
The markings on the reverse of the case back are also unique to the watch and include the owner’s name and shoulder number. Their name and number have been obscured in the photograph included in the sales listing.
Finally, the black mesh rubber strap was chosen for its durability and to add a military look and feel to the watch.
The watch comes with its original box and papers, a file containing photos of its original owner, a signed letter of provenance and the original order details for the watch.
