Breitling pushes further into sporting territory with its new partnership with the Collingwood AFL Team and a new limited edition SuperOcean 44.
Sports partnerships are nothing new in watchmaking. Motorsport, sailing and aviation have long dominated the landscape, but occasionally a collaboration appears that feels particularly localised and culturally relevant. Breitling’s latest release does exactly that, teaming up with one of Australia’s most recognisable sporting institutions.
Breitling Oceania has announced a partnership with the Collingwood Football Club, unveiling the Superocean Automatic 44 Collingwood Limited Edition. Limited to just 125 pieces, with a portion of this going to Collingwood themselves, and available exclusively in Australia, the watch brings together Breitling’s modern dive watch platform with design elements tied directly to the AFL club’s identity.
For Breitling, which has steadily increased its presence and following in Australia over the past decade, the collaboration is as much about regional connection as it is about watch design. And this is great to see alongside other Aussie greats that have an association with Breitling, like World Champion surfer, Stephanie Gilmore.
Robust And Rugged, Like AFL Players
The Breitling SuperOcean Automatic 44, a model that represents Breitling’s contemporary interpretation of its historic dive watches, at first glance may not be the most natural fit for a football team. But then again, what watch is? Dive watches are known to be robust and reliable, good everyday watches you can wear and not be afraid to get a little rough with. So, in this sense, the SuperOcean 44 makes sense as the watch to collaborate with.
While the SuperOcean name has existed within the Breitling catalogue since the late 1950s, the current generation takes strong inspiration from the SuperOcean models of the 1960s. Those watches were designed with legibility in mind, prioritising clear time reading underwater rather than unnecessary complications.
That same philosophy carries through to the modern SuperOcean. Large luminous hour markers, bold hands and strong dial contrast make the watch immediately readable, while the distinctive squared-off minute hand remains one of the model’s defining design signatures.
From a technical perspective, the watch stays true to the expectations of a modern dive watch. The stainless-steel case measures 44mm in diameter and is paired with a ceramic unidirectional bezel designed to withstand everyday wear. With a 300 metre water resistance, reinforcing the Superocean’s credentials as a legitimate dive watch rather than purely a lifestyle piece.
A Dial That Reflects Collingwood’s Identity
Where the Collingwood Limited Edition separates itself from the standard model is in the dial execution. The watch adopts the club’s unmistakable black-and-white colour scheme, referencing the stripes worn by the Magpies for more than a century. Against this monochrome foundation, Breitling introduces subtle 18k red gold accents across the dial — a detail intended to symbolise the success and championship heritage of the Collingwood Football Club.
The most direct reference to the club appears on the caseback, where the Collingwood Magpie crest is engraved. It’s a straightforward but effective way of reinforcing the collaboration without overly altering the core design of the SuperOcean itself.
Importantly, Breitling has resisted the temptation to overbrand the watch on the dial. The colour scheme does this in itself. The result is a piece that remains recognisably a SuperOcean first, with the Collingwood connection revealed through more subtle touches.
Two Institutions With Deep Histories
The partnership also highlights an interesting intersection between watchmaking heritage and Australian sporting culture. Founded in 1892, the Collingwood Football Club is one of the most recognisable organisations in the Australian Football League, known as much for its passionate supporter base as for its on-field success. With a history spanning well over a century, the club’s black-and-white colours have become synonymous with Australian football.
The scale of that support is significant. Collingwood regularly draws some of the largest crowds in the AFL, with attendances at the Melbourne Cricket Ground often exceeding 80,000 spectators, along with some of the highest TV broadcast audiences in the sport. Few sporting teams in Australia can claim the same cultural footprint.
“Partnering with Collingwood feels natural for us at Breitling – we share a deep appreciation for heritage, a commitment to precision, and a passion for performance. Collingwood isn’t just a football club – it’s a key part of Australian culture, with a rich history and a loyal community of supporters who bring the game to life… This watch is a way for fans to carry that connection with them and, one day, pass it down to the next generation.”
Breitling Oceania Managing Director – Lars Summers
Limited Production And Collector Appeal
Limited editions are hardly rare in modern watchmaking, but the relatively small production run of this model — just 125 pieces, less so when you take into account that some will be with the club’s players and staff — adds a layer of exclusivity that will likely appeal to both collectors and devoted Collingwood supporters.
Importantly, the watch is available exclusively within Australia through Breitling boutiques and authorised retailers. This regional focus reinforces the collaboration’s local significance rather than positioning it as a global marketing exercise. For enthusiasts who follow both watches and Australian sport, it’s a relatively unusual crossover.
From a broader perspective, this release highlights how watch brands are increasingly tailoring collaborations to specific markets. Breitling has historically focused its partnerships around aviation, motorsports and the ocean – Air, Land and Sea, but more recently the brand has explored relationships that resonate with regional audiences, not to mention sporting codes, such as the partnership with the NFL in the U.S, the Six Nations Rugby and most recently, the partnership with Aston Martin F1. The Collingwood partnership feels like it sits firmly within that strategy.
It also reflects Breitling’s growing presence within Australia, particularly in Melbourne — a city deeply connected to both watch retail and AFL culture. With flagship boutiques in the Melbourne CBD on Collins Street and Chadstone Shopping Centre, the brand has been steadily strengthening its visibility in the region.
Initial Thoughts
The Superocean Automatic 44 Collingwood Limited Edition is ultimately a straightforward concept: take an established dive watch platform and give it a design identity tied to one of Australia’s most recognisable football clubs. What works in its favour is restraint. Rather than heavily modifying the watch, Breitling has kept the core SuperOcean design intact while integrating the Collingwood references in a way that feels considered rather than forced.
Some keen observers may note that this watch feels very similar to the existing SuperOcean 44 in black and white. Well, it is with the small additions of the gold highlights on the dial – one aspect worked on with Collingwood, as well as the Collingwood insignia on the back of the case. Also, this watch is only available on the steel bracelet, so there are some differences.
That aside, this is a watch that, for Collingwood supporters, will appeal to. It is a tangible way to represent the club beyond the traditional scarf or guernsey. For watch enthusiasts, the piece remains a capable and well-designed sports watch with legitimate dive credentials and a great brand name behind it.
With the small run number, it’s likely to remain one of the more niche and distinctly Australian limited editions within Breitling’s current catalogue.
Reference: A173761B1B1A1
Specifications:
| Feature | Specification |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 44 mm diameter × 12.62 mm thickness, 50.5 mm lug-to-lug |
| Case: | Stainless steel, brushed and polished |
| Bezel | Unidirectional with black ceramic inlay |
| Dial | Black and white, with 18k gold accents, Super-LumiNova on hands & indices |
| Crystal | Cambered sapphire, glareproofed |
| Caseback | Engraved Collingwood Magpie crest |
| Water Resistance | 300 metres |
| Movement | Breitling Calibre 17, self-winding, beating at 28,800 vph / 4 Hz |
| Power Reserve | 38-hours |
| Bracelet | Stainless steel with folding clasp |