Breitling Superocean Automatic 44 Outerknown Review

Breitling is one of the most recognizable luxury watch brands in the $5,000-$10,000 range, and they’re probably best-known for their aviation-themed chronographs: the Navitimer and the Chronomat. But they have legitimate dive watch heritage, too, having launched their first Superocean model in 1957. The Superocean was reborn in the 1990s as a shiny, chunky sports watch lineup, while the latest versions have thinner cases and some vintage design cues. But today I’m reviewing the Breitling Superocean Automatic 44 Outerknown launched in 2019, amidst a bit of a transitional period for the brand.

Breitling Superocean Automatic 44 Outerknown Edition: The Basics

Like other Breitling Superocean Automatic 44 models of its generation, the Outerknown Edition has a black rubberized bezel insert, plentiful lume on its fat hands and enormous 12-6-9 markers, and the common (but reliable) chronometer-certified SW200-based Breitling 17 movement with a 3 o’clock date window. The newest Breitling Superocean models have ceramic bezel inserts, but the rubberized insert style was a 2010s thing. I like the insert a lot, although the feel of rotating the bezel itself is closer to a Seiko Captain Willard than a Rolex Submariner (but then again, so is the price).

The Superocean Automatic 44 Outerknown Edition is differentiated by its matte green dial, yellow seconds hand tip, and most importantly, its Econyl strap. Econyl NATO straps were made by sustainable clothing brand Outerknown (founded by surfing legend Kelly Slater) for Breitling from about 2018-2025. This was the second of three special Outerknown Edition watches that came on Econyl NATO straps, although Breitling also used to sell the straps separately.

Impressions on the Wrist

The Superocean Automatic 44 is a big, beefy watch. Not just in terms of width, but also in terms of its lug-to-lug measurement (52.5mm). It fits fine on my 7.5″ wrist, but I think the 52.5mm length will make this a tough sell for anyone with a wrist much under 7.25″. But that’s what the Superocean 36 and 42 are for!

Without the strap, this Superocean Automatic 44 is 14.3mm thick, which is already just reaching into the territory where some enthusiasts start complaining. But because a NATO strap is made from a single piece of fabric that threads between the spring bars and the case on both sides (so if one springbar fails the watch stays on the wrist), it effectively adds a double layer of fabric underneath the watch caseback. In this case, it adds 2.4mm of thickness for a total of 16.7mm. That’s pretty dang thick.

I don’t have any other significant gripes with the watch, though. If you want a big tough reliable sports watch with a military-esque color scheme, this is a great choice. I love the sloped rehaut and the matte green color of the dial; just note that in real life it’s not a very bright green–it’s more of a military greyish-green. And I have to mention the gloriously monstrous lume:

The significant heft of the watch feels good and surprisingly manageable when the strap is worn snugly. Just be careful walking through doorways and don’t expect to slide this under any fancy shirt cuffs.

Price

The final MSRP of the Breitling Superocean Automatic 44 Outerknown was $5,240, and it really does feel like a $5,000+ watch, but on the secondhand market today you can find nice examples for about $2,800.

Superocean Automatic 44 Outerknown Specs

Model Name	Superocean Automatic 44 Outerknown (2019)
Reference Number	A17367A11L1W1
Case Material	Stainless steel
Case Dimensions	44mm width 16.7mm thickness (with strap) 52.5mm lug-to-lug
Movement Caliber	Breitling 17 (Automatic, 8 beats per second, based on Sellita SW200)
Movement Functions	Hours, minutes, seconds, date
Power Reserve	38 hours
Water Resistance	1,000m
Bracelet/Strap	Khaki green ECONYL® NATO strap
Limited Edition?	Not limited, just a “special” edition
Market Value (2025)	$2,800

Pros and Cons of the Breitling Superocean Automatic 44 Outerknown

Pros	Cons
Very durable, perfect GADA watch	Thick! (16.6mm with its included NATO strap)
Rubberized bezel insert looks and feels cool	Bezel rotation feels a bit ratchet-y
Absolutely fantastic lume
Great secondhand value (available under $3,000)

If you can handle the size, this is one of the coolest luxury watches available for under $3,000 in today’s market. Although Breitling x Kelly Slater collabs are still being made to this day, the Outerknown versions are a thing of the past, and perhaps they’ll get more appreciation in time.