Investing in a Greener future
As part of its new image, Breitling is investing in groups rather than individuals. The Surfers Squad upholds the pillar of the brand’s naval-themed watches (which includes the Superocean series of diving watches), consisting of professional surfers Kelly Slater, from the USA, and Australians Stephanie Gilmore and Sally Fitzgibbons. These are some authentic top performers: Slater is a record-setting 11-time world champion, while Gilmore is a seven-time winner of the Women’s ASP World Tour.
There are not many watch brands that have worked with surfers, but it is a natural and apt fit for Breitling’s refreshed persona of a relaxed but confident adventure brand. The seemingly laid-back surfer culture might seem at odds with precise timekeeping, but it is, of course, a sport as demanding as any other. “When we’re training, competing or performing, it’s timed,” Fitzgibbons relates, who has always worn a watch while surfing. “It’s also about understanding the waves rolling in, and how far apart they are. You’re trying to speak the language of the ocean.”
“Surfing is a spiritual and free feeling, but at the same time, it’s a job,” Gilmore explains. “So to have a quality piece on our wrists that we can trust to work is important.”
“The amount of times that I’ll look at the watch in the day is quite phenomenal,” Fitzgibbons adds. “When I look at my watch, I’ll think of the good times that we spend as a squad, in places that I never thought I’d go to.”
Gilmore and Fitzgibbons were also drawn to Breitling’s stance on environmental issues. Both grew up by the ocean, and their travels have taken them to some of the most beautiful waters in the world—as well as putting them in the middle of some of today’s most pressing environmental issues.
“The amount of trash in the water was terrifying,” Gilmore says of one surfing spot. “You’re literally scooping up trash as you’re paddling, and it’s the most confronting feeling.”
She and Fitzgibbons were recently in Singapore for a beach clean-up event, organised by Breitling in partnership with Ocean Conservancy. Singapore has a reputation for being one of the cleanest places in the world; however, while its East Coast Beach looks pristine from afar, it does not take much work to unearth the tiny bits of trash lurking in the sand. The final haul was 35kg of waste, mostly consisting of small pieces of plastic and cigarettes. “It’s not always the big and obvious piles of trash,” Fitzgibbons says. She hopes that an understanding of the impact of microplastics will make its way into public consciousness.
“It’s about trying to encourage people to make little decisions and changes every day,” Gilmore adds. “It’s about working together.”
