Politician Ernesto Abella spotted wearing a Breitling

Ernesto Abella, the former presidential spokesperson of the Philippines and a declared presidential aspirant, was recently spotted wearing the Breitling Superocean II 42mm in stainless steel, reference A17365D11C1A1. The sighting places a decidedly tool-watch aesthetic squarely into the arena of Philippine electoral politics, where watch choices — like all visible accessories — are subject to public and media interpretation.

The Breitling Superocean II 42 ref. A17365D11C1A1 is powered by the Breitling Caliber 17, a robust self-winding movement based on the ETA 2824-2 with a 38-hour power reserve. The case measures 42mm in stainless steel, paired here with what the reference designation confirms as a black dial and a matching rubber or fabric strap configuration. Water resistance is rated to a substantial 500 meters — 50 ATM — reinforced by a unidirectional rotating bezel and screw-locked crown. It is a watch built to standards far exceeding the demands of daily civilian wear.

The Superocean lineage dates to 1957, when Breitling introduced one of the earliest purpose-designed dive watches on the market. The second generation, relaunched in the mid-2000s, repositioned the line as an accessible, honest dive instrument within Breitling's catalog. The 42mm case size occupies the sweet spot of the range — more wearable than the 44mm and 46mm siblings, while retaining full dive credentials. Collectors regard the Superocean II as a dependable, underappreciated value within the Breitling universe, overshadowed by the Navitimer's prestige but respected for its straightforward execution.

Abella, a theologian and academic turned political operative, served as the official voice of the Duterte administration from 2016 to 2018. His public profile is one of measured, intellectual communication — a persona that aligns reasonably well with the Superocean II's unpretentious, competent character. Choosing a professional dive watch over a dress piece or a flashy sports reference reads as image-aware without being showy.

On the current market, the Breitling Superocean II 42 A17365D11C1A1 retails at a accessible mid-tier price point. Grey-market values track close to retail given steady but unspectacular demand, making it a watch that neither depreciates embarrassingly nor appreciates dramatically — a stable, honest performer, much like its intended image.