Breitling Avenger

Breitling Avenger – A hybrid diver’s watch

Breitling wouldn’t be Breitling if it only did things halfway. Widely considered a pioneer of the oceans, it has even gained the admiration and respect of its fellow contemporaries Doxa, Rolex, and Omega. That it belongs to the upper echelons of diver’s watches is an undeniable fact, ever since the Superocean became part of its starting line-up back in 1957. Diver’s watches themselves should be per definition tough as nails, exceptionally legible when submerged underwater, ergonomic by every task, and at the same time always dependable. The Avenger is constructed to withstand an extreme oceanic environment and its tremendous amount of water pressure. Breitling put its money where its mouth was when its high performance Avenger Seawolf became one of the first watches altogether that could withstand water pressure of up to 3,000 metres.

There’s a lot of variety to be had in its portfolio e.g. a GMT series and the Avenger II and Super Avenger II chronographs. Most of the Avenger models are available with rubber, leather, or steel watch straps as well as the typical bezel elevations at the 3, 6, 9, and 12 positions. They are an all too familiar characteristic of other Breitling models e.g. the Chronomat or the Colt. All watches are certified by the prestigious COSC, a testing institute which guarantees both their accuracy and precision. The Avenger is a diver-aviator hybrid series, chock-full of all of Breitling’s DNA.

Avenger broken down into numbers – Top 5 Facts

8: Eight over forty

The Avenger Series is considered a high performance timepiece that has been created to withstand extreme conditions. The large cases in the Avenger Collection are not just intended to be an aspect of its eye-catching design, but rather as a durable and thick-skinned shell of protection against the type of environmental punishment the timepiece might have to endure. Right alongside the 48 millimeter measurements of the Super Avenger series, there are also more moderate sizes between 43 and 45 mm. For example, the Avenger II or the Avenger II GMT with their 43 mm dimensions.

4: A total of four seconds

There are several Avenger models that are COSC certified, like all of Breitling’s watches. The manufacturer has guaranteed a rate variation of at the most -4 to +6 seconds per day. If any anomalies occur, which are caused by no fault of Breitlings’, then the watch can be examined via a timing device. In a worst case scenario, it can also be serviced by Breitling.

3,000: Three thousand metres under the sea

An outstanding diver’s watch in the Avenger Series is the Seawolf, which is water resistant up to a depth of 3,000 metres. For a long time, this was considered an impossible feat for a mechanical watch to achieve. A special valve provides an equalisation of the pressure within its case. The second Seewolf (Sea Wolf) is without a doubt, a giant in the divers’ watches collection.

40: Forty percent lighter than stainless steel

The Avenger Seawolf Blacksteel has a dark grey, almost black case made of titanium. Titanium is a very non-corrosive, durable, and at the same time lightweight among medals (roughly 30-40% lighter than stainless steel). Seawolf’s dials are, like most of the entire Avenger Series, dominated by darker colours. However, the Avenger II Seawolf is also offered in yellow. Regardless of its refreshing visuals, some diving fanatics swear by their legibility when submerged underwater. The first watch that intentionally chose warmer dial colours, was definitely the Doxa. Its diver model Sub had an orange face.

2: 2 Time zones

From a historical perspective, GMT watches have been long associated with Rolex watches. However, synchronising time zones has a long tradition at Breitling, stretching back as far as the 1950s. With the Avenger II GMT, the brand aims to serve their well-traveled clientele, and there’s never any shortage of aviation enthusiasts that really love Breitling watches. This model strives to define itself with its time zone functionality rather than with diving specs. The Avenger II has a bidirectional bezel and it’s the only one in the entire Avenger Series.