They say revival is the best form of flattery. Okay, no one really said that, but it does make sense in the watchmaking world. A name alone can hold intangible value to collectors and newcomers alike and this is the path Breitling are taking in their revival of the Avenger name.
Officially presented in Los Angeles last month, the collection sees its fresh debut under the company’s newest CEO, Georges Kern, for the first time. The sporty and aviation-inspired aesthetic lives on in the 14 new references but this time around there’s more versatility, durability, innovation and styles to choose from.
Such as the most important aspect for watch wearers: case size. The new Avenger collection now boasts case sizes in 43mm, 45mm and 48mm to suit a wider array of wrists. This is further bolstered by a striking range of colour combinations both in the dial and woven leather strap. Black titanium case options also mean that the larger diameter models are still light enough to wear whilst living up to the name’s shock-resistant credentials.
Functionality-wise, the watches feature hours, minutes and seconds hands with chronograph and non-chronograph dial options. All of the new references sport a date window at the 3 o’clock index. On the design front, the Avenger’s high legibility is retained even though the dials are so much busier and louder. This is in part due to the oversized hour markers, which can also come in Arabic numeral variants.
Two standout references from the collection are the 48mm Super Avenger in steel and black titanium, and the very slick Avenger Chronograph 45 Night Mission in two masculine colourways.
The former features a COSC-certified movement that ensures precision timekeeping alongside a 42-hour power reserve and 300-metre water resistance rating.
The latter is a much bolder choice in style and evokes the watch’s military and sporting inspiration. The Night Mission treatment, which can be optioned across all 14 references, feels especially at home on the Chronograph 45 model. Those after a stealthier look will appreciate the black dial variant paired to a black strap and black titanium case, beautifully offset by subtle yellow indexes on the outer dial and seconds hand. This watch features a power reserve of 42 hours and a water resistance rating of 300 metres.
The full Breitling Avenger collection is now available online with prices starting from AU$4,890.
