The day earlier than its launch, I briefly met the newest Avenger in a restaurant on the outskirts of Amsterdam. A storm had struck, and contained in the restaurant, one might hear the wind changing into louder and louder as raindrops stored bombarding the home windows. The brand new Breitling Avenger B01 Chronograph 44 appeared utterly calm and picked up. Unshakable self-confidence is what you need in a superhero and a Breitling watch. Weeks later, with a transparent blue sky over The Hague, the revamped, now a lot leaner and meaner Avenger landed on my desk at Fratello HQ in all its outsized glory. We cleared our schedules and determined to hang around for a few days. Learn on to seek out out if we bonded.
The brand new Breitling Avenger B01 Chronograph 44 in inexperienced (AB0147101L1X1) is a good-looking “fella.” Strictly talking, that’s not an goal statement, however a little bit discipline experiment revealed that each one the themes to whom I confirmed the watch reacted positively. I heard good feedback on the refined look, the marginally sleeker proportions when in comparison with the earlier, very cumbersome Avenger Chronograph, and largely constructive remarks concerning the dial coloration. The matte inexperienced dial takes inspiration for its barely powdery-looking hue from the colour of classic Land Rovers.
Interacting with the Breitling Avenger B01 Chronograph 44 in army surplus inexperienced
The standard coloration inexperienced of the unique Land Rover that appeared within the late Nineteen Forties is the results of shortage. Solely army surplus provides of plane cockpit paint have been obtainable proper after WWII, so the primary batch of Land Rovers left the manufacturing facility in barely varied shades of sunshine matte inexperienced. The colour fits the brand new Avenger B01 Chronograph 44. As you would possibly know, the Avenger has been round for greater than 20 years. It was at all times large, daring, brash, and designed for fighter pilots. Effectively, it was designed for males who frequently watch the film High Gun, I might say. Nonetheless, the completely different variations confirmed excessive resilience and optimum readability, so in idea, they have been sensible devices befitting the aeronautical spirit of Breitling.
They have been at all times only a bit too cumbersome for my style. Fortunately, the revamped Avenger, particularly the chronograph model you see right here, feels a lot better. It shaves 1mm off the diameter of the earlier Avenger Chronograph 45. It additionally brings the thickness down from 16.4mm to fifteen.2mm and shortens the lug-to-lug size from 55.7mm to 53mm. The reshaped and resized Avenger nonetheless pumps iron and lifts heavy objects frequently. But it surely now additionally does cardio, works on its core stability, and generally even dabbles in a little bit of yoga when nobody’s trying. That’s why it additionally misplaced a little bit of weight. The earlier 45mm metal model weighs 159 grams, however the leaner and meaner 44mm new model weighs 22 grams much less.
Streamlined and refined
After I talked to Breitling CEO Georges Kern simply earlier than the launch of the reworked assortment, he reacted after I mentioned that, till now, the Avenger had appeared like a Chronomat on steroids. “You’re proper if you say that the 2 collections, sooner or later, started to look an excessive amount of alike. It was troublesome to differentiate the distinction between the Avenger and the Chronomat. With the introduction of the bullet bracelet, the Chronomat grew to become extra stylish and chic. The revamped Avenger presents itself in a sporty, subtle, trendy aviation fashion.”
Though the brand new Avenger is definitely extra refined, it is also positioned additional other than the Chronomat. The Avenger is now the marginally informal, sport-chic providing, whereas the Chronomat is the way in which extra exuberant and glossy extrovert. One is sort of a heavy, high-quality cotton sweater, and the opposite is extra like a shiny silk shirt with a print. And if you take a look at the brand new and the earlier era of Avengers, the outdated one comes throughout as outdated and quite crude.
The brand new Avenger B01 Chronograph 44 is properly geared up
Within the introduction article for the brand new Avenger assortment, I talked concerning the watch’s specs a bit extra, however I do want to focus on the presence of the B01 caliber. It’s a COSC-certified automated motion with an influence reserve of roughly 70 hours. It’s additionally an built-in chronograph caliber outfitted with a column wheel and vertical clutch, and it comes with a five-year guarantee. Now that’s a motion you’d need and count on in a €7,600 chronograph. You’ll be able to take a very good take a look at it by means of the sapphire crystal on the again. No, it’s not completed to Haute Horlogerie requirements, nevertheless it’s nonetheless a really good piece of micro-mechanics.
Launched by the La Chaux-de-Fonds-based Breitling Chronométrie in 2009, the B01 exhibits the common hours, minutes, and elapsed (chronograph) seconds within the heart. Operating seconds are at 9 o’clock, whereas the chronograph’s minute and hour registers sit at 3 and 6 o’clock, respectively. Additionally at 6 o’clock is a date indicator, neatly built-in and color-coordinated with the sub-dial it’s in.
On the wrist
The just about faded-looking inexperienced dial exhibits black sub-dials as properly. The sturdy coloration distinction offers the watch a powerful look. The broad pencil fingers and baton indexes present straightforward readability. Additionally they remind the wearer that whereas the Avenger would possibly look a bit extra modern, its roots are instrumental. The red-tipped chronograph seconds hand can also be a useful however refined contact.
On the wrist, the brand new Avenger seems to be extra refined, however how does it really feel? Effectively, the brushed metal 44mm case wears very properly. Thoughts you, it’s not a completely brushed watch. There are many smaller surfaces that obtained the polished remedy, such because the facet of the bezel. However as a result of brushed surfaces are within the majority, the watch doesn’t look as large because it actually is. By the way in which, the stepped lugs present a line with a extra matte end that visually slims down the watch. Additionally, due to the watch’s case and lug shapes, it feels precisely as large on the wrist as the scale recommend.
Let me clarify. My 44mm Chronoswiss Timemaster has very primary shapes, and other than trying greater than 44mm, it additionally wears greater than that. Don’t get me flawed; the Breitling Avenger B01 Chronograph 44 remains to be an XL watch. And it’s extra of a device watch than a suave all-arounder. Sure, the bezel tabs at the moment are smoother, the crown is now not so crude, and the newly designed rectangular pushers contribute to the watch’s easier-on-the-eye look. Nonetheless, the 300m-water-resistant Avenger seems to be higher with sneakers than with loafers in my humble opinion.
That’s additionally as a result of military-style leather-based strap with a folding clasp that appears extra “city informal” than traditional “sport stylish.” Fortunately, the strap can also be snug as a result of the folding clasp is easy and understated sufficient for me to not need a normal pin buckle instantly.
Will the Breitling Avenger B01 Chronograph 44 be on my wrist after Monday?
The up to date Avenger B01 Chronograph 44 is a really easy-going watch. I suspected that a lot after our first encounter, and the watch didn’t disappoint. The mixture of an built-in chronograph motion, sleeker case, refined particulars, and good colours works wonders for the flagship of the Avenger assortment. From a useful perspective, it really works, and it does from an aesthetic perspective too. Additionally, the worth doesn’t really feel too outlandish. I believe Breitling has created a really good-looking blockbuster of a watch with the Avenger B01 Chronograph 44.
Did we bond? Sure, we did. The watch works for me. It sits properly on the wrist if I put it on snugly to maintain it from transferring (it’s by no means a good suggestion to have a big metal 137g watch transferring round on the wrist anyway). The colour inexperienced speaks to me, however I additionally understand that this coloration, identical to the blue and the beige dial variants, received’t work in a first- or only-watch form of scenario. The total-black model is a extra middle-of-the-road choice, nevertheless it is also means plainer than its coloured relations. So, whereas the Avenger B01 Chronograph 44 just isn’t a GADA watch, it’s one that you may placed on if you wish to empower your self and really feel the superhero vibe with out going totally excessive.
What do you consider the brand new Breitling Avenger B01 Chronograph 44? Can it compete with, as an illustration, pilot’s chronographs from IWC? And in addition, do you just like the sleeker seems to be and the brand new coloration? Please let me know what you assume within the feedback under.
