The Breitling Avenger gets its first overhaul since 2019
Jamie WeissModern Breitling is a brand that trades much on its past. The Navitimer, the Chronomat, the SuperOcean, the Premier… These modern collections all pay homage to Breitling’s significant historical models, mixing and matching design cues from Breitlings of the past while using increasingly modern and mature movements, including Breitling’s first manufacture movement, the B01. But the Avenger is a more modern phenomenon. First introduced in 2001, the Avenger collection has always been a distinctly modern take on a Breitling – sure, Avengers over the years have borrowed aesthetic touches from Breitling’s older collections, but they’ve always been just a bit more youthful and a bit more utilitarian.
Breitling has now updated and somewhat rationalised the Avenger range for 2023, slimming down the collection both in terms of case diameters and models as well as introducing some pretty exciting new colours and materials. The new Breitling Avenger collection encompasses 21 different references across 3 different formats: a 44mm chronograph, a 44mm automatic GMT and a 42mm three-hander. In the interest of clarity, let’s break it down format by format.
Breitling Avenger B01 Chronograph 44 & B01 Chronograph 44 Night Mission
The main event is the new Avenger B01 Chronograph 44, which as the name implies is powered by Breitling’s in-house B01 movement (which previously only powered select Avenger Chronographs) and features a 44mm case. Previously, you could get the Avenger Chronograph in either 43 or 45mm, so this represents a slight rationalisation of the range. Breitling is known for big watches, but it’s good to see the Avenger become slightly less… Gigantic.
Core models feature a matte-coloured dial in blue, green, black, or sand with black azuraged subdials and a date window at 6 o’clock. The sand model is particularly hot. The Avenger’s bezel has also been redesigned with 5-second increments now joining the 15-second indicators on the bezel’s “rider tabs”. Raised circular studs have also been added to the bezel, similar to the current-generation Super Chronomat bezel.
What’s particularly cool are the two new B01 Chronograph 44 Night Mission models. The previous generation of Night Missions utilised black DLC titanium cases, whereas these two new models – one with a yellow dial and one with a forged carbon fibre dial – use black ceramic cases, a first for Breitling (as are forged carbon fibre dials). They also now use the B01 movement.
While the standard chronograph has seen a slight size reduction, the Night Mission’s seen quite a dramatic one. The previous Night Mission was a whopping 48mm in diameter – 44mm is a much more reasonable size, and ceramic helps make it even lighter on the wrist. Both visually and technically unique, the Breitling Avenger B01 Chronograph 44 Night Mission is the highlight of the range.
| Brand | Breitling |
| Model | Avenger B01 Chronograph 44 Avenger B01 Chronograph 44 Night Mission |
| Reference Number | AB0147101C1A1 AB0147101L1X1 AB0147101A1X1 AB0147101B1X1 SB0147101I1X1 SB0147101B1X1 |
| Case Dimensions | 44mm (D) x 15.2mm (T) |
| Case Material | Stainless steel, black ceramic |
| Water Resistance | 300 metres, screw-down crown |
| Crystal(s) | Sapphire |
| Dial | Blue, black, green, tan, yellow, carbon fibre |
| Lug Width | 22mm |
| Strap | Steel bracelet or colour-matched leather strap with folding clasp |
| Movement | Breitling 01, in-house, automatic |
| Power Reserve | 70 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, small seconds, chronograph, date |
| Availability | Now |
| Price | A$10,990 (leather strap) A$11,490 (bracelet) A$12,390 (Night Mission yellow) A$13,290 (Night Mission carbon fibre) |
Breitling Avenger Automatic GMT 44
Two GMT models are available, in either blue or black, and it too features a redesigned bezel – this time, with 24-hour markers, which makes it much more functional compared to previous Avenger GMTs which shared the time-only and chronograph’s timing bezel design. However, the Night Mission version of the GMT has now been discontinued.
Boasting a 44mm case (down from 45mm), the Breitling Avenger Automatic GMT 44 is powered by the Breitling Calibre 32, which is based on the ETA 2893-2. Like all the new Avengers (barring the Night Missions), it’s available on either a colour-matched military leather strap or a three-row bracelet.
| Brand | Breitling |
| Model | Avenger Automatic GMT 44 |
| Reference Number | A32320101C1A1 A32320101B1A1 |
| Case Dimensions | 44mm (D) x 12.05mm (T) |
| Case Material | Stainless steel |
| Water Resistance | 300 metres, screw-down crown |
| Crystal(s) | Sapphire |
| Dial | Blue, black |
| Lug Width | 22mm |
| Strap | Leather strap or steel bracelet with folding clasp |
| Movement | Breitling 32, ETA 2893-2 base, automatic |
| Power Reserve | 42 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, seconds, date, GMT |
| Availability | Now |
| Price | A$7,490 (strap) A$7,990 (bracelet) |
Breitling Avenger Automatic 42
Finally, we have the smallest member of the new Avenger collection, the Automatic 42. Not much to say here: its case has shrunk by 1mm, it’s available in black, green or blue (a smaller colour range than previous generations of three-hander Avengers came in) and utilises Breitling’s Caliber 17, which is based on the venerable ETA 2824-2.
| Brand | Breitling |
| Model | Avenger Automatic 42 |
| Reference Number | A17328101C1X1 A17328101L1X1 A17328101B1A1 |
| Case Dimensions | 42mm (D) x 12.15mm (T) |
| Case Material | Stainless steel |
| Water Resistance | 300 metres, screw-down crown |
| Crystal(s) | Sapphire |
| Dial | Blue, green, black |
| Lug Width | 22mm |
| Strap | Calfskin leather with steel folding clasp or steel bracelet |
| Movement | Breitling 3172, ETA 2824-2 base, automatic |
| Power Reserve | 38 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, seconds, date |
| Availability | Now |
| Price | A$6,390 (strap) A$6,790 (bracelet) |
Breitling Avenger collection pricing and availability
The Breitling Avenger collection is available now at all Breitling points of sale. Price: starting from A$6,390