has long been purveyor of chronographs to pilots, but in the 1950's, the popularity of dive watches like the Rolex Submariner and Blancpain Fifty Fathoms pushed the company to enter the underwater race.
In 1957, Breitling released both a time-only dive watch, the SuperOcean Reference 1004, and a chronograph in the form of the Reference 807. These timepieces would be the start of a long-lasting and ever-evolving line of nautical watches beloved by many — a line continued in recent decades by the likes of the Avenger Seawolf.
The particular iteration we’re offering here is a beast (in the most endearing way possible) — it’s the Avenger II Seawolf!
Housed in an unabashedly hefty 45mm stainless steel case, this piece features a rotating steel bezel with engraved markers and Breilting’s signature ‘rider tabs’ as well as a signed, screw-lock crown; a sapphire crystal; and a stainless steel ‘slant-link’ bracelet with a signed, push-button deployant clasp.
The luminous, gloss-black dial features applied Arabic indices, a framed date window at 3 o’clock, a matching stick handset, and a subtle ‘decimeter’ scale located within the chapter ring. (For the uninitiated, a 0-100 scale is used when calculating time in hundredths of a minute in scientific and industrial applications.)
Powered by Breitling’s COSC-certified Calibre 17 self-winding movement, this piece is accompanied by some of its factory goods including a signed leather card holder, instruction booklet, and a chronometre certificate.
Need a robust diver for the warmer months ahead? Then add this one to your short list!