Breitling Super Avenger

The Breitling Super Avenger Chronograph is a powerful statement piece for the wrist. It measures a staggering 48 mm in diameter and 18 mm thick. Other defining features include a hefty fluted crown and four bezel rider tabs at 3, 6, 9, and 12 o'clock. However, these components do more than just catch the eye. The manufacturer designed both for ease of operation, even with gloves on.

Breitling outfits these watches with the caliber B13. This movement is based on the time-tested ETA Valjoux 7750 and comes with chronometer certification from the Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC). It also provides each timepiece with a 48-hour power reserve. Thanks to its stopwatch function, the Super Avenger Chronograph can measure periods of time up to 12 hours.

Breitling introduced the Super Avenger in 2004. The "Super" in its name is a reference to its enormous proportions. For comparison, the standard Avenger is "only" 43 to 45 mm in diameter. Cinema and comic buffs are sure to associate the name with Marvel's "The Avengers," and they wouldn't be far off. Robert Downey Jr., who plays Iron Man in the beloved franchise, is a known watch collector. In fact, he even owns a diving watch from the Breitling Avenger series; more specifically, a model that was developed for the British Army's Pathfinder Platoon.

Other celebrity Super Avenger owners have helped the watch achieve a certain level of fame. American rapper and actor Ludacris and Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte both sport a Super Avenger, as does tattoo artist Ami James, known for his role on the reality show Miami Ink.

Prices for a Breitling Super Avenger Chronograph range from around 2,800 USD for a pre-owned watch to just over 24,000 USD for a fully diamond-encrusted model in mint condition. If you like watches with a diamond bezel, you should keep an eye out for the ref. A1337053. This watch demands about 8,100 USD new. Never-worn timepieces without diamonds, such as the ref. A13370, change hands for roughly 4,100 USD.

Limited editions are especially popular among collectors, as they have the potential to appreciate in value. However, low production numbers are no guarantee of a good investment. Take the Super Avenger Military ref. M22330, for example. Despite being limited to a run of only 500 pieces, its price has fallen in recent years. The same pre-owned watch that would have cost around 7,100 USD back in 2018 now sells for just 6,100 USD.

You'll have to wait a bit longer to see how the ref. A133751A1A1X1 will perform, as Breitling just launched this limited edition with a white dial in 2020. The manufacturer has limited its run to 1,000 copies and sells it for a list price of 5,405 USD. You can find the same model on Chrono24 for about 5,200 USD.

with an hour counter at 6, a small seconds at 9, and a minute counter at 12 o'clock. There's also a date display at 3. Thanks to the 1/100th-of-a-second scale around the dial's outer edge, you can even use the chronograph to measure times to within a fraction of a second.

Some of the Super Avenger's most notable features are its four bezel rider tabs. Each is engraved with a "15," "30," "45," or "60," depending on its position. Watches from the Chronomat, Colt, and Aerospace collections also have rider tabs on their bezels. The Super Avenger's bezel has lines marking the individual minutes between each tab, making it easier to tell exactly how many minutes have elapsed. This detail is especially useful for divers who need to carefully keep track of the time. Another important feature for divers is the unidirectional rotating bezel, which prevents them from accidentally extending their time beneath the waves.

Stainless Steel or Titanium Cases

Breitling crafts most Super Avenger cases out of stainless steel; however, you'll also find several titanium editions with a DLC coating. One example is the Super Avenger Night Mission ref. V13375101C1X1. This black chronograph comes with a blue dial and blue leather strap with a yellow leather lining. Breitling's designers chose military-style Arabic numerals for the dial. Regardless of the case material, every Super Avenger is water-resistant to 300 m (30 bar, 984 ft) and, thus, suitable for diving.

The Military and Hurricane With 24-Hour Displays

It has a small seconds at 3, an hour counter at 6, and a minute counter at 9 o'clock. This classic three-subdial configuration is the result of the caliber B22, a modified version of the ETA 2892-A2. Traditionally a three-hand movement, it allows for the addition of a chronograph module.

The Super Avenger Military boasts yet another special feature: a 24-hour display. Unlike conventional watches with a 12-hour display and an hour hand that completes two full rotations per day, the Military's hour hand takes a full 24 hours to complete a cycle.

The Avenger Hurricane also has a 24-hour display. However, its power comes from the in-house caliber B12 with a 70-hour power reserve. Like every Breitling movement, the B12 is a chronometer-certified. What's more, the Hurricane's 50-mm case is made of matte black Breitlight, a state-of-the-art and extremely lightweight composite material. If you would like to call an Avenger Hurricane your own, plan to spend around 6,900 USD for a new timepiece and 5,200 USD for a used watch.

Breitling introduced the Super Avenger II in 2013. At exactly 48 mm in diameter, this model is 0.4 mm smaller than the original Super Avenger. It's also almost a millimeter thinner, shrinking from 18.6 mm to 17.75 mm.

The dial – which comes in black, blue, or white – feels tidier than that of its predecessor. However, the movement has remained untouched. The B13 caliber still powers this timepiece. It also comes with the same band options. You can purchase a Super Avenger II for about 3,800 USD in good condition and 4,800 USD new.

In late 2017, Breitling presented an extremely limited edition Super Avenger II with a run of only 100 pieces: the Super Avenger 01 Boutique Edition. It is equipped with the in-house caliber B01 and can only be found in Breitling boutiques. This special edition had a list price of 7,800 USD.