Breitling as a brand is perhaps best known for their big, masculine chronographs in aviation and diving styles, and no watch exemplifies manliness quite like the Super Avenger. At 48mm, this is one of Breitling’s larger timepieces, eclipsed only by the Emergency. Limited editions of the Super Avenger have been made previously, such as the military 24-hour version we covered here. However, this is the first time this watch has received the boutique edition treatment and the addition of the brand’s first in-house manufacture chronograph caliber, the Breitling 01. The result is the aptly named Breitling Super Avenger 01 Boutique Edition.
The dial of the new Breitling Super Avenger 01 Boutique Edition is in the brand’s signature “Volcano Black” with contrasting red highlights on the 30-minute counter at 3 o’clock, the “Edition Limitee” text above the 12-hour counter at 6 o’clock, and the highly visible central second hand. Running seconds can be found at 9 o’clock, and a date indicator has been wedged in at 4:30. The hour and minute hands are large and lumed, as are the hour indices and inverted triangle design at 12 o’clock, which should provide good legibility at night and while diving.
The Breitling Super Avenger 01 Boutique Edition is fitted with a ratcheted uni-directional rotating diver’s bezel with a luminous pip at 12 o’clock and engraved 5-minute indicators to track elapsed time. The crown is screw-locked and designed for easy gripping with a grooved pattern, and the chronograph pushers are set into crenellated fittings evocative of the walls of a castle. Crown guards ensure that the crown is protected in the event of knocks or impacts to the side of the case.
Within the Breitling Super Avenger 01 Boutique Edition beats the manufacture Breitling 01 caliber, a first for the Avenger collection of watches. This is a COSC Chronometer-certified self-winding mechanical movement featuring a column wheel chronograph with vertical clutch. It oscillates at the very modern frequency of 28,800vph, or 4Hz, which enables chronograph accuracy to within 1/4th of a second. The movement features 47 jewels and offers a power reserve of 70 hours, as well as an instant date change mechanism.
The Breitling Super Avenger 01 Boutique Edition features a solid caseback with a vintage-looking pin-up logo and “Special delivery” inscription in red. The watch is water-resistant to 300m, or 1,000ft, and is fitted with Breitling’s signature Professional bracelet. Although this Boutique Edition hasn’t changed anything too drastically from the design of the original Super Avenger, it represents a cost effective way to obtain a manufacture Breitling chronograph in an ultra-masculine case with some added exclusivity. This is a 100-piece special limited edition available exclusively from Breitling boutiques, and is priced at $7,800. breitling.com
