IT'S HOT!

Anyone who sees the brand-new Avenger Chronograph 45 Night Mission is probably thrilled – first by its striking look and then, its many features.

Alexander Krupp

— Wow, that’s hot! Show up wearing the Breitling Avenger Chronograph 45 Night Mission and that’s how you’ll be greeted. This chronograph is one of 14 models presented last fall as the reinvigorated and streamlined Avenger collection, including four watches that replace the former Colt collection.

Such enthusiasm for our test watch! It’s no doubt because of its sporty, striking design with a military green dial and strap as well as its dark-coated case, which gave the watch its “Night Mission” name. Everything about it exudes strength and robustness: the wide stepped bezel, the sturdy ringed chronograph pushers, the large screw-down crown with crown guard, the striking hour markers, and the calfskin strap with an industrial-looking embossed pattern.

Size alone is not the determining factor in making its powerful impression – even though the watch measures 45 mm across and a strapping 16.5 mm in height, neither dimension is really all that noticeable, and surprisingly, the wearing comfort is still great. With its smooth underside, supple leather strap and flat buckle, the watch fits snugly on the wrist. Of course, the light 120-gram weight also plays a role, thanks to Breitling's use of titanium.

A Striking Design

The solid watch case has a DLC (diamond-like carbon) coating that increases the surface hardness and adds to the industrial/military look of the watch. The carbon coating Breitling uses is more anthracite in color than pure black and is a better match with the khaki green components.

The brushed finish on the case fits the overall military design of the watch. There’s only one minor drawback: despite the matte surface, it’s still possible to see fingerprints here and there, and they're more difficult to wipe off the stepped bezel than they would be with a simpler case design.