Breitling Superocean & Avenger: The Complete Collector's Guide

In the Diamond District, old-timers still call the original 1957 Superocean Ref. 807 the 'first reverse panda'. It pioneered the white-subdials-on-black-dial layout that Rolex and Omega later adopted. The Superocean Heritage on mesh bracelet became the unofficial 'first luxury watch' of a generation of young professionals in the 2010s: it was the watch you bought with your first real bonus, and its presence on Instagram helped revive interest in Breitling among buyers who associated the brand purely with oversized pilot watches. The Avenger Skyland, meanwhile, earned a reputation in military circles, a British SAS G Squadron member was photographed wearing a custom 22 SAS Breitling Avenger Seawolf during operations in Iraq. Astronaut Scott Kelly wore his Avenger during a year-long ISS mission. Among NYC dealers, the running joke is that every second watch collection starts with either a Superocean Heritage or an Omega Speedmaster, and the Superocean Heritage buyer usually ends up spending less over a lifetime because they're not chasing the same grail premium.