Having teamed up with Swiss watchmaker Breitling, Australia’s Gregory Jewellers has announced the launch of two dazzling new watches. Breitling’s Avenger – an acknowledged modern classic – has been decorated with 104 diamonds, and is available as a limited edition. Of course, when a luxury watch brand collaborates with a major diamond retailer then we have high expectations. The Avenger B01 Chronograph Gregory Jewellers Limited Edition doesn’t disappoint and will no doubt be popular with Breitling’s army of fans. It’s a flamboyant watch and a memorable way to celebrate Gregory’s 55th anniversary.
The new collaborative model fuses two distinct styles and benefits from that unusual contrast. Breitling is famed for the functionality of its watches with the brand best known for its links to aviation. Its most famous pilot’s watch – the Navitimer – was used by major airlines and worn in space by astronaut Scott Carpenter during the Aurora 7 mission. Gregory Jewellers, on the other hand, crafts high-end jewellery and is one of Australia’s leading diamond merchants. This exciting collab fuses Breitling’s robust Avenger pilot’s chronograph with the wonderfully unnecessary addition of diamonds, creating a unique and eye-catching piece.
It’s not like the Avenger is a dainty watch, it was created for airborne adventurers. It has a masculine aesthetic and features a hefty stainless steel case with a diameter of 45mm and a depth of over 15mm. With the accompanying steel bracelet, this is a substantial piece. It’s a fairly recent addition to the Breitling stable, first introduced in 2001, and is marketed as a performance-inspired pilot’s watch. Like Breitling’s original, the Gregory Jeweller’s variant has a unidirectional ratcheted bezel and a matching knurled crown – both designed to be turned easily by gloves. The dial layout is also pure Breitling with three chronograph sub-dials and bold numerals in a ‘stencil’ style. It’s all very practical and the watches are available in two colourways – 25 pieces in black and 25 in white. They’re both simple, functional and very legible.
“We’ve always taken pride in being a heritage- rich, local label, and feel strongly about bringing our craftsmanship and destination for luxury to a broader audience. This collaboration epitomises our brand,” Edward and Helen Gregory, co-CEOs of Gregory Jewellers said. “We are jewellers and diamond experts by trade and having this represented with a diamond bezel in this project was a perfect way to pay tribute to our heritage. It has been an honour to work with Breitling on this project and are excited to see how it resonates with our customers.”
What really sets these watches apart from any other Breitlings we’ve seen is the input from Gregory’s. They’ve set over 100 diamonds into the bezel, with a total diamond weight of 0.96ct. It’s a beautiful blending of fine watchmaking and the art of gemology. As expected, the watches are powered by Breitling’s in-house Calibre 01 mechanical movement and boast 300M of water resistance. The watches are available now at a cost of AUD $21,900 and each case back is engraved with the simple inscription “One of 25”.
Breitling Avenger B01 Chronograph Limited Edition
Diameter: 45mm
Height: 15.7mm
Case: Stainless Steel
Movement: Breitling Calibre 01
Bracelet: Stainless Steel
Crystal: Sapphire
Water Resistance: 300M
Price: AUD $21,900
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