{"product_id":"breitling-avenger-blackbird-as04516","title":"Breitling Avenger Blackbird","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhy We Love It\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eBreitling has long been purveyor of chronographs to pilots, and the original Breitling Chronomat models of 1942 were built from the ground up to be no-nonsense instruments for use in the cockpit.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSince then, Breitling has expanded on their line of aviation watches, moving into more mechanically (and visually) complex chronographs, as well as more straightforward, legible designs such as the Avenger line.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis particular watch is a riff on a typical Avenger, featuring a black DLC coated titanium case, a sapphire crystal, a unidirectional rotating timing bezel, and an extremely legible mate black dial with luminous plots and a matching handset. Fitted to a Cordura strap with a matching DLC coated titanium buckle, this 48mm piece packs wears shockingly well considering its size while retaining a very 'instrument-like' feel.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn brand-new, unworn condition, this Raven still carries protective stickers on its DLC coated case, making it a great opportunity to take a contemporary Breitling for a spin at a great price!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 18.0pt; background: white; margin: 0in 0in 18.75pt 0in;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: #212121;\"\u003eThe Breitling Story\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBreitling was founded in 1892, and while still around today, the company is no longer in the hands of the Breitling family.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe late 1970s was a turbulent time for the Swiss watch industry, and many storied houses were swept away by the Quartz Crisis. By 1978, Breitling was in trouble due to the illness of its leader, Willy Breitling, and the steep decline in sales that had cut through the entire industry. Unable to keep operations going, the Breitling company was liquidated, and parts, toolings and naming rights were sold off. One of the best aviation watch companies was no more, but they left behind a large range of incredible watches.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBreitling has been surprisingly slow to catch fire with vintage collectors, especially since the history of the brand and their ties to aviation are unimpeachable. Sure, many of their watches have polarizing designs and complicated dial aesthetics (hell, we don't know how to use the slide rule feature on the Navitimer 806 any better than you do), but their cleaner designs embody the best of 1960s and 1970s chronograph design and shouldn’t be overlooked.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf we had our druthers, Breitling would be one of the top dogs in the world of vintage watches, and given a strong new direction for the company today, we’re confident that in time, they will be.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Breitling","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":39502287503447,"sku":"40940013","price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0809\/1255\/products\/AS04516_40940013_BREITLING_AVENGERBLACKBIRD_V1731010_BD12-6.jpg?v=1638314298","url":"https:\/\/www.analogshift.com\/products\/breitling-avenger-blackbird-as04516","provider":"Analog:Shift","version":"1.0","type":"link"}