Avi-8 Hawker Harrier II Mens Watch Review - Under $200

Today we will take a look at an aviation brand that goes by the name of AVI-8. Most of you are familiar with this brand as they have been around and reviewed on my channel for some time. They are certainly an established brand and even have retail space in stores such as Nordstrom. Anywho, on the table is the very affordable and attainable Hawker Harrier II.

avi-8.co.uk

All Viewers can save 20% on Avi-8 Timepieces using the code WATCHADDICT at Checkout

Case

The rather slim 11MM by 42MM case on the Harrier suits its’ personality well. This case is comprised of high grade 316L solid brushed stainless steel, besides the caseback where we have a polished surface. The lug measurement comes in at 22MM and will not be an issue in case you wanted to swap straps for a NATO or rubber strap. The brushing and case cut kind of blew my mind in comparison to the pricing of a very low $155 for this model. It is near perfect in finish and is very smooth, as well as the facets on the side of the case. A nice touch is the bullseye logo located on the pull/push crown which is polished to match the caseback. This watch retains 50M of water resistance, so while
in no way should you take this in the pool with you, I would not be afraid whilst washing my hands or being stuck in a terrential downpour.I really am starting to like the neat designs Avi-8 inscribes on their casebacks, and this one is a pleasure to view as well pictured below.

Dial

Usually, Avi-8 puts a spin on the tradition flieger like layout and they definitely implied that here on the Harrier II. Applied 0 and 6 , markers, and a departure of the normal date at 3:00 is moved to 9:00. Also, a useful feature is the day complication which lies on a narrow diagonal track running from 1:00-7:00. This track fills in with a dot to determine the day of the week. Colorwise, a black matte textured dial is bold and works well with the overall ruggid look. Large and visible sword shaped pilot hands get the job done here and allow for timereading at a quick glance. Getting to the Lume, some form of SuperLuminova which glows green is applied to the hands, and applied markers as well as the 0-6. Lastly, a hardened mineral crystal sits above the dial, which we typically expect at this pricepoint.

Movement

This watch uses a Japanese multi-function day and date quartz movement which is operated on a battery. I would expect accuracy of a couple seconds a month and a battery change every couple years or so. It gets the job done and keeps the price down.

Leather Strap

The Avi-8 genuine leather straps are nothing new to me as they have been using these for quite some time. They are however very supple, flexible, and comfy on wrist. A standard medium sized signed brushed buckle allows for a confident fit. Small details such as the white stitch at each end of the 22MM strap which tapers to 20MM allow for a vintage feel.

Conclusion

Avi-8 makes some cool timepieces, there is no doubt about that. They stray far away from homage watches and produce their own unique style. They also incorporate new ways to tell the time/date/day which make them fun to wear. This is honestly a great deal at this price offering and many colors have sold out already. If you have any thoughts, please drop them in the comment section below. Be well.