Avi-8 Hawker Harrier II Matador Watch Review 2019

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Case

The Matador is constructed of solid 316L stainless steel and has a thick black IP coating surrounding everything but the solid custom steel caseback. It is definitely a larger piece at 45MM in diameter and 15MM in total thickness including the caseback and slightly domed mineral crystal. The lug width remains pretty standard at 22MM - so if you wish to swap out straps you should have no issues at all. It is essentially a three piece case consisting of the caseback, case, and smooth bezel. However, at 45MM one would think this watch wears quite large but it actually wears more like a 43MM watch from what I can tell on my 6.5” wrist. I like the overall presence it shows and it is for sure a statement piece.

Dial

Now, the dial features applied lumed markers with partial skeletonization for a real sophisticated look. This is a functional 60 minute chronograph and we do get 3 different subdials. At 3:00 - the 1/10th of a second countdown will start when the Titanium gold color pusher is put into gear and spins like a madman! At 9:00 - your 60 minute countdown is shown in ten minute intervals. Lastly, your 60 seconds is hidden between those two subdials at the 6:00 position. I think the neatest feature is the big date complication which they really knocked out of the park. Each number changes separately just like a complicated Lange or something of that nature. There IS alot happening on the dial but I still find it quite legibile with the long
bold and lumed stick hands. Finally, the last great feature is the sweeping chronograph red hand which kind of mimics a mechanical chronograph in a way.

Movement

The Matador utilizes a Japanese Miyota 6S50 quartz movement which has a few complications if you did not read the paragraph above. It is also extremely reliable, accurate, and will only need a battery change every few years or so. At this pricepoint of $350 I think it totally made sense to use this caliber as a mechanical chronograph movement would of bumped the price up to four times this, especially with the added complications.

Strap

The strap is pretty much a standard Avi-8 Genuine Leather 22MM band with their signature signed IP plated buckle. It definitely has some quality to it and should be broken in with 2/4 daily wears. There is also
some black stitching to match the overall deep black color this model has.

Conclusion

So, What do I think? I think Avi-8 did a decent job
on producing an affordable chronograph with some decent casework, finishing, and all of those neat features the 6S50 has to offer for under $400 USD. It looks like a much more expensive watch than one would think and has an overall fearless design. I can definitely
reccommend this one to my viewers as I enjoyed the watch myself.