References Featured
Breitling Avenger
Worn by: Mel Gibson as Conrad Stonebanks
Reference: Breitling Avenger
Brand: Breitling
The Expendables—led by Barney Ross with teammates Lee Christmas, Gunner Jensen, and Toll Road—execute a daring helicopter extraction of former member Doctor Death from a heavily-fortified prison train. The team then travels to Somalia to intercept a shipment of bombs destined for a warlord, where Ross is shocked to discover the arms dealer is Conrad Stonebanks, the disgraced former co-founder of the Expendables whom Ross believed he had killed years earlier. In the ensuing firefight at the Port of Mogadishu, Stonebanks shoots team member Hale Caesar twice before escaping via helicopter and dropping a bomb on the retreating Expendables. Blaming himself for Caesar's critical injuries and confronting the reality that his aging team is "part of the past," Ross disbands the Expendables and recruits younger, more tech-savvy operatives to capture Stonebanks. When the new team is captured in Bucharest, the veteran Expendables reunite—refusing to abandon their leader—for a climactic assault on Stonebanks's heavily-defended headquarters in Azmenistan. Stonebanks, who has spent years building a private army and selling weapons to warlords across Africa and the Middle East, seeks revenge for Ross's attempt to kill him when the co-founders' partnership dissolved. The Breitling Avenger (reference E73360) is a titanium chronograph with black dial, known for extreme robustness and water resistance—a pilot's watch whose "Avenger" designation symbolically represents Stonebanks's desire for vengeance against Ross and his former brothers-in-arms.
Panerai Luminor Submersible
Worn by: Jason Statham as Lee Christmas
Reference: Panerai Luminor Submersible
Brand: Panerai
Lee Christmas remains Barney Ross's loyal second-in-command as the team recruits younger members to confront a former Expendables co-founder turned arms dealer, while dealing with questions about aging and relevance in modern warfare. The PAM 389 Antimagnetic—again matching Stallone's choice for the film—maintained the team's equipment cohesion while showcasing Panerai's technical advancement. The soft iron movement cage protecting against magnetic fields up to 40,000 A/m addressed a legitimate concern for professionals working around modern electronics and motors. At 47mm in titanium, the watch balanced substantial presence with reduced weight, while the Submersible configuration added rotating bezel and 300m water resistance. The antimagnetic technology represented an analog solution to modern problems—old-school physics protecting mechanical precision, much like the Expendables team's classical military skills remaining relevant against high-tech opposition. Titanium's matte gray finish provided tactical aesthetics without polished steel's reflectivity. For Christmas, consistently loyal to Ross throughout the trilogy, wearing the same watch reference as his team leader emphasized their bond and shared values. The P.9000/A caliber with three-day power reserve ensured reliable timekeeping through extended missions without requiring winding.
Panerai Luminor Submersible
Worn by: Sylvester Stallone as Barney Ross
Reference: Panerai Luminor Submersible
Brand: Panerai
Barney Ross recruits a younger team of mercenaries to confront Stonebanks, a co-founder of the Expendables who became an arms dealer, while grappling with questions of aging, legacy, and passing the torch to the next generation. The PAM 389 Antimagnetic addressed a real technical challenge for professional tool watches—magnetic interference from motors, electronics, and modern equipment can affect mechanical movement accuracy. Panerai's solution employed a soft iron cage around the P.9000/A movement, protecting it from magnetic fields up to 40,000 A/m. For a film about technological advancement and generational change, this cutting-edge antimagnetic technology was thematically appropriate. The 47mm titanium case kept weight manageable despite its size, with titanium offering superior strength-to-weight ratio and hypoallergenic properties. The Submersible designation added a rotating bezel and 300m water resistance. Titanium's matte gray finish gave the watch a more tactical, military appearance than polished steel, befitting the film's combat scenarios. The soft iron inner cage represents old-school physics protecting precision mechanics—an analog solution for a modern problem, much like Ross's old-school team adapting to contemporary warfare.