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The rich and inspiring history of the Breitling watches has its roots in a small workshop in St. Imier, Switzerland. Swiss watchmaker Léon Breitling focused his innovation on chronographs in vogue for scientific, military, and industrial applications. In 1889, he obtained a patent for his minimalist and sleek chronograph model followed by a slew of awards, prominent milestones, and a decade marked by over 100,000 sales of the durable and precise timepieces.
Fast forward to 1915, Léon Breitling’s son Gaston furthered his father’s legacy of innovation to launch one of the world’s first wrist chronographs with the push-piece separated from the crown. In 1934, Gatson’s son Willy Breitling increased performance and functionality by patenting a wrist chronograph with two pushers. Léon’s grandson, however, had an eye for the air and took the chronograph a step ahead into the future. He innovated onboard chronographs, tough enough to survive the cockpits of famed fighter planes and bombers of World War II.
The 1950s and 1960s witnessed even greater feats and innovations. Breitling’s watches featured in Hollywood, in space, underwater, and almost everybody wanted to own one of these exemplary and trend-setting timepieces. The glorious saga of the Breitling family terminated in 1979 when Willy Breitling sold his assets to entrepreneur and watchmaker Ernest Schneider. The Schneiders remained the preservers of the illustrious Breitling heritage until 2017. Presently, Breitling is a part of CVC Capital Partners with Georges Kern as the CEO.
One of the very first Breitling collections was the Premier line of 1943, which expanded the reputation of Breitling beyond the aviation world and spoke to a clientele with a versatile and dynamic lifestyle. The Premier collection made way for the wrist-worn Navitimer in 1952. Specifically designed for pilots and their critical flight calculations, the original Navitimer has undergone several modifications since. A year later, the Co-Pilot came along to complement the Navitimer’s functionality. Then, in 1957, the SuperOcean took Breitling to new depths with its impressive array of reliable diving watches.
The 1960s saw Breitling unveil the Top Time collection that spoke to a younger audience and complemented their fast and energetic lifestyle. In 1984, Ernest Schneider’s efforts brought the mechanical chronograph back in fashion with the launch of the paradigmatic Chronomat. With several technical and aesthetic restyling over time, it continues to be one of Breitling’s best-selling pieces. In 1985, Breitling’s legacy of crafting professional instruments welcomed the latest technological advances to introduce the Professional collection for multi-functional users of the contemporary era.
Breitling is the official luxury watch of IRONMAN®. Breitling’s partnership with Australian lifestyle brand Deus Ex Machina inspired Breitling’s retro Top Time Deus models. Besides, Breitling has been the official onboard timekeeper of every SWISS flight since 2016. The Bentley-Breitling partnership is a celebrated one since 2003 when the watch brand designed the first onboard clock for the Continental GT- Bentley’s flagship model. Furthermore, Breitling’s association with sustainable clothing company Outerknown and South African charity Qhubeka reiterate the brand’s commitment to social and environmental responsibility, inclusion, and transparency.
What started as skilled watchmaker Léon Breitling’s passion for crafting innovative features for his pocket watches is now a brand identified as one of the pioneers of elegant timepieces. Léon Breitling’s simple yet accurate chronograph inspired a line of chic watches that, besides being incredibly functional, continue to be a fashion statement.