Breitling Watches: A Timely History for the Professional
Breitling is a major player in the watch industry and has played significant roles in the development of chronograph watches. It is a leader in fine watch complications and is known for it’s durable, reliable and high quality instruments. Breitling is an official timepiece supplier to the aviation industry due to it’s precision made chronometers useful to the aviators. The company is also the only major watch manufacturer that has equipped all of its models with chronometer-certified movements. It also develops and manufactures it’s own mechanical chronograph movement in-house. All Breitling watches are made in Switzerland with swiss components and thus the quality of the timepiece is guaranteed by them.
The company was founded in 1884 in St-Imier, Switzerland by L©on Breitling. In 1915, it introduced it’s first chronograph wristwatch for pilots. In 1923, it developed the independent chronograph push piece with a start and return to zero functions. Breitling added a second push piece to the chronograph in 1934 which enabled the measurement of time in incremental units. This also gave the chronograph it’s current configuration and form. The company became the official supplier to the Royal Air Force in 1936. Breitling introduced the Chronomat in 1942, which is the first chronograph with a circular slide rule fitted to the bezel of the watch. The company also expanded its professional clientele base to include the United States Armed Forces. Breitling launched it’s Navitimer wrist watch chronograph in 1952, which featured a €navigation computer€ that is capable of performing all navigation related calculations. In 1962, the company produced the 24-hour Navitimer €Cosmonaute Navitimer€ which was worn by Scott Carpenter on his 1962 space flight.
In 1969, the company overcame one of the greatest challenges of watch making in the 20th century by inventing the first selfwinding chronograph movement. This was a major breakthrough for the Swiss watch industry. Breitling played a key role in the growth of commercial aviation as their chronographs became a standard equipment on board the propeller-driven planes and eventually the jet aircraft of many airline companies and airplane manufacturers. Thus, earning the status of being the €official supplier to world aviation€. Breitling launched the famous €Chronomat€ in 1984 which is a rebirth of the mechanical chronograph featuring a sturdy case and bezel with rider tabs. This became it’s top selling model and has retained that position till today. In 1995, it introduced the Emergency watch which comes with a built-in radio transmitter broadcasting on the 121.5 MHz distress frequency for use by civil aviation during aircraft emergencies.
In 2009, Breitling made a mark in the history of chronograph making by introducing the Caliber 01-which is self-winding chronograph movement that was entirely developed and manufactured in-house in the Bretling Chronom©trie workshop. This movement was used in the production of Breitling Chronomat 01, which is the first watch produced entirely by Breitling. The company currently has two movements: the caliber B04 (which succeeded it’s predecessor B01) and caliber B05. These movements are chronometer certified by the COSC (Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute) and thus ensures that all Breitling watches come with the highest level of precision and reliability.