Brand Focus: Breitling

Breitling are watches for explorers. The sturdy, reliable and high-performance instruments have spent years exploring the skies and the brand has become well-known for their highly technical timepieces. If you’re looking for a watch with a high-flying history, then look no further than Breitling…

The Breitling Reputation

Founded in Switzerland in 1884 they are known for manufacturing ‘Instruments for Professionals’. Their high quality products have always been about innovation and over the years Breitling have become well-known for their obsession with quality, precision and reliability.

Breitling have always been specialists of technical watches and have led the way in exciting developments. They’ve played a crucial role in the development of the wrist chronograph and are a leader in this complication, as well as being one of the rare companies to produce their own mechanical chronograph movements that are developed and manufactured in their own workshops. Furthermore, they are one of the world’s few major watch brands to equip all of their models with chronometer-certified movements and the 100% Swiss-made designs are all submitted to the rigorous Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute to ensure precision.

“Whether in terms of the sturdiness and water resistance of its cases, the clarity and readability of its dials, or the robustness and comfort of its bracelets, each detail of the watch exterior is designed to with stand intensive use in the most trying conditions, and is subjected to countless controls throughout the production process.” – Breitling

The World of Aviation

“You simply don’t become official supplier to world aviation by chance.”

In the past aviation pioneers needed reliable and efficient instruments and so took an interest in Breitling’s pocket and wrist chronographs. Breitling’s reputation for sturdiness and precision was what first attracted the world of aviation, a place where safety is paramount, and their highly precise designs accompanied the first feats of aviation pioneers.

In 1923 Breitling’s precision helped pilots to accurately measure flight times and by the 1930’s their on-board chronographs were used for airport cockpits. The Royal Air Force also used them to equip the WWII propeller-driven fighter planes. Soon the incredible Navitimer was introduced, which served to perform navigation-related calculations. It quickly became a hit amongst pilots and aviation enthusiasts. Famously, a Navitimer accompanied Scott Carpenter on an orbital flight aboard the Aurora 7 capsule, making it the first space-going wrist chronograph.

In the 1950-60’s Breitling played a key role in the boom of commercial aviation and on-board their chronographs became standard equipment. Today Breitling still collaborate with the world’s elite pilots and the famous Breitling Jet Team rules the skies with their spectacular aerobatics.

View the Pre-Owned Breitling collection online now

Thank you for taking the time to read about Breitling! Follow our latest news on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest, or if you have any questions please pop us an email at [email protected].