Origin of Breitling Watch Company can be traced back to 1884 when Léon Breitling,
opened a workshop in Saint-Imier in 1884, in the Bernese Jura, to produce chronographs and timers for industrial and scientific purposes. In 1892, in view of his products’ increasing success, Léon Breitling moved it to La Chaux-de-Fonds, the watchmaking capital of Switzerland and the world. The “L. Breitling, Montbrillant Watch Manufactory” was set up in a large building on the heights of the town, where the workshops were to remain for over eighty years.In 1914 Gaston Breitling took over the command of Breitling Watch Company on the demise of his father.In 1915 Gaston Breitling had created the first wrist watch chronograph and subsequently provided pilots with the first wrist instruments.
Image:First Wrist Watch Chronograph by Gaston Breitling
In 1923, Breitling introduced first independent chronograph push piece by perfecting its system of chronograph controls by separating the “start/stop” functions, controlled by the pushpiece at 2 o’clock, from the “reset to zero” function activated by the crown. This patented innovation marked a significant advance for the users: it was now possible to add several successive times without having to reset the hands to zero. This feature could be used for a sports competition, flight times or a scientific process.
Image:First Independent Chronograph Push Piece by Breitling
In 1931, relying on its reputation for accuracy and reliability, Breitling added to its line a “specialty” item that was to make it world-famous: onboard chronographs for aircraft cockpits. These instruments were essential for safely reading the time and flight times, and had all the qualities one would expect of this type of equipment: solid construction, accurate movement, black dial with large luminescent white numbers, light yet sturdy aluminum case, etc.
In 1932 Willy Breitling ,the grandson of the founder took over the firm.In 1934, the company created the second separate pushpiece, to be used exclusively for resetting the chronograph to zero. This patented invention was the final touch in giving the wrist chronograph its modern face. It was not long before all the competitors began using it as well.This invention made possible to measure several successive short times with an add function using the first push piece.In 1936 Breitling became the official supplier of Royal Air Force.
In 1942, Breitling expanded its line of “watch instruments” by creating the Chronomat, the first timepiece with a circular slide rule. Based on a patent filed in 1940, this system was capable of quickly and easily solving a wide range of mathematical operations: tachometer, telemeter and pulsometer functions; multiplication, division and rule of three problems; production calculations,etc. It rapidly found multiple uses in sports,industry and the technical professions.In parallel Breitling also expanded its client network by including American armed forces and other military organizations across the world.
Image:Breitling Chronomat (1942)
In 1952, Breitling created a “wrist instrument”designed especially for pilots and aviation professionals. The Navitimer chronograph had two logarithmic scales for solving all air navigation calculations in a trice: average speed, distance traveled, fuel consumption, rate of climb or descent, conversion of miles to kilometers or nautical miles, etc. It did not take long for the Navitimer to become Breitling’s most iconic model – and an object of veneration for all aviation enthusiasts.
Image:Navitimer chronograph (1952)
During the 1950s and 1960s, Breitling supported the rise of commercial aviation by putting its onboard chronographs in the propeller aircraft,and later the jets, of many manufacturers and airlines. In particular, the brand gained entry to the cockpits of Boeing 707s, DC-8s and the Caravelle. That is how it became the “Official Supplier to world aviation. In 1962, a Navitimer with a special 24-hour scale accompanied Scott Carpenter on his orbital flight in the Aurora 7 capsule, becoming the first wrist chronograph to travel in space.
Breitling took up one of the great watchmaking challenges of the 20th century when in 1969 it introduced the first automatic winding chronograph movement, the “Chrono Matic” Caliber 11 developed in cooperation with Dubois Dépraz,Heuer-Leonidas and Hamilton-Büren. To mark this important turning point, the brand created an entire collection of “Chrono-Matic” chronographs with an innovative design, recognizable by their crown on the left side of the case.
Image:First Automatic Winding Chronograph by Breitling (1969)
In 1984, Breitling celebrated its centennial by bringing out the famous Chronomat, created in close cooperation with the elite Frecce Tricolori aerobatics team. This exceptional model triggered the renaissance of the mechanical chronograph prior to becoming the collection’s best seller. Revived in 1979 by Ernest Schneider, a microelectronics specialist and experienced pilot, the company also established itself at the forefront of electronics by developing a whole line of high-tech instruments intended mainly for aviators, such as the multi-function Aerospace chronograph (1985) and the Emergency, the first wristwatch with a built-in emergency transmitter (1995).
To guarantee the quality of its “instruments for professionals,” Breitling decided to subject its entire production (mechanical and quartz movements) to the merciless tests of the COSC (Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute), the highest standard of reference for accuracy and reliability. In doing so, the company became the only major watch brand in the world to offer chronometer-certified movements for all models in its collection. To help meet this challenge the company – now directed by Théodore Schneider, Ernest’s son – created Breitling Chronométrie in La Chaux de-Fonds. This unit specializes in developing and manufacturing mechanical chronograph movements.
In 1998,Breitling launched B1,the most versatile multifunction chronograph ever to merge from its workshops.In 2000 Breitling inaugurated its new head quarters and state of the art work shop in Grenchen,Switzerland with ultra modern facilities.
Image:Breitling Head Quarters in Grenchen
In 2001, Breitling introduced thermally compensated SuperQuartzTM movements in all its electronic models. These are ten times more accurate than ordinary quartz movements. In 2002, Breitling made the dashboard clock for the Continental GT, the most powerful Bentley model ever made. A year later, the brand supported the British maker’s triumphant return to the Le Mans 24 Hours by sponsoring Team Bentley. This partnership was to lead to a new collection of chronographs and watches called Breitling for Bentley, powered exclusively by chronometer certified mechanical movements and distinguished by various special technical features. In 2002,Breitling Chronometrie , a unit specializes in the making of mechanical chronograph movements was established in La Chaux-de-Fonds.
Image : Breitling Chronométrie in La Chaux-de-Fonds
In 2005 John Travolta,Hollywood actor and a seasonal pilot began to appear in new BREITLING advertising campaigns. In 2007 Breitling became the official timekeeper of the Red Bull Air Race.Breitling and the Red Bull energy drink manufacturer have signed an agreement by which Breitling will serve as official timekeeper of the Red Bull Air Race World Series (RBAR). The partnership covers an initial three-year period.
In 2009,a comprehensive new reference work on Breitling by Hervé Genoud published.Based on new historical research and enlivened by more than 450 images, including numerous original documents, "Breitling The Book" by Hervé Genoud is destined to become a must-have reference work for brand lovers, as well as for devotees of watchmaking, chronographs and aviation."Breitling The Book" by Hervé Genoud describes 125 years of passion for chronographs, reminding readers of the crucial role Breitling has played in the technical development of this type of watches – from the first pocket watches created by Léon Breitling from 1884 right the way through to today’s “instruments for professionals”, and along the way the invention of the first independent pushpiece in 1915, the separation of the “stop/start” and “reset” functions in 1923, the invention of the second independent pushpiece in 1934 and the first selfwinding chronograph in 1969.
Official website:http://www.breitling.com
Breitling Watches Product Updates:
Chrono-matic 49
Cockpit Collection
Avenger Seawolf Chrono
Caliber B01
Super Avenger Blacksteel Limited Edition
Superocean Steelfish
Navitimer World
Chrono-matic Chronograph
The Cockpit Lady
Montbrillant Edition Chronograph
Aerospace Avantage
Starliner
Montbrillant Olympics
Chrono-matic 24H
Blackbird Chronograph
Chronomat Evolution
Avenger Skyland
Navitimer “125e Anniversaire” (2009)
Chronomat B01 Selfwinding Chronograph Movement (2009)
Raven Special Edition (2009)
Super ocean Héritage Chronographe Limited Edition (2009)
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