Breitling wanted to manufacture high-quality technical watches.
As his business grew,
the young "horloger" moved the factory to the Swiss village of Grenchen and began specializing in chronographs.
Today, one can find chronograph pocket watches signed Breitling, which are very high quality.
Just after World War I, Breitling began manufacturing chronographs and chronometers for airplanes.
In fact, they were a pioneer in the field of aviation timekeeping. In 1942,
Breitling introduced its famous "Chronomat" model - the first watch fitted with a circular slide rule bezel.
With Breitling fast becoming the leading choice of pilots worldwide,
it was no surprise when the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association named the newly introduced three-register version
as its official watch.
The watch gained further fame when launched on the retail market as the "Navitimer".
The company's fame grew even greater when astronaut Scott Carpenter wore his Breitling in space;
In honor of this event the model was named the "Cosmonaute".
Like many Swiss watch companies, Breitling was hit hard by the quartz revolution,
and in 1979, former pilot Ernest Schneider was hired as its new CEO.
Schneider cleverly conducted a public relations campaign designed to influence people's attitudes about the bulky,
oversized watch.
The campaign was a huge success, coming as it did on the heels of a renewed interest in wearing mechanical wristwatches.
By the late 1980's,
the Breitling wristwatch, with its large case and distinctive bezel,
was a recognizable status symbol all over the world and widely copied by other companies,
making the "Breitling look" even more fashionable.
Fashionable, rugged and highly precise:
these are just a few of the accolades one might use in describing a Breitling wristwatch.
In fact, Breitling is so highly regarded that the "Navitimer" has become the standard watch for pilots around the world.
One hundred and sixteen years after its founding, Breitling is one of the best-known luxury watch brands in the world.
Despite the fact that celebrities are often photographed wearing a Breitling,
these watches are also such precise timekeepers that they remain the top choice of commercial
A few of the house's famous offerings include: the "Emergency" model (which is capable of sending out a radio signal
if one is lost); the Montbrillant Eclipse; the "Chronomat"; and the Colt Superocean,
which is both waterproof (up to 100 ATM) and COSC-rated.
If you are looking for a sporty, rugged, reliable timepiece, Breitling is clearly one company that fits the bill.
For the aerobatics team, see Breitling jet team.
Breitling is a brand of Swiss watches from the Canton of Jura.
The watchmaker offers Certified Chronometers designed primarily for aviation use,
though most frequently worn as high-end luxury watches.
Breitling's watches offer aviation functions, though their chronograph functions have become more of status
symbols than practically applied tools.
They typically have a large face (e.g. the Breitling for Bentley Motors edition has a 48 mm Case Diameter)
for better visibility and to allow display of more information on the analog dials.
Many other models feature an automatic winding mechanism that is purely mechanical.
