The history of Breitling

Léon Breitling founded the eponymous manufactory almost simultaneously with the first successful flight in world history. His then-small watch workshop was located in the Swiss canton of Jura. Even before founding the company, Léon Breitling was fascinated by racing and speed. Therefore, he devoted himself passionately to his goal of developing the best stopwatch on the market. After many years, in 1914, Gaston Breitling finally presented the first wristwatch with an independent chronograph pusher. At that time, a stopwatch could only be controlled using the winding crown. In 1932, Willy Breitling introduced a second pusher for resetting to zero, creating the characteristic appearance of a modern chronograph. Gradually, Breitling designed additional models that were groundbreaking in terms of technology, function, and design. Several pilot's watches, sports watches, and diving watches from that era are now classics. In the years that followed, Breitling, as a family-run company, became one of the most important manufacturers in the world. Particularly under the leadership of the founder’s grandson, Willy Breitling, the manufactory developed further successful collections.

The Breitling Manufacture

Since 1892, Breitling has been producing its watches in the Swiss town of La Chaux-de-Fonds, a major center of the watch industry. Since 1982, the town of Grenchen in the canton of Solothurn has also provided space for the workshops where its exclusive wristwatches are created. In this complex manufacturing process, Breitling combines modern production technologies with extensive handcrafting. Experienced watchmakers craft the high-precision timepieces from hundreds of individual parts that enable the watches' sophisticated functions. In Grenchen, engineers develop new models that delight watch enthusiasts. Examples include the improved Chronomat, the new models in the Navitimer series, and the legendary Emergency pilot's watch with its integrated emergency transmitter. In 2009, to mark its 125th anniversary, Breitling presented a specially designed and manufactured chronograph movement, created in the workshops in La Chaux-de-Fonds. This movement is COSC-certified.

Sustainability at Breitling

Breitling is one of the first luxury manufacturers in the world to offer a special watch box made from recycled materials. This environmentally friendly and recyclable box is made from 100% recycled plastic bottles. It is also foldable and significantly more compact than watch packaging from other manufacturers. This significantly reduces CO2 emissions during transport, further positively impacting the environment. This innovative idea from Breitling has been honored with the Efficient Solutions Label sustainability award from the Solar Impulse Foundation. Independent experts recognize solutions that combine environmental protection with profitability. A positive side effect of the sustainable watch box: You can use it as a stylish travel case.