Flying High: A Brief History of Breitling
Breitling is a Swiss luxury watchmaker that was founded in Saint-imier, Switzerland back in 1884. And while it is now considered to be one of the most prestigious and sought after brands in the luxury watch industry, it didn’t start off that way.
The Breitling brand made its real first impression in the aviation industry. Known for their advancements in aeronautical timing instruments, they soon became the most trusted brand of the Royal Air Force. In doing so, Breitling is responsible for providing some of the most precise chronometers and dashboards instruments to many pilots of the skies during the Second World War.
Moving With the Times
One thing that can be said for Breitling, is that it’s a very innovative company, never one to stand still. The first Breitling wristwatch to hit the shelves was the Chronomat in 1941. And while it was of course a very impressive piece, it was also quite a chunky model.
In 1952, the world saw the release of the Classic Breitling Navitimer. This was an evolution of the Chronomat, and is now considered to be the company’s flagship model. And upon closer scrutiny, it’s clear to see why.
An early Breitling Navitimer circa 1966
Navitimer on the Rise
The launch of the first Navitimer model also tied in with the debut of the iconic double-wing logo. This is a reference to the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA). And while no formal agreement was in place between the two entities at this time, Beitling wanted to make sure people knew who these watches were intended for.
For the time, the Navitimer was a pretty high-tech watch. It was a manual chronograph fitted with a column wheel movement and had everything any pilot could ever need. The original Navitimer was a hot seller for many years, and still is today, albeit a few more models have been added to the line.
View of the movement from an original manual wound Breitling Navitimer with column wheel.
A Team Effort
A few years later, in 1969, Breitling teamed up with none other than Jack Heuer (great-grandson of the founder of TAG Heuer). Together they made history when they developed the Calibre 11 - the world’s first automatic chronograph.
The new timepiece used a modular mechanism and was a variation of the Navitimer that not only changed the overall design of the watch, but the company too.
Re-issuing of the Navitimer
The 70’s bought troubling times for Breitling as with many other famous watchmakers of the era due to the quartz crisis. However, the company soon bounced back, and in the 80s, released a new edition of the Navitimer into the world.
There are now five main models in the Navitimer collection (Chronograph 38, 41, 45, 46) each with its own unique features to set them apart. And while each of these may have a slightly different style from one another, one thing you can be sure of is the quality.
Every Breitling watch is made with the utmost care and precision. And with that in mind, not only do these watches make great accessories, they make a good addition to any collection.
The most recent evolution of the classic Navitimer design, housing Breitling’s Manufacture Caliber 01 (2020)