Breitling

Breitling is a producer of Swiss luxury watches, directed by Breitling CEO Georges Kern, and is largely owned by CVC Capital Partners and Partners Group. Breitling is considered an independent watch brand that does not belong to any of the large luxury groups such as Richemont, LVMH, or Swatch.

Breitling SA was founded in 1884 by Léon Breitling in Switzerland and became a producer of precision-made chronometers primarily designed to be used by pilots and aviators. Aviation remained the brand’s main field of interest and expertise for the next century as it continued to design and invent novel pocket watches and wristwatches to be used for various timing and calculation tasks when flying airplanes. Breitling watches became loved by pilots for their specialized design, accuracy, and reliability.

Breitling watches range from accessible entry-level luxury sports watches such as the highly successful Breitling Endurance Pro Chronograph, to five-figure luxury timekeepers in steel or gold, such as the recently redesigned Chronomat and Navitimer. Under Georges Kern’s direction, Breitling also likes to revive successful past watch designs, such as the Top Time, Superocean Heritage, and Breitling Premier. These are popular watches for their sporty-chic style and timeless aesthetics, often complemented by the well-engineered B01 in-house watch movement.

For watch enthusiasts, the most popular Breitling products tend to fall within the larger Breitling Chronomat and Navitimer lines, as well as the vintage-inspired capsule collections.