Breitling

1884, in St-Imier, in the Jura Mountains of Switzerland, Léon Breitling opens a workshop specializing in making chronographs and precision counters for scientific and industrial purposes. In 1892 in response to his company’s significant growth, Léon Breitling relocates in la Chaux-de-Fonds, the center of Swiss watchmaking in those days. On the demise of Léon Breitling, his son Gaston takes over the firm 1914. One year later Gaston Breitling creates the first wristwatch chronograph and subsequently provides pilots with the first wrist instruments. In 1923 Breitling develops the first independent chronograph pushpiece. Start and retur-to-zero functions had previously been controlled using the winding-crown. In 1932 Gastons son, Willy Breitling, takes the helm of the family firm. Year 1936 Breitling becomes official supplier to the Royal Air Force. This marks the start of a longstanding record of cooperation with Internation aviation. In 1952 Breitling creates the Navitimer, a wrist instrument equipped with the famous “navigation computer”. By this stage, Breitling is already supplying the major international airlines with cockpit clocks. 2009 Breitling sets the crowning touch to 125 years of passion for chronographs by introducing its own selfwinding chronograph movement, Caliber B01, and by revolutionizing traditional movement assembly.