Category

Five Things You May Not Know About Breitling

Category

Five Things You May Not Know About Breitling

1. Focus on R&D and Manufacturing High Performance Watches

Founded in 1884, Breitling founder Leon Breitling established the Breitling Company. Initially, the company produced timers such as pocket watches. In 1914, it began producing watches with countdown and luminous for the military. In 1915, Gsinceton Breitling developed the first chronograph watch, which is the first aviation chronograph watch. Breitling kicked off the watchmaking in the aviation industry.

After that, Breitling separates the timing control system that handles start, stop, and zero from the crown. The first independent timing button was born, and the position of Breitling’s “Pioneer of Chronograph” was established.

In 1927, Breitling began to produce fine timers for the instrument panel of the aircraft cockpit. Since then, it has become more compatible with the aviation industry. Large aircraft manufacturers such as Boeing Douglas and Lockheed are all users of Breitling.

2. Independent Family Business Was Acquired

As a family business, Breitling has now gone through five generations of heads. Originally one of the few independent watchmakers in Switzerland, it ushered in the heyday of the brand in the 1990s and is now in a stagnant middle age.

In April 2017, it was acquired by CVC No. 6 Fund with an 80% stake in Breitling, with a total valuation of 800 million Euros. CVC Capital Partners (CVC) is Europe’s largest private equity and investment advisory firm headquartered in London. The head of the company said that with CVC’s expertise and international network, it is partner to bring Breitling to a higher level.

In August 2017, Georges Kern left the Richemont Group and became the CEO of Breitling brand, valuing the business development potential of Breitling.

He said that in the future, Breitling will have three product lines. One is a new watch re-developed based on the classic design elements of the brand history; one is a simple and elegant watch series; the last one is the brand’s current tough style professional watch series.

Whether Breitling can develop better, the future depends on whether it can pass the test of the market.

3. Interchange Movements with Tudor

Affected by the Swatchs external supply of ETA movements, many brands have begun to develop independent configuration movements, Breitling and Tudor are no exception.

Breitling launched the B01 self-produced chronograph movement in 2009, with a power reserve of 70 hours, a diameter of 30mm, a thickness of 7.2mm, an eccentric screw trimming device, a vibration frequency of 28,800 times per hour, a three-armed ring and a balance spring, and a number of rubies 47.

Navitimer 8 with self-produced B01 movement

Tudor’s self-produced movement MT5621 launched in 2015 has 70-hour power storage,  two-way automatic winding, COSC certification, quick-adjusting instantaneous jump calendar, stop seconds function, screw fine-tuning, silicon spring, vibration frequency 28800 times / hour, 31.8mm diameter , 6.5mm thickness and 26 diamonds.

Tudor Self-produced Movement MT5621

Because the development of the automatic chronograph movement is much more difficult than the ordinary central seconds movement, not to mention the self-produced movement is absolutely a good movement, so the two strong teams joined together and interchange movements.

After Breitling got the movement of Tudor, it was not a simple replica of the original movement. In addition to Tudor’s unique retouching, Breitling also improved the cumulative timer and improved the speed governing mechanism with silicon hairspring.

Introduced the B20 movement (a variant of the Tudor MT5612 movement) and equipped it with the New 42mm and 46mm Superocean Heritage II collection.

Breitling 42mm Superocean Heritage II Series Watch

Breitling 46mm Superocean Heritage II Series Watch

Breitling introduces the B20 movement (a variant of the Tudor MT5612 movement)

A large weakness of the Breitling B01 movement is adjusted by the traditional fast and slow needles. After the new calibre is obtained, the Tudor has replaced the silicon balance spring and the cardless screw fine adjustment.

The MT5813 calibre (a variant of the Breitling B01 chronograph movement) is certified by the COSC and provides up to 70 hours of power reserve through the bi-directional oscillating weight.

Tudor Heritage Black Bay Chrono Collection Dark Brown Strap Watch

Tudor Heritage Black Bay Chrono Collection Dark Brown Strap Watch is Equipped with Breitling Self-produced MT5613 Movement

4. The Disappearing Wings

In 2018, Breitling has made great changes in the design of the watch. The most obvious one is to remove the original wing logo and replace it with B.

The winged B logo is not the prototype used by Breitling from the beginning. It was first introduced in the 1950’s timed prototype, and later evolved in the late 1970s for most styles.

Breiling Navitimer 1 Self-winding Watch

The Breitling with the B logo also began to change its image vigorously. In 2018, the series of simple styles of the Navitimer Chronograph 8 series was launched to make it more intimate, and the design that was simple and simplified was not consistent with the original toughness.

Breitling Superocean Heritage AB0162161C1A1

Whether it’s a new brand logo or the Breitling brand itself, everything has a feeling of re-starting. Many enthusiasts lamented that Breitling, who took off their wings, lost its unique characteristics. However, under the current trend of succinct aesthetics, Breitling may have made its own choices for the market, and everything has not yet been finalized.

5. How to Choose One Entry-level Breitling

The first feeling of Breitling is tough males, so the entry model should also have such characteristics. However, there is no recommendation for the popular Avenger series or Seawolf, because the entry-level watch has several standards, low price, resistance, brand characteristics, and brand genes.

Colt Automatic mechanical watch, the new version of the Superocean series retains the tough lines of Breitling, and caters to the contemporary mainstream size of 41mm, the movement is  Cal.17 modified by ETA2824-2, which reaches 40-hour power reserve, the water resistance is up to 200 meters, plus the careful workmanship of Breitling, the steel bracelet model is attractive, full of sincerity.

Breitling is as popular as Rolex and Omega in the luxury world, and it has its own advantages in terms of workmanship and practicality.