Breitling

Breitling is the most renowned Swiss manufacturer of pilot's watches. The company has enjoyed an exceptional reputation in this sector for decades. Its catalog includes the legendary Navitimer as well as high-tech pieces with quartz movements and special functions. Many Breitling timepieces are designed to meet the demands of modern aviation. They can analyze flight data and send distress signals in case of emergency. That being said, the manufacturer ultimately stands for attractive and robust luxury watches, each with high-quality technology and a consistent design.

This isn't only true of their pilot's watches: Breitling also offers a wide array of underwater timepieces. Diving watches from the Superocean and Avenger collections have long been winning over technology-oriented watch fans. The Superocean Héritage line includes vintage-inspired pieces that are geared toward retro-watch enthusiasts. Though it was first introduced in 2018, the Navitimer 8 also includes design elements inspired by historic watches. All in all, the Breitling catalog is made up of several collections composed of desirable retro watches as well as state-of-the-art timepieces. Most of the watches are powered by mechanical movements. Since 1999, every movement has been certified by the Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC). In 2009, the Grenchen-based company introduced their own caliber, the B01, with a chronograph function. One highlight is the Navitimer B03 Chronograph Rattrapante 45 with a split-seconds chronograph that was developed in-house.

It's impossible to separate the Breitling brand from the Navitimer model. This world-famous pilot's watch with chronograph functionality and a slide rule bezel first entered the market in 1952 and remains the Grenchen-based manufacturer's most successful model to date. Current stainless steel versions with the in-house B01 chronograph caliber cost around 6,300 USD new. Pre-owned pieces go for about 5,900 USD. This pilot's watch has a 43-mm case. The variant in 18-karat rose gold costs around 15,000 new and almost 12,300 USD pre-owned.

If you prefer the especially uncluttered, 46-mm stainless steel edition, be sure to set aside around 6,500 USD for a never-worn model. A pre-owned model comes in at about 5,700 USD. You can get one of the 45-mm rattrapante chronographs with the in-house caliber B03 for about 9,500 USD. The rose gold version with a split-seconds (or rattrapante) chronograph is significantly more expensive at over 30,700 USD.

Older Navitimer chronographs without an in-house caliber are markedly more affordable. You can purchase one of these pieces for about 3,900 USD pre-owned and 4,200 USD in mint condition. The automatic Valjoux 7750 caliber ticks away in many of these models. For fans of vintage watches, early Navitimer models with the reference number 806 are particularly interesting. Those made of stainless steel are especially sought-after and cost between 3,700 and 12,300 USD depending on their condition. The manually-wound Venus 178 caliber powers most ref. 806 pieces. Watches with the Valjoux caliber 72 are extremely rare. This movement is also wound by hand and was only used in the Navitimer for a short period of time in the mid-1950s.

In addition to numerous pilot's watches, Breitling also offers robust diving watches. For example, the Avenger II Seawolf is water resistant to 3,000 m (300 bar, 9,843 ft) and is quite massive with its 45-mm diameter and height of 18.4 mm. Plan to spend a good 3,400 USD for a model in mint condition and 3,200 USD for a pre-owned piece.

At 44, 42, or 36 mm, the Superocean II feels a bit more classic. The smallest version is water resistant to 200 m (20 bar, 656 ft) and is more geared toward women. It costs around 3,100 USD new and 2,300 USD pre-owned. The largest edition is water resistant to 1,000 m (100 bar, 3281 ft) and comes in at 2,900 USD pre-owned and 3,400 USD new. Set aside around 3,300 USD for the 42-mm version in mint condition and 2,800 USD for a pre-owned model.

Since retro watches have been highly coveted for quite a few years now, the vintage-inspired diving watches in the Superocean Héritage collection are particularly fashionable. These wristwatches are contemporary reinterpretations of earlier models from the 1950s. Some features of the current collection include fluted ceramic bezels, tapered indices, a sword-shaped minute hand, and an arrow-shaped hour hand. You can get a new, 46-mm chronograph from this collection for 4,300 USD. A pre-owned piece costs just under 3,700 USD. Since 2018, 44-mm chronographs with the B01 in-house caliber are available; list prices start around 8,800 USD. If you prefer a cleaner dial, you should take a closer look at the retro three-hand variants. The 42-mm version with a braided steel bracelet goes for 3,400 USD new and 3,200 USD pre-owned. The three-hand watch is also available as a 46-mm model at prices around 3,200 USD.

The Chronomat and the Avenger are some of the most distinctive and masculine Breitling watches out there. Measuring between 44 and 50 mm in diameter and over 17 mm thick, these timepieces are best suited to larger arms and short sleeve shirts. In the movie Die Hard with a Vengeance, John McClane, played by Bruce Willis, relies on the accuracy of a Chronomat.

The famous American rapper Ludacris is also known to wear a massive Breitling timepiece, though he prefers the Super Avenger. You will need to spend almost 6,200 USD for a new example of this 48-mm watch. Pre-owned examples are markedly less expensive at around 4,500 USD. The 50-mm Avenger Hurricane is constructed of lightweight black Breitlight, a material made up of composite fibers developed by Breitling. It is significantly lighter than stainless steel and very scratch-resistant. This timepiece costs about 7,400 USD new.

If you want to follow in Bruce Willis' footsteps and wear a Chronomat, you will need around 6,100 USD for a piece in mint condition and 4,700 USD for a pre-owned one. Models in this price range include the in-house caliber B01. Older versions with the Valjoux 7750 are much less expensive and cost as little as 2,500 USD pre-owned. If you're lucky, you may even find one for under 2,500 USD.

An entirely different yet equally legendary Breitling pilot's watch is the Emergency from the Professional series. This watch has helped save lives since 1995, thanks to its built-in distress call transmitter. It transmits a signal at the international frequency 121.5 MHz, which search planes can track in calm seas or over flat land from a distance of approximately 170 km (105 mi). In 2003, two British crew members were saved thanks to their watches after their helicopter crashed in Antarctica. The Emergency II, the newest version of the watch available since 2013, can also transmit a distress signal at 406.04 MHz, which is monitored by satellites.

In addition to the distress signal, the watch features a countdown timer, second time zone, and an alarm function. These functions obviously require energy to operate. Therefore, the Emergency is outfitted with a battery that lasts about two and a half years. Its quartz movement, the Breitling 76, compensates for temperature fluctuations, which can cause inaccuracy. The time can be displayed in analog or digital fashion. Its case is made of black titanium and has a large diameter of 51 mm and a thickness of 21.6 mm. Without its band, the Emergency weighs 144 g.

The Chronomat's tachymetrer scale enables the wearer to calculate speed. The scale is located on the rehaut, which also allows the watch to have a unidirectional bezel. As part of its chronograph function, the watch has 30-minute and 12-hour counters on subdials as well as a large seconds hand. These features allow the wearer to time periods up to 12 hours. The sportiest version of the Chronomat is the 44 Raven. Its dial and case are deep black, while the rehaut, small hands, and numerals on the bezel come in a contrasting orange. The Chronomat 44 Raven is an expressive exception within Breitling's tool-watch-dominated catalog.

The Chronomat is also available with a second time zone. Thanks to its tachymeter scale and stopwatch function, this watch is a perfect alternative to the Rolex Daytona or the Omega Speedmaster.

While the Transocean Chronograph 1461 is bound to traditional craftsmanship, the Exospace B55 from the Professional series represents the modern end of the Breitling spectrum. This watch can connect to smartphones via Bluetooth and is packed full of functions: an alarm with up to seven different individual settings, UTC time, a countdown timer, and a chronograph. The quartz movement B55 ticks away inside the watch and runs 10 times more precisely than the average quartz movement. A special miniature rechargeable battery powers the Exospace B55. The price for an Exospace B55 sits around 8,000 USD.

Breitling's commitment to aviation expresses itself in many different ways. They have their own jet team, the Breitling Jet Team, which is the largest privately-owned aerobatic display team of its kind. The team flies seven Czech Aero L-39 Albatros jets. In addition, they support the Wingwalkers, who perform on the wings of biplanes. Breitling also sponsors the survival of the last flight-capable Lockheed Super Constellation in Europe. This propeller plane with four engines is lovingly nicknamed "Super Connie." These planes formed the backbone of modern long-haul passenger flights during the 1950s. The Breitling Super Constellation L-1049A (HB-RSC) is stationed in Switzerland.