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Founded in 1884 by Léon Breitling in Saint-Imier, Switzerland, Breitling built its name on chronographs for pilots. Its Navitimer and Chronomat are two of the most recognizable sports watches in the world, and today every Breitling is a certified chronometer. Luxury Bazaar carries pre-owned and unworn Breitling watches, each authenticated and backed by our 2-year warranty.
Breitling History Timeline
| 1884 | Léon Breitling founds his company, focusing on precision pocket chronographs. |
| 1915 | Breitling makes wristwatch history by releasing a chronograph with two separate pushers, a significant innovation at the time. |
| 1941 | Breitling buys a patent for a chronograph watch with a slide-rule bezel, then releases the Chronomat the following year. |
| 1952 | The Navitimer, a pilot’s watch with a slide rule specifically for navigation, is introduced. |
| 1962 | Scott Carpenter orbits the earth with a custom 24-hour-dial Navitimer on his wrist. |
| 1969 | Along with Hamilton-Büren, Dubois Dépraz and Heuer-Leonidas, Breitling helps create the self-winding chronograph movement. |
| 1979 | Ernest Schneider acquires Breitling at the height of the quartz crisis. |
| 1984 | Breitling introduces a new Chronomat as the face of their relaunched brand. |
| 1995 | The Emergency watch, equipped with a micro-transmitter for remote location signaling, is introduced. |
| 2017 | The Schneider family sells 80% of their share in Breitling to CVC Capital Partners, and the remaining 20% the following year. |
| 2017 | Georges Kern is appointed as the CEO of Breitling, setting the stage for some more subtle Breitling releases as well as their e-boutique. |
| 2022 | Partners Group acquires a majority stake in Breitling. CVC retains a minority stake. |
| 2023 | Breitling acquires Universal Genève. |
Breitling Collections
- Navitimer: the 1952 pilot’s chronograph with a slide-rule bezel for flight calculations, still Breitling’s signature watch.
- Chronomat: first released in 1942 and relaunched in 1984, today known for its rouleaux bracelet and in-house B01 chronograph movement.
- Superocean: Breitling’s dive watch since 1957, including the vintage-inspired Superocean Heritage.
- Avenger: tough, oversized pilot’s watches, many in titanium or black “Night Mission” finishes.
- Premier: elegant chronographs and dress watches revived from Breitling’s 1940s line, including the B01 Chronograph and the B25 Datora.
- Top Time: a revival of the colorful 1960s chronograph, with special editions such as the Shelby Cobra.
- Endurance Pro and Emergency: the ultra-light Endurance Pro chronograph and the Emergency, with its built-in rescue beacon.
In terms of sales, Breitling consistently ranks among the world’s top 10 luxury watch brands.
How Much Does a Breitling Watch Cost?
Pre-owned Breitling watches start at around $2,000 and most sell for between $3,000 and $8,000. Here is roughly what Breitling watches have sold for at Luxury Bazaar recently, by collection:
- Superocean and Superocean Heritage: about $2,000 to $5,500, with Heritage B01 chronographs up to about $7,000.
- Avenger: about $2,500 to $5,000, and about $5,000 to $7,000 for the B01 chronographs.
- Navitimer: about $3,000 to $4,000 for the Navitimer Automatic, about $3,500 to $5,000 for the Navitimer World and GMT, and about $5,500 to $7,500 for the B01 Chronograph.
- Chronomat: about $4,000 to $5,500 for GMT models, and about $6,000 to $10,000 for the Chronomat B01.
- Premier: about $4,500 to $7,000 for the B01 Chronograph and about $10,000 for the B25 Datora.
- Rare and precious-metal pieces: up to about $25,000, such as the rose gold Transocean Chronograph QP.
Every listing above shows its current price, so you can compare like for like.
Breitling Frequently Asked Questions
Who owns Breitling?
Breitling is majority-owned by the investment firm Partners Group, which took control in 2022, with CVC Capital Partners keeping a minority stake. The Schneider family owned the company from 1979 until 2017.
Where are Breitling watches made?
In Switzerland. Breitling is headquartered in Grenchen, and it makes its in-house movements, such as the B01 chronograph, in La Chaux-de-Fonds.
Are all Breitling watches chronometers?
Yes. Every modern Breitling, mechanical or quartz, is certified as a chronometer by the Swiss testing institute COSC, which checks its accuracy over several days in different positions and temperatures.
Is Breitling a luxury brand?
Yes. Breitling is a Swiss luxury watchmaker founded in 1884 and one of the best-selling luxury watch brands in the world, known above all for its pilot’s chronographs.
How much does a Breitling watch cost?
Pre-owned, a Breitling Superocean or Avenger starts at around $2,000 to $3,000, a Navitimer B01 Chronograph runs about $5,500 to $7,500 and a Chronomat B01 about $6,000 to $10,000. Rare and gold models can reach about $25,000.
What does the slide rule on a Navitimer do?
The rotating bezel and the scale beneath it form a circular slide rule. Pilots used it to work out speed, distance, fuel consumption, rate of climb and unit conversions, which is why the Navitimer became the watch of choice for so many aviators.