1970s-2010s

The brand was sold to Ernest Schneider. Schneider was an electronics engineer who specialized in transmissions within the Swiss armed forces. Previously he had directed the Sicura watch company, which flourished under his leadership and stood out for various technical advances, especially in the area of solar-celled and quartz watches. In his personal life, Schneider was an aviation enthusiast who had a pilot’s license and owned his own plane. As a watchmaker and aviator, Ernest Schneider had been a longtime admirer of Breitling. On April 5th, 1979, he signed the contract that gave him the reigns of the Breitling brand.

Schneider learned that one of the world’s most prestigious aerobatic teams, the Italian army’s Frecce Tricolori, was issuing an invitation to tender for its official watch. The elite aerobatics team favored an analog display, so their watch would have to be mechanical. Schneider saw this project as this perfect opportunity to reaffirm Breitling’s traditional watchmaking expertise while celebrating the brand’s ties to aviation. In 1983, Breitling created the Chronograph “Frecce Tricolori” for the Italian jet team. It introduced key design elements like a rotating bezel with four rider tabs on the quarter hours, and a Rouleaux bracelet that later became a staple of the Chronomat.

Schneider didn’t see quartz as the enemy. In fact, he recognized an opportunity in it. On the one side, quartz provided the kind of precision and reliability that true professionals demanded in their timepieces. On the other, the crisis has made mechanical watchmaking a niche industry that was now occupied by a much smaller pool of competitors. “Instruments for professionals” became the tagline for this new era at Breitling. While other brands were using quartz for its price, Breitling began using it as the basis for developing the most precise and reliable watches on the market. At the same time, the brand didn’t stop building mechanical watches. In fact, Breitling would go on to play a major role in securing their comeback.

Breitling marked its centennial by launching the Chronomat. This exceptional model triggered the renaissance of the mechanical chronograph on top of becoming a Breitling bestseller. Its design and, in particular its recognizable rider tabs, were inspired by the Chronograph “Frecce Tricolori” launched a year earlier. It was a bold gamble that went against the quartz trend. The Chronomat’s commanding size was in sharp contrast to the extra-thin quartz watches popular at the time. But Breitling’s bet paid off. The watch quickly became a success, especially in Italy (a key market for fine watchmaking) and the United States, making the mechanical chronograph cool again.

The brand’s dual philosophy was to continue Breitling’s mechanical tradition while also taking advantage of the latest electronic improvements to enhance the user’s experience. The introduction of the multifunctional Aerospace chronograph in 1985 was a brilliant illustration of the latter. This completely innovative quartz model, equipped with the latest generation Swiss technology, had a double display – analog and digital – and its dial contained two LCD screens.

The brand launched the Old Navitimer, a reinterpretation of the original design from 1952. It was equipped with an automatic Valjoux movement. Because of its rich history and elegant design, this piece contributed to the return of the mechanical chronograph.

The Emergency was the first wristwatch to be equipped with an integrated emergency transmitter. It was initially launched in 1988 with a single antenna but truly came into its own in 1995 with the introduction of an ingenious patented antenna deployment system. The model’s micro-transmitter, which was locked onto the international air distress frequency, was equipped with two antennas and had a 48-hour independent power reserve. To develop this technology, Breitling worked closely with Dassault Electronique, the specialized division of the famous French aircraft manufacturer.

Breitling ended the millennium having with an achievement that began in 1992 when aerostat pilot Bertrand Piccard of Switzerland won the Chrysler Transatlantic Challenge with the brand’s support. Encouraged by this success, Piccard embarked on one of aviation’s last great challenges: a nonstop flight around the world in a hot air balloon. On March 1, 1999, at 08:05 GMT, the Breitling Orbiter 3 balloon lifted off from Château-d’Oex in the Swiss Alps. Aboard were Piccard and Englishman Brian Jones, each wearing an Emergency watch on his wrist. On March 20th, at 09:54 GMT, the Breitling Orbiter 3 crossed its starting meridian in the skies over Mauritania. Breitling’s name had once again made aviation history.

First Manufacture Caliber Driven by the desire to remain technologically independent, Breitling introduced its first manufacture movement: the Caliber 01, developed at the Breitling Chronométrie.

Ernest Schneider officially turned the business over to his son, ushering in a fifth-generation of leadership at Breitling. Théodore Schneider had already been with the company for several years and led a small, not very “hierarchical” team in comparison to other large watch companies of the day. His corporate structure allowed for efficiency, performance and quick decision-making that would prove crucial in the years to come.

In 1999, Théodore Schneider set a goal for the company: to have all its movements designated as certified chronometers. At first, the idea seemed unrealistic and utopian. Certified chronometers required extreme precision. The brands that were offering it did so primarily as an added value on specialty pieces. Having all Breitling’s movements certified would mean a rethink of the entire process, from component selection through all stages of assembly to final inspection. Still, Schneider was not deterred from his 100% certified-chronometer goal. To guarantee total mastery of quality, the company decided to “verticalize” the assembly of its mechanical movements, integrating it all under one roof – Breitling’s.

Breitling needed a reliable source of high-performance movements in the quantities demanded and at the level of quality demanded. Schneider decided that the only way to guarantee the source was to be the source. With the opening of the Breitling Chronométrie in La Chaux-de-fonds, the brand became one of only a handful of independent watchmakers to manufacture its own movements.

Breitling upgraded the Emergency with the world’s only built-in dual-frequency distress beacon that could be worn on the wrist. The watch was instantly seized upon by authorities as a tool for first responders to coordinate search-and-rescue operations anywhere on the planet.

The Exospace B55 combined the appeal of an outstanding wristwatch with smartphone connectivity. Particularly captivating with its black titanium case and rubber strap, it was – in true Breitling tradition – a tool watch that didn’t compromise on style. Watch adjustments, including time-setting, time zones and alarms could be made through the user’s smartphone. Two digital displays notified the wearer of incoming calls, emails, text messages and calendar appointments.