TIME PIECES

 Hello, ladies and gents, this is the Viking telling you that today we are talking about 

Breitling

1. Breitling was founded by  Léon Breitling at only 24 years old

When Léon was just 24 years old, he started Breitling. This is quite impressive.

2. Leon moved to a new headquarters and factory after less than 10 years

After less than 10 years of launching a company at 24, Breitling expanded to a new factory. Now, he employed over 60 people.

3. Léon and his son Gaston died early

Both of the Breitlings died at an unexpected and young age.

4. Breitling developed its first chronograph in 1915

Today, Breitling is maybe most associated with chronographs, and it was in 1915 that Breitling’s history of precision chronographs started.

5. The Breitling name didn’t appear on the dials of the watches until the late 1920s

Despite operating for several decades, the Breitling name didn’t appear on the dials until more than 40 years after it was founded. This is not only true to Breitling but a number of Swiss watch brands. The reason is that these brands didn’t think about branding and building a brand. They thought about simply making great watches.

6. In 1930, Breitling launched the patented Vitesse stopwatch

This Vitesse stopwatch was so accurate that police used it to clock speeding motorists.

7. Breitling released its Emergency wristwatch in 1995

The Emergency wristwatch has an integrated micro-transmitter that enables you as a wearer to send a distress signal in case of an emergency. This allows individuals to be quickly located and then rescued. And the Breitling Emergency watch has actually proven to be a real tool for saving lives many times. 

As an emergency watch, Breitling is unique of its kind, and it is popular for adventurers who need a  tool that actually makes a difference.

8. Breitling’s Emergency watch has saved more than a dozen lives

Breitling was the first to launch an Emergency wristwatch with an integrated emergency beacon, and since 1995, the watch has actually proven to be a real lifesaver – many times.

In 2003, two British helicopter pilots were stranded, and could with their Breitling emergency watch become rescued in Antarctica.

Almost ten years later, an Alaskan hunter was also located and rescued thanks to his Breitling Emergency watch.

9. Most of Breitling’s movements weren’t branded in the 1940s and early ’50s.

The dials weren’t branded until the late 1920s, but the movements of Breitling weren’t branded until the 1940s and ’50s.

The reason that Breitling didn’t brand their movements was, again, because they didn’t expect and believe that people would rise up around their brands.  As such branding watches in the Swiss watch industry wasn’t really considered a lot.

10. Breitling released its iconic Navitimer model in 1952

One of the most iconic, if not the most iconic timepieces of Breitling is the Navitimer model.

In 1952, the Navitimer was launched. This was a chronograph that was ahead of its time due to the fact that it could handle all calculations required for flying an airplane.

Because of this, the Navitimer because immensely popular among pilots, and this is what has greatly contributed to Breitling’s reputation for aviation.

And as always have a chilled day from the Viking