Breitling

Breitling is a Swiss watchmaker founded by Léon Breitling in Saint-Imier in 1884. It is headquartered in Grenchen, with production in La Chaux-de-Fonds. The founding family sold the name to Ernest Schneider in 1979; CVC Capital Partners bought the company in 2017 and 2018, and the private equity firm Partners Group became majority owner in December 2022. Breitling has since bought Universal Genève (2023) and Gallet (2025).

Its best-known watch is the Navitimer, launched in 1954 with a circular slide-rule bezel for flight calculations. Other lines include the Chronomat and the SuperOcean dive watches. Breitling historically used movements from suppliers such as Valjoux and ETA; in 2009 it introduced the B01, a self-winding column-wheel chronograph calibre. Its mechanical and quartz movements are COSC-certified chronometers, and the watches typically have polished cases and large dials.