money The 10 Best Breitling Watches Ever Made
- 1/11
The 10 Best Breitling Watches Ever Made
Breitling has been producing seriously-made, aesthetically-pleasing watches since 1884. It is best known for its technical, highly accurate chronographs – the Aviator 8, for example, or the Transocean Ultimate Pilot, which offered simultaneous readings in all 24 time zones.
Its close links with aviation date back to the Thirties. The association saw it produce cockpit clocks, sponsor aviation groups and oversea its own aerobatics team. Today it is the only luxury watch brand that can carry the Red Arrows insignia on its watches, a partnership with the Royal Air Force that dates back 25 years.
During the Fifties Breitling began to innovate with its clever use of marketing and ambassadors, something that continues to this day. It developed a campaign that targeted groups of pilots, creating a demand for navigation chronographs. In addition, it became the official supplier for several major airline companies – the dashboard instruments in a Boeing 707, for example, were made by Breitling. It added authority in other categories too, notably driving and diving, launching its popular Superocean line in 1957. Five years later it was in space. Lt. Commander Scott Carpenter orbited the Earth three times while wearing a slightly modified Breitling, dubbed the Navitimer Cosmonaute.
Despite its place at the top table of Swiss watchmaking as one of the world’s most famous and sought-after brands, Breitling – founded in 1884 – remains an independent company. In 2017, former IWC Schaffhausen boss Georges Kern took over as CEO and ushered in significant changes, including corporate rebranding, an overhaul of shops to underline a new lifestyle approach and the appointment of new ambassadors, ranging from Brad Pitt to Kelly Slater, organised into ‘squads’ reflective of Breitling’s key pillars. He also streamlined almost all of the collections. Of particular note, Kern reorganised the products into three focused categories—air, land, and sea—designed to extend Breitling’s reach beyond the aviation crowd. Using those categories as a guide, he established seven distinct collections: Aviator 8, Navitimer and Avenger for ‘Air’, Superocean Heritage and Superocean for ‘Sea’, and Premier and Chronomat for ‘Land’.
The years since Kern’s appointment have been hugely successful, as Breiting forges ahead as a complete lifestyle brand, producing highly sought after and desirable luxury watches that appeal to both style conscious and sporty audiences. Almost 140 years into its history, you get the sense Breitling has plenty more left in the tank.
Here are the 10 best Breitling watches available today.
- 2/11
1) Breitling Navitimer 1
Breitling’s most famous model. Launched in the Fifties the Navitimer upped the ante for pilots' watches with its now iconic slide rule bezel. A masterclass in design, the information-packed dial never seems overcrowded. Arguably it remains the classic pilot’s watch.
£3,350
- 3/11
2) Breitling Top Time Limited Edition
Originally a hit with professional, style-conscious young men of the Sixties, it also found a fan in Sean Connery’s James Bond, whose Top Time contained a Geiger counter. Breitling’s re-edition after 55 years, complete with ‘Zorro’ dial, looks cooler than ever.
£4,100
- 4/11
3) Breitling Superocean Heritage II B20
What the Navitimer is to the air, so the Superocean is to the sea. A serious (and serious-looking) dive watch, with its standout black dial, textured rubber strap and luminous hands and indices – handy when you’re 200 meters below.
£4,520
- 5/11
4) Breitling Superocean Heritage 57 Limited Edition ‘Rainbow’
Breitling’s just-launched Super Heritage ’57 collection shows how to do vintage-inspired watches the right way. This colourful Instagram-ready limited edition is one of 2020’s best releases – and sold out instantly.
£3,990
- 6/11
5) Breitling Avenger II Seawolf
Shock-proof and dive-proof, this might be the most rugged watch in the whole of Breitling’s rugged armoury – no small boast. The dial is ‘cobra yellow’. Nice.
£3,300
- 7/11
6) Breitling Premier B01 Bentley British Racing Green
British racing green appropriate colour to commemorate Breitling’s ongoing relationship with luxury carmaker Bentley, the longest-running partnership in the watch world. Distinctive and distinguished, its also a handy rebuff to anyone who thinks Breitling can only do big and boys-y.
£6,700
- 8/11
7) Breitling Chronomat B01
A distinctive mix of pilot’s and diver’s style the revamped-for-2020 Chronomat B1 is distinguished by its integrated ‘Rouleaux’ (or ‘bullet’) bracelet. Brand new, but with vintage flare.
£6,650
- 9/11
8) Breitling Navitimer 8
Taking inspiration from mid-century pilot styles (note the numerals) Breitling’s Navitimer 8 makes a different kind of style statement. Smart, and distinctive.
£6,200
- 10/11
9) Breitling AVI 1953 Edition
A mid-century design revamped almost 70 years later, limited and available in your choice of steel, rose gold or platinum. A proper heirloom in the shape of stunningly smart pilot’s watch.
£29,900
- 11/11
10) Transocean Chronograph
The Fifties and Sixties were responsible for more iconic watches than any other decade. Beitling’s Transocean Chronograph takes its design cues from the classic chronographs of that era, and reinterpreted the style for modern times.
£6,330
A complete guide
