STYLE Edit: How Swiss luxury brand Breitling has shaped the history of watches – from outer space to the deep blue sea
Chronographs like the Navitimer, Chronomat and SuperOcean show decades of refinement, showcased today in endorsements from stars like Yao Chen, Daniel Wu and Misty Copeland
The modern chronograph as we know it today owes its evolution to a handful of players in the luxury watch industry. While the earliest models, mostly found in pocket watches, can be traced back to the late 19th century, it was only in the 1930s that the stopwatch feature got a real push in terms of design and functionality.
With several ingenious patents to their credit, Breitling soon established itself as the go-to brand for accurate, sturdy and efficient timepieces – not just for the military but also for sports enthusiasts looking for utmost precision. The Breitling Chronomat, launched in 1941, was one versatile model that attracted aficionados from all walks of life. The first wristwatch with a circular slide rule function, the Chronomat made calculations on the go super easy. You could use it to convert speeds or distances from one unit of measurement to another, and for other complex calculations too.
The Chronomat laid the foundation for the launch of Breitling’s most popular pilot’s watch to date – the Navitimer. A real tool watch, the Navitimer was equipped with a circular slide rule on the rotating bezel to help pilots calculate flight time, distance, air speed, fuel consumption and more.
In 1962, the Navitimer made its first journey into space with astronaut Scott Carpenter, for whom they designed a special model with a 24-hour dial to be worn during his mission aboard the Aurora 7 spacecraft. Over the years, the brand has released several iterations of this attractive timepiece with in-house movements and other upgrades, but the most distinctive feature of the watch continues to be its circular slide rule.
Oceans of inspiration
From the high skies to the deep seas, Breitling expanded its reach to make tool watches for professional and military divers in the late 1950s. Launched to mark Willy Breitling’s silver jubilee as the head of the company, the SuperOcean was another milestone in the brand’s journey.