Celebrating Milestone Anniversary, Breitling Unveils First Perpetual Calendar Movement
Throughout its 140-year history, Breitling, with headquarters in Grenchen, Switzerland, has often pushed back the boundaries of what is possible, creating a number of horological firsts that have advanced the history of precision timekeeping.
Founded by Léon Breitling in 1884, the Swiss brand has set new standards with its groundbreaking innovations, particularly in the field of chronographs.
In 1915, his son Gaston introduced the first wristwatch chronograph with a pusher at 2 o'clock that could start, stop, and reset the chronograph seconds independently of the crown - a significant advance in user control. In 1934, Leon's grandson, Willy, patented a watch with a second independent pusher at 4 o'clock, establishing the form of the modern chronograph that is still used in all watchmaking today. Last but not least, in 1969, Breitling was part of a consortium that developed a self-winding chronograph caliber under the name of "Project 99", a watchmaking challenge that had not yet been completed.
Today, Breitling chronographs are among the most sought-after on the market, especially those equipped with the Breitling Caliber 01, an outstanding column-wheel chronograph movement with a vertical clutch and a power reserve of 70 hours that was launched in 2009.
The reputation of these timepieces is also due to the fact that all Breitling movements are COSC-certified for precision and durability. The B01 marked a technical milestone in the recent history of Breitling and created a platform for further developments with customized functions, such as the B02 with 24-hour function, the B03 with split-seconds and the B04 with GMT.
The latest masterpiece created to mark the anniversary is the Breitling forte, a chronograph complication, combined with a perpetual calendar. Both are technically complex and not easy to combine, as one is responsible for measuring the short time, while the other is a long-term function that will indicate the correct date even in leap years until 2100. The COSC-certified caliber B19 operates at 4 Hertz and features a column-wheel and vertical clutch. It also brings to life a moon-phase display at 12 o'clock. The technical prowess is further highlighted by a whopping 96 hour power reserve.
The technical complexity goes hand in hand with the finest decorations: the most impressive are the engravings on the solid red gold oscillating weight, that depict Breitling’s historic Montbrillant Manufactory at 3 rue de Montbrillant in La Chaux-de-Fonds. Montbrillant was more than a factory: Its west wing was of the villa-style building was the home for three generations of the Breitling family. The premises also served as Breitling’s manufacture for more than 80 years, had pride of place in company advertisements. Its name even appeared on watch dials in the 1930s and ’40s.
This new caliber breathes life into a special 140th anniversary edition comprising Breitling's three flagship models–the Premier, the Navitimer and the Chronomat, all encased in pink gold and paired with distinctive colors for the dials. "These are the most impressive collections in the history of Breitling," said Georges Kern, CEO of Breitling. "We couldn't pick just one to showcase the new B19 caliber for our anniversary–it had to be all three."
Premier B19 Datora 42 140th Anniversary
The Premier made its debut in 1943 as the watch that took the chronograph out of the cockpit and socially acceptable. It was conceived by Willy Breitling as the "gentleman’s chronograph," a symbol of good taste that also happened to be a reliable and functional tool watch.
The anniversary edition, the Premier B19 Datora 42 140th Anniversary, is the most elegant of the trio. Its case has the smallest diameter, 42mm, while offering a water resistance of 100 meters. It retains the Premier’s distinctive Arabic numerals, contrasting minutes scale, and signature square pushers. There is also a tachymeter scale on the flange. Notably, the moon phase is color-coordinated and displays a rather strict looking face.
The Premier B19 Datora 42 140th Anniversary comes on an alligator leather with elegant tone-on-tone topstitching and a gold folding buckle. Pricing is marked at $59,000.
To learn more, visit Breitling, here.
Navitimer B19 Chronograph 43 Perpetual Calendar 140th Anniversary
The Navitimer was the first pilot's watch to combine a chronograph with the brand's own wrist-worn circular slide rule that allowed pilots to perform all necessary flight calculations. Originally developed in 1952 for members of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), the Navitimer quickly found favor with a wider audience, including celebrities and astronauts-in 1962 it became the first Swiss wristwatch in space.
As a true Navitimer, the anniversary edition features the famous slide rule in black, framing the stunning 18-carat red gold dial. Here, the totalizers and sub dials are slightly recessed, adding depth to the dial. The moon phase is depicted in a realistic style on a silver disc.
The Navitimer B19 Chronograph 43 Perpetual Calendar 140th Anniversary measures 43mm wide and is pressure resistant to 30 bar. The strap is made of alligator leather with contrast stitching and an 18 k gold folding clasp. Pricing is also marked at $59,000.
To learn more, visit Breitling, here.
Super Chronomat B19 44 Perpetual Calendar 140th Anniversary
The Chronomat is by nature the most sporty and adventurous of the trio. First launched in 1983 as the official watch of the Italian aerobatic team, the Frecce Tricolori, its bold design soon became a favorite among chronograph aficionados.
According to Breitling, the Chronomat helped restore the popularity of the mechanical chronograph at the height of the quartz crisis. The anniversary edition features the model's distinctive design with four raised rider tabs at the 15-minute marks on the unidirectional ratcheting bezel and an "onion" crown. The dial is partially skeletonized to allow a glimpse of the movement.
The Super Chronomat B19 44 Perpetual Calendar 140th Anniversary measures 44mm and is water-resistant to 100 meters. Breitling fans will appreciate the rubber version of the model's classic Rouleaux bracelet. Pricing is also marked at $59,000.
To learn more, visit Breitling, here.
Owners will also receive a deluxe edition of the book Breitling: 140 Years in 140 Stories (Rizzoli, 2024) personalized with their selected anniversary piece on the cover and showcasing Breitling’s illustrious heritage in vivid storytelling and photography.
