History of Breitling: Abbreviated version...
1884: In St-Imier, in the Jura mountains of Switzerland, Leon Breitling opens a workshop specializing in the making chronograph pocket watches and precision counters for scientific and industrial purposes.
1892: Leon Breitling relocates in La Chaux-de-Fonds, the center of Swiss watchmaking of the day.
1914: Leon Breitling dies. His son Gaston Breitling takes over the company.
1915: During WWI, Recognizing rapid advancements in aviation and the need for a precision timepiece for that purpose, Gaston introduces the first wrist-watch chronograph providing pilots with the first Breitling wristwatch.
1923: Breitling develops the first independant chronograph pushpiece. Start and return-to-zero functions had previously been controlled using the winding-crown.
1932: Gaston's son, Willy Breitling, takes over for his father as the head of the company.
1934: Breitling develops a watch with a second return-to-zero pushpiece. This invention, made it possible to measure several successive short times with an added function using the first pushpiece, and gives the wrist chronograph its difinitive form.
1936: Breitling becomes the official supplier to the Royal Air Force. This difinatively marks the start of its longstanding ties to aviation.
1942: Breitling launches the Chronomat, the first chronograph to be fitted with a circular slide rule. In parallel, the company broadens its professional clientele to include the American armed forces.
1952: Breitling creates the Navitimer, a wrist instrument equipped with the famous "navigation computer" capable of handling all calculations called for by a flight plan. This "super" chronograph quickly becomes a favorite among pilots around the world.
1962: Astronaut Scott Carpenter wears the Cosmonaute chronograph during his orbital flight aboard the Aurora 7 space capsule.
1969: Breitling introduces the self-winding chronograph. This technical feat represents a major breakthrough for the entire Swiss watch industry.
1979: Ernest Schneider - a pilot and watch manufacturer takes over as the head of Breitling.
Present: The company continues to produce timepieces of the highest quality in the world.
