Wow! Looks like Omega's marketing strategy is really working.
No wonder, given the widespread presence of Omega brand in the form of boutiques around major cities and airports combined with heavy TV advertisement, the Olympics sponsorship as well as the association with James Bond movies and release campaigns.
All of the above is aimed at and fully exposed to a very wide mass market segment.
Breitling's sponsorship and marketing efforts limited mostly to aviation events, are relatively niche and are reaching a very narrow potential customer base resulting in a much lower brand awareness and significantly lower sales volumes. I never expected the gap to be that huge.
All I can say is - well done Omega!

...... but Breitling has actually outperformed Rolex growth in the last 2 years at least so they may 'only' be losing to Omega and holding their own everywhere else. It's still worrying given how much Breitling has invested in the in house movements and their independence (and therefore inherent lower capacity to absorb downturns).

True, in relative terms. The same could be said about someone who sold one watch in 2010 and 2 watches in 2011. A 100% growth!
In actual terms however Rolex's growth just about equals Breitling's annual production and I presume sales. Omega's growth alone is even larger than Breitling's production, in actual figures and that's not even counting non-COSC certified movements which Breitling don't produce/sell.
These are very worrying sustainability signs especially in view of the the massive investments in-house movement development, production facilities and their independence as you have rightly pointed out.
One has to churn out quite a number of watches to recoup that investment, to keep the day to day global sales network going yet at he same time keep the Jet Team, Wingwalkers and Jetman going and John Travolta happy. Not sure if the margins on 150K watches are enough to sustain that and keep the investors happy. After all, there is a lot of money tied up in there.
I very much hope this is not the case? There is a risk however that Breitling might become a small, sun deprived bush amongst tall trees in a dense and fast growing forrest, that eventually shrivels up and dies

Agree completely - they can't ne making any profit on 150,000 units. With a wholesale price of 55 - 60% of list their gross revenue is going to be the equivalent of $500 - $550 million or so and there are a heck of a lot of costs to come off of that gross.

OUt of curiosity how did you get from gross margin to gross revenue without a solid revenue total? Average price maybe? just curoius as it is an interesting look at the business side of our beloved Breitling

Not much science to it - just a guesstimate based on 150,000 units at an average wholesale price 0f $3,500 - $3,700 which would equate to an average retail of $5,800 ($3,500 at 60% of list) to $6,700 ($3,700 at 55% of list). That may be a little low with the recent price rises, but probably not a million miles out when you look at head prices. It's simplistic because it ignores bracelets / straps / servicing, and I have no idea what the revenue or margin would be on that.

Wow! Looks like Omega's marketing strategy is really working.