Pre-owned Breitling Watches

Preowned Breitling Watches

The history of sports watches cannot be told without mentioning Breitling. Many of the company's technical achievements still serve as the basis for chronographs today. Breitling has offered in-demand sport watches around the world for decades. This family business from Switzerland is also closely connected to the aviation industry. 

About Breitling Watches

Founded in 1884 by Léon Breitling, watch brand Breitling defines high functionality and innovative design. The company originally produced wristwatches for pilots in the Royal Air Force, among others. In the years that followed, Breitling established itself in the luxury watch sector and is now one of the most popular watch brands in the world.

When Breitling is mentioned, watch enthusiasts, particularly pilots, will automatically think of the Navitimer series, known for its precise and reliable technical chronographs. These devices are the standard in modern chronograph. If you are looking for the best deal, we recommend that you consider a preowned Breitling watch.

Breitling: History

This story begins more than 130 years ago in Saint-Imier with 24-year-old Léon Breitling. Breitling trained as a watchmaker and made his first chronograph in 1884. Seven years after his watch company was founded, its headquarters was relocated to La Chaux-de-Fonds. This famous watchmaking town offered Breitling a breeding ground for further growth.

When Breitling passed away in 1914, his son Gaston took over the business and changed direction to match his interest in aviation. The company's first wrist chronograph was introduced that same year. Assembled with a central seconds hands, it was designed to support pilots with important calculations via a 30-minute counter. In 1923 Gaston simplified the operation of the chronograph by introducing a special push-piece that complements the crown. It started the mechanism, stopped it, and then set it to zero. This user-friendly configuration has since become the standard worldwide.

Gaston's son, who took over the business in 1932, introduced the now legendary onboard chronograph in 1936, which strengthened business relationships with aviation companies. A chronograph with a slide rule and manual winding was then introduced in 1942. This model that was particularly popular with the US armed forces. In the 1950s, the Navitimer was introduced and it became one of the company's best-known watches. Next, the company's first diving watch was launched in 1958 under the name Superocean.

After the introduction of the very successful Chronomat in 1984 and the Emergency in 1995, Breitling became known for offering high-quality mechanical watches with implemented functions made possible by quartz technology. Breitling has been manufacturing its own calibers for automatic watches and chronographs in its workshops since 2009. Without exception, all Breitling movements are also certified as official chronometers by the independent Swiss Test Center (COSC).

Most Popular Breitling Watch Models

Breitling’s most popular timepieces include the Navitimer 1 B01 Chronograph 43, the Breitling Chronomat, and the Superocean. However, other collections by this company also have cult status among aviation and seafaring enthusiasts. These include the Colt, Avenger, Galactic, and Professional collections. The elegant Premier Automatic, designed by Willy Breitling in 1940, is one of the brand’s now-famous women’s watches.  Since 2003 there has also been a partnership with the British car brand Bentley, most notably the "Breitling for Bentley" series, recognizable by the knurled relief on the bezel which is reminiscent of a Bentley's grille.

Breitling Superocean

The Breitling Superocean collection links the company closely to water sports. One watch in the collection, the Superocean Automatic, is waterproof to a depth of 200 meters. The Breitling Superocean was launched in 1957. For its 60th birthday in 2017, the Superocean Heritage II was launched. This timepiece has a steel bezel with a rotating ring made of scratch-resistant, high-tech ceramic. The color matches the dial. 

The Breitling Superocean 36 is intended for sporty women who appreciate technical timepieces. The Superocean 44, in contrast to the pilot's chronograph, presents itself without sub-dials.

Breitling Navitimer

The Navitimer is the company’s coveted pilot's watch. Chronographs like the Navitimer Automatic or the Chronograph 43 are considered classics today. When it was launched in 1952, the first model of this men's watch had a knurled rotating bezel with a slide rule function, which acts as a navigation aid for pilots. 

The Navitimer was completely reimagined in 2018, when it was divided into the Navitimer 1 and the Navitimer Aviator 8. The Navitimer 1 Chronograph has the same design as the original model and has the famous slide rule bezel. The Breitling Navitimer B01 Chronograph, which is available with stainless steel or rose gold case, by contrast does not include a bezel.

Breitling Chronomat

With the Chronomat model, Breitling became a leading manufacturer of watches for pilots. The Swiss company launched the first Chronomat in 1941 and it was subsequently officially adopted for use by the US Air Force. The original Chronomat was provided with a manual winding system and the now-famous slide rule function.

Over the years, the Chronomat has changed its appearance several times. In 1984 the Chronomat began using the popular attached bezel rider. With this relaunch, the Breitling Chronomat became one of the company's main products.

Breitling Avenger

The roots of the Breitling Avenger Automatic go back to the Second World War. Breitling, a manufacturer of technical timepieces, began supplying the British Royal Air Force and the US Air Force with high-precision timepieces. With a glance at the clock, pilots had all the important information they needed for survival, such as the amount of fuel remaining in their aircraft.

Today, the Breitling Avenger Automatic is particularly popular with young, sports-loving people. The diameters of the cases in the different models range from 43 to 50mm. Thick sapphire crystal protects the dial, and the massive construction is underlined by a screw-down crown with a crown protection device.

Breitling Colt

With the Navitimer and Chronomat, Breitling has made a name for itself in the military as a manufacturer of reliable and precise instruments. The Breitling Colt expanded this portfolio, and quickly developed from a military instrument into one Breitling’s most accessible models. This timepiece has a striking design, underlined by a wide bezel with four protruding tabs. This ensures that the bidirectional rotating bezel can be grasped at any time and easily adjusted. 

Galactic

The Galactic collection from Breitling is characterized above all by its versatility. The Galactic watches are sporty, modern, and adaptable. There are a wide range of sizes and models offered and the collection offers both feminine and masculine pieces.

Why buy a preowned Breitling watch?

A sporty Breitling men's or women's watch has been a good investment for decades. A wristwatch or a chronograph from this traditional company is popular among connoisseurs of iconic timepieces. 

Swiss watches enjoy an excellent reputation worldwide because they have become synonymous with fine craftsmanship and elegant designs. Breitling is one of the best-known and most traditional brands in the small Alpine country. With the Breitling Avenger and Breitling for Bentley, this watchmaking company achieved unparalleled success for decades, and the Breitling Chronograph is timeless and has always stood for the finest quality. 

If you are looking to purchase used Breitling watches, Exquisite Timepieces is the right place for you. You will find preowned models at incredibly low prices on our website. Apart from the less expensive nature of preowned Breitling watches, you would be privileged to purchase preowned Breitling watches due to the allure of their history as well as the increased value of such vintage timepieces over time.

At Exquisite Timepieces, we offer a great selection of certified preowned luxury watches, all in excellent condition. Have you found a used Breitling watch in our online shop and want to buy it as soon as possible? Do not hesitate to contact us, we will be happy to help you.