Breitling is set to take its 140th anniversary vintage watch exhibition to 55 boutiques across four continents over the coming months.
The tour, called ‘Time Capsule: The Breitling Heritage Exhibition’, will serve as a showcase of the most important timepieces from the brand’s illustrious history.
Breitling will use the programme to highlight its legacy of more than a century of watchmaking, including inventing the modern chronograph, equipping the first pilot’s watch with a circular slide rule, and sending the first Swiss wristwatch into space and the first dive chronograph underwater.
It co-developed the first automatic chronograph movement, put the first international emergency beacon in a watch, and was the first to make its movements 100% COSC certified.
The exhibition will be a chance for customers, partners and watch aficionados to see the trailblazing pieces first hand.
The travelling showcase brings together the most significant watches from Breitling’s past, illustrating those that played a pioneering role in watchmaking history and aligning them with their modern-day counterparts.
It will make 55 stops at selected Breitling boutiques across North America, Europe, Oceania, and Asia, including the Middle East.
“We’ve launched Time Capsule to honour our heritage and celebrate our breakthroughs,” said Georges Kern, CEO of Breitling.
“Each exhibition is a captivating journey that connects our heritage with the present, allowing guests to witness the evolution and lasting spirit of our brand.”
The exhibition will run for one to two weeks in each boutique, up until December 2024.
Key highlights of the exhibition
Gaston Breitling’s mono-pusher (1915): This pioneering design was the first to separate the chronograph functions from the crown, marking a significant innovation.
Willy Breitling’s Populaires (1937): Inspired by the Kodak Brownie camera, this line made chronographs accessible to a wider audience by mass-producing them at an approachable price.
Cocktail watches (1940s): Breitling’s elaborate women’s cocktail watches, handcrafted in gold and gemstones, showcase the brand’s historic craftsmanship and inspire its modern women’s lines.
The first smartwatch (1942): Breitling’s Chronomat, originally meaning “Chronograph for Mathematicians,” was the first watch equipped with a circular slide rule. It acted as an analog calculator, setting the stage for future innovations like the Navitimer.
The Navitimer (1952): This revolutionary pilot’s watch developed in 1952 featured a circular slide rule that turned it into the world’s first wrist-worn flight computer. Adopted by the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), the Navitimer became an iconic timepiece for aviators and style icons alike.
The Cosmonaute (1962): A Navitimer with a 24-hour display, requested by astronaut Scott Carpenter to distinguish day from night in space. It became the first Swiss wristwatch in space, leading to its popular appeal back on Earth.
The Chrono-Matic (1969): The result of a top-secret consortium with Heuer Leonidas, Hamilton Buren, and Dubois-Depraz, this movement was the first to market that combined a chronograph with an automatic caliber.
The Emergency (1995): This was the first watch to contain a miniature international distress beacon, which helps locate and rescue people in danger and potentially save their lives.
