Buy and finance Breitling watches online
Breitling watches pre-owned, new or vintage – easy and secure
If you're looking for a cheap Breitling watch, take a look at our online shop. You'll find a large selection of
certified pre-owned Breitling watches, vintage models in excellent condition and even sometimes new, never worn models for a great price. Watchmaster is a safe site for purchasing your desired Breitling watch: All luxury watches we sell are checked by us and receive a certificate of authenticity.
Have you already chosen your favourite Breitling watch and want it to be delivered as soon as possible? Pay for your pre-owned Breitling watch easily and conveniently by credit card, bank transfer or via PayPal. Alternatively, we also offer interest-free financing options. Pay the purchase price in small instalments in order to plan your investment over the long term. Find out on our website which payment option is best for you and buy your Breitling watch today!
The five most popular Breitling models
- The Breitling Navitimer is considered the absolute classic among the pilot's watches and was for a long time a bestseller among pilots. Above all, this popularity is due to the fact that it was perfectly adapted to the needs of this target group. With its large dial, it is easy to read and with the built-in slide rule in the bezel, flight data could be calculated before on-board computing was developed.
- The Breitling Avenger II is designed to provide the highest level of ruggedness and reliability in all extreme situations. Although their design follows Breitling's pilot's watch style, all of them provide a level of waterproofness similar to that of a diver's watch. With its large and bulky case, the Avenger II is popular with men who prefer masculine and distinctive timepieces.
- Designed as a professional diver's watch, the Breitling Superocean series is waterproof and can withstand more pressure than most modern submarines. Although it also has water-specific equipment such as the rotating bezel and a helium valve, it still holds to the Breitling design.
- The Breitling Chronomat series, introduced in 1942, was particularly popular with the US Army Air Force. Its features enable mathematical calculations, which is reflected in its name – a combination of chronograph and mathematics.
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Breitling Colt models have their origins in the Colt Military, which, as the name implies, was designed for military use. These roots can still be seen in the design language of new models such as the Colt Quartz A7438811.
Best reasons to buy a Breitling watch
- Robust Swiss craftsmanship with movements of highest quality
- Worthwhile investment by increasing the value – especially rare special models gain great popularity
- high recognition value and models with a fascinating history
- distinctive and dynamic design
How much does a Breitling watch cost?
Chronomat 44 (Ref. AB011012.A690.375A)Price pre-owned: approx. €4,770
Material: stainless steel
Characteristics: chronograph, onion crown
Navitimer (Ref. A26322)Price pre-owned: approx. €5,060
Material: stainless steel
Characteristics: slide rule bezel, chronograph, Nato, leather or metal bracelet
Colt Quartz (Ref. A74380)
Price pre-owned: approx. €2,050
Material: stainless steel
Characteristics: silver-coloured bezel, quartz movement
Super Avenger II (Ref. A1337111.BC28.168A)Price pre-owned: approx. €3,770
Material: stainless steel
Characteristics: 48 mm case, chronograph, Volcano Black dial
Superocean Heritage Chronograph 46 (Ref. A1332024.B908.256S.A20D.2)Price pre-owned: approx. €3,800
Material: stainless steel
Characteristics: diver's chronograph, Aero Classic rubber strap
Good investment: Pre-owned and vintage Breitling models
Breitling was always a great example of excellent quality and precision. This is also reflected in Breitling's resale value. Watches of the Swiss brand experience almost without exception a price increase, which makes them a considerable investment for men and women. The stainless steel version of Breitling Navitimer, for example, experienced an increase in value of 172% between 1996 and 2016 – which, with good care, can add up to several thousand Euros.
The story of Breitling
From a family business to a global player in horology
The
beginnings of Breitling's success story sound like a picture book: In 1884, the Swiss
Léon Breitling opened a factory for precision timepieces in the Kanton Jura. His chronographs were equally popular in industry, science and sports and even found military use. Breitling convinced with high-quality standards and classic design. Within a few years, the brand was so successful that another factory was opened in La Chaux-de-Fond.
In 1889, Breitling patented a classic model with a slim design. Thanks to low maintenance and streamlined production, it became very popular. 4 years later a patent followed for a movement which had an, back in the days, unbelievable eight days power reserve. 1896 was followed by another milestone: Breitling developed a chronograph, which had an accuracy of two-fifths of a second. After automobiles had become the preferred mode of transportation, the brand followed the trend with the development of a model equipped with a
tachymetre function. In addition to motorists, however, policemen were now able to measure travel speeds without any problems. A short time later, the first speeding tickets were issued in Switzerland.
After León Breitling's death in 1914, his son Gaston took over and continued with enthusiasm and pioneering spirit. But the history of the manufacturer wasn't an uninterrupted success story. In the late 1970s, Willy Breitling struggled with health and financial difficulties. The company was hit hard by the "quartz crisis". Since his sons were still very young and the future of the industry was uncertain, Breitling decided to sell it to the entrepreneur and passionate pilot, Ernest Schneider, who brought a new spirit into the company. Through his effort,
Breitling was one of the few luxury watch brands to
maintain its independence from large luxury groups such as the Swatch Group.
After rescuing the company, they began experimenting with regular quartz movements and multifunctional special models such as the
Aerospace and
Emergency. As interest in mechanical watches grew rapidly in the 1990s, the
classic Navitimer also celebrated its well-deserved comeback.
The concept of Breitling's success
Breitling has been synonymous with luxurious
watches with a distinctive design for over 150 years. The company owes its success to its close relationship with aviation. This is indicated in the logo: The B with the side wings. Their close connection began in 1915 when Breitling revealed a groundbreaking invention that pioneered the evolution of stopwatches. 11 years earlier, Cartier had created the
first pilot's watch with a leather strap for aviation pioneer Alberto Santos Dumont so he could read the time during the flight; Breitling extended this invention with a
stop function. The
wrist chronograph proved to be highly useful for pilots and soon gained huge popularity.
In 1915, Breitling gave its
stopwatch another push button. The double button structure is now a matter of history for us, but to date, stopwatches have been operated via the crown mechanism. By introducing the two control buttons Breitling set standards that have been maintained until now. After the sudden death of Gaston Breitling in 1927, the company was managed externally for 5 years until his son Willy was old enough to take responsibility for the family business. 1936 Breitling became an official supplier to the Royal Air Force (UK), followed in 1942 by the US Air Force. The
Chronomat presented at that time also had a
slide rule in addition to the chronograph and already gained great popularity under the flying personnel.
The breakthrough finally came when its successor, the
Breitling Navitimer (an abbreviation for "Navigational Timer"), was released in 1952. With their slide rule built into the bezel, pilots could easily perform all calculations relevant to their flight plan – a tremendously valuable function before the invention of the electronic onboard computer. In 1961 the Breitling SA also made ties to space when
astronaut Scott Carpenter asked for a one-hour, 24-hour display. Breitling followed his request and created the
Navitimer Cosmonaute, which Carpenter used in a 352-day spaceflight.
Robust and functional watches: Breitling's philosophy
The
philosophy behind Breitling's assortment is simple but proven: Create watches that match the needs of pilots to the highest possible degree. In addition to the slide rule of the Navitimer, Breitling has designed numerous innovations that offer great additional value, especially for flying personnel. For example, in the event of a crash, the Breitling Emergency is equipped with an emergency transmitter, which can send an SOS signal to rescue personnel.
But if one is just starting to look at luxury watches, the name Breitling always comes up with a certain connotation. Of course, quality and reliability are excluded from this. It's more about the image of the brand. Its
presence in aviation was one of the figureheads that repeatedly brought Breitling glory and new fans. The advertising, however, often had a certain macho appearance. For a long time, women in pin-up poses were firmly associated with Breitling marketing.
Since
Georges Kern took over at Breitling in 2017, the watch brand's marketing underwent a
makeover. The sponsorship contract with Apache Aviation, whose jet team had been sponsored for 17 years, was terminated. However, this was not preceded by a dispute. The decision was based on Kern's comprehensive concept, with which the CEO intends to transform the company into a brand that attracts new customers through a
clean design language and clear collection dimensions. Even though such innovations are always the subject of controversial discussions in the watch industry, Georges Kern proves that he has interpreted the signs of the times correctly on the one hand and has a deep understanding of the company's roots on the other. Although aviation has always been one of Breitling's specialities and continues to play an important role, the brand is also opening up again to other areas, for which it also produces professional measuring instruments. This is expressed more concretely in its four product families. The Navitimer stands for air, the Premier for water and the Transocean for land. The Chronomat collection, on the other hand, unites all three of these areas.
Breitling brand ambassadors and sponsorships
As previously mentioned, Breitling is one of the biggest and most influential brands in the entire industry. So it's no surprise that the manufacturer with the B in its logo only chooses top names to be its brand ambassadors. From David Beckham to Charlize Theron to John Travolta, only top actors and intrepid athletes such as surfer Kelly Slater or adventurer Inge Solheim can be found within the ranks of
Breitling brand ambassadors. Many of the brand's fans also come from the world of aviation and space travel, including the astronauts Buzz Aldrin and Mark Kelly. And even women are fond of the luxury brand: Celine Dion, for example, wears a
Breitling Chronomat ladies' model from time to time.
Furthermore, Breitling has completely reinterpreted the concept of brand ambassadors and now no longer relies solely on the prominence of single individuals, but instead supports entire groups, so-called "squads". The
Breitling Squads are made up of people from the fields of
cinematics, aviation, surfing and research. The members of these squads are all experts in their field and push themselves to their limits and beyond every day. Always by their side: a
Breitling wristwatch.
But Breitling has a lot more to offer. In addition to partnerships with well-known institutions such as
Bentley or the
World Surf League, the company also cooperates with sustainability-oriented organisations such as
Outerknown,
Qhubeka or the
Ocean Conservancy. Breitling has also been the official timekeeper of the airline SWISS since 2016.
