Indestructibility, the finest materials, and quality to last a lifetime – when it comes to describing their watches, watchmakers are hardly known for their modesty. But how much truth is there to the promise of the perfect masterpiece? We took a closer look at the "Made by Breitling" quality promise and examined which standards the luxury brand from Grenchen actually upholds when building its timepieces.
The Heart First – Movements
Even the finest craftsmanship brings little joy if corners were cut on the movement. So what quality standards do Breitling's calibers meet? Given its close ties to aviation and motorsport, it comes as no surprise that the brand focuses heavily on producing chronographs:
Most of these are made in the brand's own manufacture and equipped with a wide variety of complications – the range extends from a second time zone all the way to a world timer.
Production relies on state-of-the-art technology: in a complex production chain, specialized software handles the inspection and assembly of the movements, while certain steps are still carried out by hand in the traditional way. This interplay ensures the highest possible quality while maintaining high production volumes. On top of that, the brand has invested heavily in advancing quartz technology in recent years – its so-called "SuperQuartz" movements promise ten times the precision of conventional versions.
The generous five-year manufacturer's warranty – by no means standard in the industry – makes Breitling's quality promise all the more credible. The brand also places great importance on COSC certification for all of its movements. Awarded by the official Swiss chronometer testing institute, this certification sets demanding requirements: over a period of 15 days, every single movement is put through a veritable ordeal and must not exceed an average daily rate deviation of -4/+6 seconds. With this measure, the manufacturer underscores its quality promise once again and leaves no doubt about flawless production.
Dial, Hands, and Crystal – the Center of the Watch
A quick glance at the time here and there – the dial catches the eye at every opportunity, so it should not only be flawless but also look impressive. The basic steps, namely stamping it from a brass plate and polishing it, are carried out at Breitling much as they are at most other manufacturers. What stands out is the effort invested in the lacquering:
For the Navitimer, for example, the so-called "épargne" process is used, in which base surfaces of pure silver and gold create a distinctive luster and the well-known shimmer. The brand logo has a process all its own: it is stamped with extreme precision from a strip of 18-karat gold, then sandblasted and polished.
All in all, producing the dial takes 23 steps. The "Made by Breitling" quality promise extends down to the smallest detail. The hand, for instance, is cut from a brass strip, with the production of the tiny logo demanding particular precision. The pipe, the component responsible for attaching the hand above the dial, is drilled to a precision of 2 microns – just 1/30 the width of a human hair.
A dedicated surface treatment and rotation check are meant to ensure the visual and technical perfection of this small but crucial hand. Both dial and hands must be effectively protected against environmental influences and damage – and that is the job of the crystal.
When people speak of sapphire crystal, they don't mean the gemstone itself but a synthetic material produced in a chemical heating process at over 2000°C.
That is the case with every manufacturer. After surface treatment and polishing comes the anti-reflective coating on both sides, something the luxury brand from Grenchen places particular emphasis on.
Case and Bracelet – Robustness Is Key
When a manufacturer advertises with the slogan "Instruments for Professionals," external robustness should be a given. Breitling's standard material is 316L stainless steel, a rust-resistant and antimagnetic alloy – in a stamping process, the case is cut from a metal bar and pressed under steadily increasing pressure.
The Breitling Chronomat, known for its exceptional robustness, requires 15 steps for this stage alone. The subsequent metal finishing is just as elaborate: polishing, satin-finishing, and micro-blasting are essential for the final luster.
Experts can tell the difference between expensive and inexpensive watches with a single glance at the bracelet.
The heritage brand's quality promise also encompasses high-end design, excellent wearing comfort, and maximum sturdiness. To achieve this, every link is stamped from a metal bar and polished by hand, and only solid end links and clasps are used.
Strict Inspections for Flawless Quality
Once all components are finished, casing begins: this involves fitting the dial onto the movement, setting the hands, and mounting the movement in the case. The luxury brand from Grenchen maintains strict conditions regarding temperature and humidity so that no harmful particles get inside during casing. Finally, the caseback is attached, completing the "Made in Switzerland" timepiece.
The "Made by Breitling" quality promise involves more than 1,000 inspections during the production of a chronometer. Visual uniformity, water and air tightness, and the flawless functioning of all components are checked multiple times, making defects in the finished product virtually impossible. Like all luxury brands, Breitling also has a global customer service network, much of whose work consists of complete overhauls of watches. This is meant to ensure that every model from Grenchen stays in working order and loses none of its precision, even after many years.
Impressive Attention to Detail
Granted, the maker with the winged B doesn't belong to the absolute elite of the watch industry – names like Audemars Piguet or Breguet represent manufacture craftsmanship on yet another level. Whether their finished products are really as much better than Breitling's masterpieces as their higher prices would suggest, however, is highly doubtful.
Our journey through the production process of a wristwatch from Grenchen has revealed that "Made by Breitling" is a meaningful quality promise that has nothing to do with an empty slogan.
Despite high production volumes, the manufacturer guarantees the highest standards of craftsmanship and material quality, carries out extensive inspections, and offers not only a five-year warranty but also chronometer certification for all of its movements. Quality that convinces – and that goes at least some way toward explaining why Swiss luxury watches cost what they do.
