A Passion for Precision – Breitling watches
Breitling watches’ longstanding partnership with Bentley Motors: A match made in handcrafted heaven
When Bentley asked Breitling watches to create a clock for its new Continental GT car back in 2002, it’s safe to say that neither brand imagined that this was the beginning of an immense success story. Bentley had sought out a watch brand to make a dashboard clock that would match its standards for excellence. Breitling shares Bentley’s drive for precision and performance, and both value a personal touch: the cars and watches are all hand-made to exacting standards.
The Breitling for Bentley collection was introduced a year after the launch of the dashboard clock, following Bentley winning the 24 Hours of LeMans race in 2003. It sold out quickly and a watchmaking star was born.
Breitling’s Swiss heritage
Leon Breitling, who dedicated his production to precision timers and chronographs,the perfect instruments for sports and the manufacturing industry, founded Breitling in 1884. Just two years after Breitling opened his shop, Karl Benz made the first gasoline-powered production automobile. As automobiles entered into everyday use in the early 20th century, Breitling’s pursuit of precision made their instruments perfect automobile companions. Early automobiles did not have fuel gauges or much in the way of instrumentation, so accurate timing was valuable to motorists, as it was to early pilots.
British automobiles at their finest
Bentley’s reputation as Britain’s premier motor car spans nearly 100 years, beginning when W.O.Bentley rolled his first car out of production in 1919. The firm is known for its handcraftsmanship, comfort, elegance and performance. England’s Royal Family rides almost exclusively in their cars, which are built to last for decades. While staying faithful to its roots, Bentley has also kept up with the times, creating a line of super-luxury SUV’s for its collection.
Breitling’s Bentley collection features some of the brand’s most precise chronograph movements, providing a parallel between the watch and the car’s highly powerful engine. The marriage of precision, luxury and reliability is a perfect match for the Swiss watch manufacturer and the British automaker. All Breitling for Bentley watches are COSC (Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute) certified, blending the best of traditional watchmaking with modern innovation.
Styles to fit your lifestyle
The Breitling for Bentley collection bears the automaker’s winged logo (a symbol of speed with a B at its center), along with the Breitling name. The collection spans a multitude of functional complications to suit a car driver and world traveler. The Bentley B06 S is fitted with a 30-second chronograph and a variable tachymeter scale for measuring speed or distance, with a rotating bezel. The Breitling B05 Unitime contains a worldtime display which is easily adjusted by turning the crown. Its automatic movement is wound with an oscillating weight shaped to mimic a wheel rim. Various GMT models are represented in the collection in a variety of metals including titanium, carbon, steel and gold. Whatever your choice, the chronograph function is at the heart of the collection, a tribute to Bentley’s driving heritage. With its limited production, Breitling for Bentley is in high demand among collectors.
