The former owners, Théodore Schneider, and before that his father Ernest, had managed and positioned the watch-manufacturer, acquired from the Breitling family in 1979, according to their personal taste. Terms like big, martial, black and non-conformist dominated. Georges Kern sees the things different: he now opens the brand in all directions and he discovers the brands deliberately neglected, great heritage. In particular the rich heritage will lead to a variety of new models never seen before at Breitling. Wristwatches that will definitively meet the taste of a much bigger group of potential buyers and of course Asians. In Asia Breitling has its greatest growth potential, as little attention has been paid to this part of the world so far. After countless references of the past have been abandoned, the new Breitling models made by Georges Kern and his team are successively coming on the markets. The reintroduction of the “8” (“Huit Aviation”) collection, originally launched by Breitling in 1938 as precision timekeeping instruments for aircrafts, and the “Premier” collection, the revival of the sporty-elegant watch collection of the early 1940s, fit perfectly into the new concept. Lovelier forms and moderate sizes follow the countless large, martial and black watches of the past. And if one looks closer one has to admit that a cool and hip vintage touch cannot be denied either. In other words, these are ingredients that are a kind of ticking-fresh-cell-therapy for Breitling.
Hands-on-video: The new BREITLING Navitimer 8 Collection
The Swiss watch-manufacturer Breitling currently is undergoing a strong rejuvenation process lead by its new CEO Georges Kern. The brand before was stuck in its niche. Breitling´s core business were extreme aviation and outdoor watches. Hardly anyone noticed that Breitling also had a few more moderate and lovelier watches in the collections.
