Breitling Isn’t Holding Back Its 2020 Novelties

New York—It’s safe to say Breitling has proved itself to be ahead of the curve.

The Swiss watchmaker announced its decision to exit Baselworld after the 2019 edition, before this year’s exodus of major companies upset with the trade show’s rescheduling in light of the coronavirus pandemic, among other issues.

At the time of its departure last year, Breitling said it would host its own summit to showcase new pieces, as it did in October 2018.

While other brands, such as Rolex and Tudor, have debated on how, when and where to present their 2020 offerings, Breitling has seemed to adapt with relative ease, holding a digital summit earlier this month in place of a physical one.

“We need to stay in contact with the watch lovers around the world,” noted CEO Georges Kern in a pre-recorded video.

Kern introduced three new collections, updates to previous Breitling styles.

The first, the Superocean Heritage ’57 capsule collection, is an ode to surfing, and “is a contemporary interpretation of our iconic sea watches of the ‘50s and ‘60s,” said Kern.

Featured on the wrists of contemporary surf icons Kelly Slater, Sally Fitzgibbons and Stephanie Gilmore, the new pieces feature some key hallmarks from the original style released in 1957, like oversized indexes and concave bezels.

They’re powered by the in-house Breitling Caliber 10 movement.

The three key styles are available in limited production, though not numbered, priced between $4,380 and $5,690.

A special-edition rainbow version is limited to only 250 pieces and priced at $4,520 for a leather strap (seen at top of article) and $5,025 for a steel bracelet.

The new Navitimer Automatic 35 collection is designed for women and hearkens back to the Breitling watches female pilots wore in the first half of the 20th century, as seen in vintage ads from the watchmaker.

Kern explained of the styles that provided both fashion and function, “Contrary to what you might have heard, over the years the history of the wristwatch is feminine.

“While there may be some disagreement, there’s no question that in the earlier part of the 20th century wristwatches had become a popular accessory for fashionable women in Paris and New York. However, offering elegant horological jewelry wasn’t enough for Breitling at the time.”