FROM PURPOSE TO STYLE

In the early 1940s, Breitling provides aviation instruments famed for their precision and reliability; logically, its HUIT Aviation department supplies the British Royal Air Forces among many other air forces. Willy Breitling, a man of great style himself, intuitively recognizes that people have a powerful desire for products radiating elegance and glamour. Breitling is already producing some elegant chronographs, but Willy Breitling wants to develop a new distinctive collection, intended for a discerning, and stylish clientele.

With its name coming from the French word for “first”, the Premier collection is launched in 1943 and is positioned at the forefront of watchmaking elegance, but still with the versatility and sportiness that distinguishes all other Breitling wristwatches like the iconic Navitimer or the stylish SuperOcean that will both come a decade later.

With cases crafted from either solid gold or stainless steel, and ranging from a small and elegant 32mm to a large and sporty 38mm, Premier watches are made for the active gentleman who enjoys a drink in a classy bar or a sporty ride in the countryside. Embodying the dynamic and versatile lifestyle of its clientele, the Premier collection offers an impressively large diversity of design configurations: from square pushers to round pushers with dials configuration with two or three subdials. For an elegant look you will go for refined applied indexes while for a sportier touch, luminescent indexes will be perfect. There is really a Premier for any occasion and Premier watches quickly become the ultimate go-to accessory.

Concomitantly to the Premier, Breitling builds up on his legitimacy in the chronograph development (Breitling patented the first independent chronograph pusher in 1915 and the first second independent pusher in 1934) and brings some more complications to the elegant Premier including a highly complicated split-second chronograph: the Duograph, launched in the early 1944. Keeping design codes set up by the Premier, the Duograph is also offered in numerous variations, from square pushers to round pushers, in stainless steel or in gold. Beyond any doubt, it represents the epitome of Breitling complicated watches.

Alongside the Duograph, Breitling also launches a Premier with a full calendar indication: the Datora. As the Premier, the Datora is characterized by its overall elegance while offering many information like the day and the month. It is offered also in stainless or gold, sometimes even sporting a moon phase indication.