Breitling was founded in 1884 by Léon Breitling in Switzerland and is today owned by the British financial investor CVC Capital Partners. 

Since the 1930s, the manufacturer supplied cockpit instruments and wristwatches specially developed for pilots with predominantly black dials and striking luminous numerals to the Royal Air Force and since the 1940s to the US Army Air Force. The operating patterns and possible calculations made particular sense for pilots. Among other things, Willy Breitling introduced the second pusher as a stop mechanism for the chronograph in 1934, which still sets the standard in the watch industry today.

The models Chronomat and its further development Navitimer from 1952 have complex bezels for special calculations by pilots such as fuel consumption, climb and descent rates, and speeds. Also called a personal onboard instrument for pilots. With the Superocean Breitling marketed the first diver's watch in 1958.

In 1979, the name and trademark rights of Willy Breitling were transferred to entrepreneur Ernest Schneider, who had been producing watches under the Sicura brand since the 1960s. The manufacturer specialized in multifunctional mechanical chronographs including integrated quartz functions, e.g. the pilot's watch Emergency with an emergency transmitter specially for pilots.

Special public attention was given to the first mechanical diver's watch with water resistance up to 3000 meters in 2002 and the self-designed chronograph movement B01 for the 125th anniversary celebration in 2009.