Whether you are a businessman, an athlete, or a pilot, Breitling can give you a watch model that suits your lifestyle and budget. It is a Swiss luxury brand committed to manufacturing timepieces with innovative features with high standards. Throughout its stay in the very competitive watchmaking industry, it survived and continues to flourish.
Breitling started as a manufacturer of aircraft cockpit instruments and became a renowned maker of timepieces that you can use for land, sea, and air activities. It has a close relationship with the aviation and military industries, which increased its credibility and reputation in watchmaking. It never fails to deliver accurate, reliable, and aesthetically pleasing timekeeping tools. However, it is not safe from counterfeiters, so if you want to buy a watch from the brand, continue reading to know how to spot a fake Breitling watch.
Table of Contents
1. Check the weight and finish.
If you have the opportunity to fit the watch before purchasing it, then do so. In this way, you can personally check its weight. It must weigh heavy especially if the seller claims that the company used steel and precious materials to manufacture it. If you can’t feel it on your wrist, there is a high possibility it is a replica. Counterfeits usually use plastics, that’s why it feels lighter than genuine ones. After checking the weight, the next thing you have to do is to observe its finish. Take note that a legit Breitling watch would have crystals with an anti-glare coating and a blue or purple glow. Hence, if the timepiece that you are about to purchase has a bright glare, then there is a chance that it is an imitation.
2. Check the calendar window and subdials.
The calendar window that the company incorporates in their watches is full of large and clear black letters and numbers to ensure that wearers can easily read the time of the day. You can only find this complication for annual and perpetual calendar collections. So if the watch you are planning to purchase is not under the said collection but comes with a date window, then it is fake. It must only contain 3 dub-dials responsible for telling the seconds, minutes, and hour counters respectively.
3. Check the watch logo.
There are two kinds of logos used by the company, namely winged anchor and cursive B. The former looks like a B anchor flanked by wings and below it, you can find the Breitling name. The company uses two positions in engraving the winged anchor. You can only find it on top of the dial or near the calendar window. If your desired watch comes with a logo engraved on the case, then it is fake. Another thing to check is the space between the anchor and the wings and between the inner wing and its outer edges. If these spaces do not exist, then it is from a counterfeiter. The other logo, which is letter B in cursive form, is only available in the heritage collections. If you happen to buy a watch from the said collection, observe the letter B. The company used metal materials to create it and placed it on the dial. Below the cursive B logo, you can find the Breitling name.
4. Check the crowns and pushers.
After checking the watch weight, finish, calendar window, subdials, and logo, you also have to consider the crowns and pushers. They are one of the elements that counterfeiters are having a hard time imitating. They often fail to create the same number of crowns and pushers. Moreover, they can’t position them correctly versus the hour markers. If the fitting and shape of the crowns and pushers look awkward and odd, then the watch you are about to purchase is most likely an imitation. Don’t push through with your plan of buying it to avoid having regrets in the end. Politely decline the offer and research about the official retail stores to not encounter counterfeiters again.
Breitling in 1884
Leon Breitling, a talented watchmaker, established the company in 1884. It focused on producing measuring tools and timepieces with innovative features. He caught the attention of the market when he released simplified designs of a Chronograph. They appear sleek and elegant while maintaining their high functionality. When Leon died, Gaston Breitling replaced him and continued to offer timepieces with features that were out of the box. In 1915, the brand publicized one of its best innovations namely the Chronograph with a push-piece close to the crown. After Gaston, Willy Breitling managed the company, which at that time was too young to understand the complex industry it was in. He needed assistance to maintain the good reputation of the company and continue its operation. Under his management, it released the Navitimer collection, which contains the most popular watch models. Later on, he decided to sell the brand to an entrepreneur due to his poor health condition, and none of his children could take over because they were too young.
Breitling nowadays
Willy Breitling sold the company to Ernest Schneider, who had a deep understanding of the watchmaking and aviation industries. For this reason, he was capable of maintaining the good reputation of the brand. In 2017, the brand became a part of the CVC Capital partners that were under the supervision of Georges Kern, the CEO. Nowadays, you can find timepieces from the brand that address different types of lifestyles. They have impressive style, unmatched quality, and craftsmanship that are hard to find in other Swiss brands. Since they are reliable and durable, they can accompany you in whatever adventures you plan to take like hiking in the wilderness.
In a Nutshell
After reading the article, we hope that you now know how to spot a fake Breitling watch. However, if you are not a watch aficionado, you might have a hard time observing and analyzing the timepiece you are about to purchase. The best way to avoid becoming a victim of counterfeiters is by purchasing from a reputable dealer like The Watch Company!