Editor’s Note
Breitling continues its strategic expansion in the heritage watch sector, this time acquiring the historic brand Gallet. This move aims to revive the 200-year-old marque, known for its early 20th-century racing chronographs, following Breitling’s 2022 purchase of Universal Genève.
The Swiss manufacturer is taking the reins of Gallet with the ambition of bringing the watchmaking brand back to the forefront, 200 years after its founding.
Two years after acquiring the brand Universal Genève, Breitling is expanding its portfolio of prestigious brands with the acquisition of Gallet 1826.
Founded by watchmaker Julien Gallet in La Chaux-de-Fonds, the brand built a solid reputation in the early 20th century by designing timing instruments for races and expeditions. It is notably credited with creating the chronograph used to time the very first powered flight, piloted by Wilbur and Orville Wright in 1903.
Scheduled for 2026, the revival of Gallet could find particular resonance in North America, which became the manufacturer’s main market as early as 1890, 20 years after its establishment across the Atlantic. Popularized, among others, by President Harry S. Truman who wore the “Flying Officer” model on his wrist, the brand subsequently suffered, like others, from the impact of the arrival of quartz watches coupled with the rise of the Swiss franc in the 70s/80s.
In a Swiss watch export market penalized by China, the United States recorded an increase of +5% last year, to 4.4 billion francs: with this performance, the USA confirms its leading position, having concentrated nearly 17% of these exports in 2024, after four years of sustained growth. According to the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry, this territory should continue to benefit from favorable prospects in the coming months. This is likely to inspire Gallet’s comeback ambitions.
