When Georges Kern became CEO of Breitling in 2017, he took the reins of a brand rich in heritage but ready for reinvention.
Known for its deep-rooted ties to aviation, technical chronographs, and masculine identity, Breitling had long been associated with precision and performance. But under Kern’s leadership, the brand has evolved into a more inclusive, lifestyle-driven name in watchmaking, all while staying true to the legacy that made it great. With a sharp focus on digital innovation, sustainability, and storytelling, Kern has steered Breitling into new territory, making it not only relevant to a new generation of collectors, but also one of the most forward-thinking players in Swiss horology today.
This year marked a major milestone for the brand: its 140th anniversary. To celebrate, Breitling launched the Year of Firsts, a campaign that revisits the brand’s most groundbreaking innovations—like the invention of the modern chronograph and the iconic Navitimer—while also unveiling a series of bold new releases and strategic moves that point to the future. Few brands reach such an anniversary with their identity intact, let alone one that continues to push boundaries. For Kern, this moment is both a celebration of endurance and an opportunity to define what true innovation looks like in the world of luxury watches today.
In this exclusive interview, Kern reflects on the meaning of legacy in a fast-moving industry, the qualities that make a watch truly iconic in 2025, and how Breitling is cultivating a powerful presence in the Middle East. With Dubai Watch Week returning this November, the brand’s commitment to the region has never been stronger—and as Kern explains, it’s a market that aligns perfectly with Breitling’s vision of bold luxury, strong community, and timeless adventure.
140 years is a remarkable milestone for any brand— tell us about the importance of this moment and the celebrations so far.
This milestone was an important moment for us. There were many elements to the Breitling story that we’ve not been able to tell, and the 140-year anniversary was a great opportunity to reveal all of that. Celebrating “140 Years of Firsts” highlighted Breitling’s pioneering spirit, groundbreaking achievements and its impact. Each event, exhibition, and story last year emphasised our heritage and commitment to innovation. We are very satisfied with how that year has unfolded.
The “140 Year of Firsts” theme perfectly highlights the brand’s history of innovation—tell us about this.
Breitling has been at the forefront of watchmaking innovation for over 140 years, so there are many important achievements. We invented the modern chronograph, equipped the first pilot’s watch with a circular slide rule, sent the first Swiss wristwatch into space, and created the first dive chronograph. The brand codeveloped the first automatic chronograph movement, put the first international emergency beacon in a watch, was the first to make its movements 100% COSC certified, and today continues to break ground with innovations like the first traceable watch and a range of manufacture movements, all designed and assembled at the Breitling Chronometrie.
How do you continue to strike the balance between honouring Breitling’s history and pushing forward with contemporary relevance in today’s market?
We base it on the concept of “modern-retro,” meaning we are a modern brand, and so is our product, but we remain deeply connected to our heritage—staying true to our brand DNA. Our designs are inspired by iconic models that carry a nostalgic charm and are inspired by historic timepieces. People like to “touch” real materials, and this modern-retro style reassures our customers, offering them the best of both the past and present. We are modern in the technology used to build our watches, yet retro in design—a balanced combination.
We have spoken a lot about the need to raise awareness of the “new Breitling” to many existing and potential customers – how is this challenge going, and what more can be done to work towards this? How would you sum up what you think is the perception of Breitling today?
We have a proven strategy, but the key opportunity lies in expanding awareness and building brand esteem. Today, only 10 to 15% of our target group truly knows the new Breitling. The “old” Breitling was mostly focusing on aviation, very male-oriented and loud—85% of our clients still have the old image in mind. Today, we’ve evolved into a generalist brand, offering pieces for Air, Land and Sea. The brand embodies a unique modern-retro design ethos and is the leader in what we call “neo-luxury”—a casual, approachable and sustainable interpretation of luxury.
For me, the coming years will be about unlocking our full potential and doing more of the same to scale awareness. The more people discover the new Breitling, the more they’re drawn to it.
You have had great success over the past few years – how do you now keep this momentum?
Over the past eight years, we’ve focused on revitalising Breitling with a cool and contemporary appeal and with beautiful, modern and fresh products. Now, we’re pushing further, building on our watchmaking expertise, our in-house movements and iconic products. For example, we launched the automatic manufacture calibre B31 earlier this year, which reinforces our independence and showcases our technical know-how. At the same time, we’ll continue introducing exciting products and aspirational designs.
Most recently, we saw the relaunch of the Superocean Heritage collection. This watch is incredibly important for the brand—tell us about this.
The new Superocean Heritage collection is all about refinement. From an optimised size assortment to the introduction of the new B31 manufacture movement, every detail has been carefully considered—yet the spirit of the watch remains unchanged. The Superocean Heritage still represents style at sea, inspired by our first dive watches, which included the first-ever dive chronograph launched in 1957.
True to its mid-century roots, the collection retains its spear-and-arrow hands, pointed indexes, and high-lustre rotating bezel—updated to ceramic from anodised aluminium. It was created with easy underwater legibility in mind, which is still essential today. We’ve enhanced symmetry with tone-on-tone subdials and a subtle date at six o’clock—preserving its look while refining the design.
We’ve also introduced the Superocean Heritage B31 Automatic Kelly Slater edition, celebrating his legendary career and the Hawaiian surf culture that shaped him. From its tropical canopy-inspired dial to the floral-patterned presentation box, the watch represents Kelly’s deep connection to the ocean and his laid-back style.
Breitling has been a regular at Dubai Watch Week. What can collectors and enthusiasts expect from your brand’s presence at this year’s event?
Dubai Watch Week is one of the region’s biggest horological events and has become a key stakeholder in the international watch industry. As Breitling has a longstanding partnership with Ahmed Seddiqi, it is natural for us to be present at Dubai Watch Week. As a participating brand, we can leverage this ever-growing platform to showcase novelties and engage with horology enthusiasts who gather from all over the world.
This year, we’re taking things to the next level with a significantly expanded presence. Our stand-alone pavilion will feature a selection of new releases, special editions, and rare vintage timepieces from the Breitling pop-up museum, along with a vibrant program of activations and experiences. Don’t miss the Breitling pavilion at Dubai Watch Week, it will be the place to be.
How important is the Middle East market today for Breitling, and what’s in the pipeline for our region?
The Middle East is one of the most dynamic marketplaces in the world for timepieces and has always been a key market for Breitling in terms of growth and development. We have recently expanded our retail spaces to five boutiques in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which includes our largest boutique in the region, located in Panorama Mall, Riyadh.
We’re also proud to have opened our first Breitling Kitchen in the Middle East, an extension of the Panorama Mall boutique. This unique dining concept is one of three worldwide and brings a new dimension of customer experience to a region that is renowned for its deep-rooted culture of hospitality.
As for the rest of the GCC, we have plans to open more boutiques over the next few years. Our retail footprint remains our best marketing tool, and we look forward to offering a unique and memorable customer experience to more people across the region.
What, in your opinion, makes an icon when it comes to watches?
An icon is the result of a perfect balance between heritage, design, and purpose. It’s a timepiece with a strong identity—rooted in authenticity and true to its original spirit—that remains relevant across generations.
At Breitling, the Navitimer and Chronomat collections are perfect examples. These watches feature instantly recognisable designs that have stood the test of time, continuously refined to meet the needs and tastes of today while preserving what made them iconic in the first place.
Ultimately, an iconic watch embodies the DNA of its brand. It’s timeless, purposeful, and unmistakable.
What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learnt at Breitling?
The industry moves in cycles. Sometimes things flow easily, and growth comes naturally. Other times, it’s a challenge—we’re in one of those tougher phases now. But I know it won’t last forever. Once we push through, things will level out again. That’s business: it ebbs and flows, and the key is to keep moving forward.
Looking ahead, what would be your hopes for the brand’s 150th anniversary?
I believe that Breitling has the potential to become one of the top five watch brands globally. At Breitling, we have a clear and proven strategy in place that allows us to continue to scale our business to reach this goal. I’ve never managed a brand with such strong intrinsic assets—Breitling’s history, back catalogue, products and appeal are unmatched. We are confident that our unique positioning and core values resonate strongly with today’s consumers.
