Breitling to relaunch luxury watch brand Gallet

The Swiss manufacturer is taking the reins of Gallet with the ambition of putting the watch brand back in the spotlight, 200 years after its founding.

Gallet in Breitling's wallet
Two years after taking over the Universal Genève brand , Breitling is expanding its portfolio of prestige 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 timepieces for racing and expeditions. It is notably responsible for the creation of the chronograph used to measure the very first powered flight, piloted by Wilbur and Orville Wright in 1903.

"This acquisition is a logical step in the development of our company. We are giving Gallet a new lease of life by drawing on Breitling's expertise and know-how ," explains Georges Kern, Chairman and CEO of Breitling. "Our ambition is clear: to revive Gallet as a leading watch brand, while preserving its spirit of adventure and innovation in the field of chronographs ," he explains, as Breitling intends to make the brand its " new entry-level luxury watch brand."

A strategic watchmaking revival

Announced for 2026, Gallet's revival could find a particular echo in North America , which, from 1890, became the manufacturer's main market, 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 then suffered, like others, the impact of the arrival of quartz watches combined with the rise of the Swiss franc in the 1970s and 1980s.

In a Swiss watch export market penalized by China, the United States posted a 5% increase 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 for the coming months. Enough to inspire Gallet to make a comeback.