Breitling SA was founded in Saint-Imier by Léon Breitling in 1884. When Breitling died in 1914, the business passed to his son, Gaston, and then to his grandson, Willy, in 1935. His children however, were not interested in pursuing the family business, so the Breitling factory in La Chaux de Fonds closed in December 1978. Willy, already in poor health, died in May 1979.

Ernst Schneider, owner of the Sicura Company in Grenchen, bought the Breitling name from the founding family in 1979. Production of watches moved to the Sicura factory, which later changed its name to Montres Breitling AG and then Breitling AG in 1994.

The Schneider family retained ownership until April 2017, when Ernst’s son, Theodore Schneider, sold the majority stake (80%) in Breitling to CVC Capital Partners for $870 million. Schneider retained 20% control of Breitling until November 2018, when he sold these remaining 20% to CVC.