Breitling will reportedly add the dormant Swiss watch brand Gallet to its independently owned group next month.

This information is based on the website Miss Tweed (paywalled), which has a track record of breaking watch-related news stories.

We cannot be sure this deal is happening until Breitling officially confirms it. However, as we reported in February 2024, based on a podcast with Ben Clymer (Hodinkee), Anthony Traina (formerly Hodinkee), and Georges Kern (CEO of Breitling), Kern stated that they were looking to add a watch brand at a price point below Breitling, in the same vein as Universal Geneve (acquired by Breitling for around $70 million in December 2023), which sits above Breitling.

Gallet has a rich history — worn by President Harry S. Truman (pictured above) — and specializes in chronographs, military, aviation, and sports watches, and fits the profile of a watch brand that could slot in below Breitling.

Massive changes started at Breitling when Kern left Richemont and became CEO and part-owner of Breitling in July 2017. Ever since, Kern has communicated to the press and on social media about how much growth Breitling is seeing each year (without presenting specific numbers), which suggests the turnaround is going well. However, with the Swatch, LVMH, and Richemont groups all expected to report double-digit sales drops in 2024, compared to 2023 according to WatchPro — it’s highly likely that Breitling saw similar double-digit sales decreases in 2024.

If that’s the case, it makes you wonder how long it will take to get sales up at not just Breitling, but also Universal Geneve (expected to relaunch in 2026), and now Gallet. Kern’s work is cut out for him.