Breitling Emergency II: saving lives

The Breitling Emergency II has a wider range of functions than its predecessor, such as a dual frequency beacon that complies with the specifications of the COSP AS-SARSAT international satellite system. It most probably meets the needs of many adventurers who wish to have a watch that can “watch” over them.

Almost 20 years ago, in 1995, Breitling launched the first Emergency. In shop windows, the remarkable piece outshone the others while inspiring a feeling of uncertainty amongst most aficionados, who at the time could not really tell the difference between mechanics and electronics. The piece was so specific it was almost scary and salespeople had strict instructions not to sell it to just anybody. Besides, the boutique staff that sold it had to undergo intensive theoretical training on the watch’s functioning in order to be able to give potential clients a full description of all its virtues.

A new era of timepieces

The Breitling Emergency II is today as much a revolutionary timepiece as was the first one, since it is the first watch ever to feature a dual frequency transmitter. A paragon of great performance, the piece is both light and resistant thanks to its titanium case, one of the most complex cases to have been developed. This, along with other features, compensates for its bulkiness. However, to see the extent to which the watch is functional, we need to look on the inside.

Breitling Emergency with yellow dial

When observing such complex tools the issue is usually where to start. For the record, the watch is by definition an electronic chronograph that offers numerous functions to aviation professionals - the brand’s specialist market. But it doesn’t stop there: the piece is also addressed to future heroes, adventurers or important journalists, all happy to find a contemporary watch that matches their adventures. The watch’s efficient caliber displays time in analogue and/or digital on 12/24 hours. The caliber is equipped with a COSC-certified thermo-compensated quartz that guarantees exceptional precision and with a 1/100^th second chronograph.

Its ultra-reliable processor also encompasses functions such as an alarm, countdown, second time zone, multilingual calendar and a battery discharge indicator.

An efficient miniature beacon

Since there is no room for inaccuracy when it comes to security, the Emergency II is a professional tool that was designed to excel in any situation. Precisely in order to guarantee maximum security, the watch and the transmitter have been designed as two different elements which do not charge from the same source of energy. The dual frequency transmitter, which is the first of the two to be set in the watch, complies with the specifications of the COSP AS SARSAT international satellite system. Once the antenna is removed, the transmitter sets off an alert that can guide operations such as search or rescue missions.

Breitling Emergency II communication system

As Girardin explained, the Emergency II is a PLB (Personal Locator Beacon) which can be activated on land, in the air and at sea. It is no longer for pilots’ use only and it works on two different signals: 121.5 Mhz and 406 Mhz. On the downside though, these pieces are known for their high energy consumption.

For instance, the 406 Mhz track consumes 3 Watts when it emits its signal. That power is usually incompatible with the size of watches and the power of their batteries.

In order to develop batteries with two different frequencies and two different transmission power levels, the brand had to turn to the CEA (the French equivalent of the Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission). The battery for the new Emergency was made in Grenoble. Its chemistry was optimized and its energy density maximized so they could be used with the beacon. New-generation “capacitors” offer 50% more energy to the Emergency for a volume that matches the size of its battery. Moreover, the new-generation products must be able to work in a wider temperature range in order to be able to emit signals from mountains or in winter. At the end of the day, all rechargeable batteries are more powerful than basic batteries and have a bright future ahead, but the distribution of the energy flow is terrible in terms of power management.

Breitling Emergency 2 splitted

Besides, as Girardin admitted, “batteries have an intelligence of which I was completely unaware. They are complicated and are not really an exact science. We have not patented anything to avoid making it accessible to the public and we have not published anything to keep our production a secret”.

However, the challenge was to obtain a power of 1,100 milliamperes compared to the 70 miiliamperes of the Cockpit B50. Furthermore, as Girardin underlined: “This watch owes a lot to France as the transmitter was developed in Brittany”. Then he added with a smile: “France is the place to find energies which make it possible to go ahead and create powerful and useful tools for men whose work is hands-on”.

Breitling Emergency 2 with black dial