Swiss luxury watchmaker Breitling announced on March 26th the release of a new limited edition of chronographic watches. For the first time they will be certified according to the Arianee-protocol.

This allows each watch to be assigned a unique digital identity, which is created using distributed ledger technology.

Guarantee program for luxury watches at the Blockchain for the first time

Breitling was founded in 1884 and is now committed to being the first watchmaker to issue watches with a warranty program through blockchain technology. The functional sequence is kept as simple as possible. Each watch in the aforementioned model series is sold with its own e-guarantee card. The owners of the watch can use this card to download a “digital wallet”, which functions like a wallet. The wallet is used to keep the data of the products safe. This includes the serial number or information about the model’s date of issue. For example, the date of purchase can also be recorded, which makes it possible to trace the activation of the warranty.

Digital passport is transferable when selling watches

If an owner wants to sell their watch, they can transfer it via a digital passport. The new owner can then be authenticated. The passport is only accessible to the owner via the wallet. Emmanuelle Collet, co-founder and CMO of Arianne, emphasizes that Breitling’s extended warranty program can also offer Breitling customers an enhanced ownership experience.

In the recent past, identity certification by blockchain technology has undergone an increasingly broad adaptation in various fields of application. For example, the University of St. Gallen recently implemented a project that uses blockchain to issue certificates and references. This makes it possible, for example, to verify final documents, which completely eliminates forgery. A car rental company has also recently activated a digital identity confirmation. The project, which is based in China, is intended to be used for biometric car rental and allows unmanned rental stations to be used.

Breitling SA does not publish sales figures; it is estimated that the company generates sales of around CHF 500 million.

*Originally published in German at CVJ.ch