1986
- Breitling brings a new edition of the best known model of the company on the market, the 1952-developed "Navitimer" with a built-in slide rule.
- Audemars Piguet creates the first ultra-thin automatic tourbillon.
- Junghans presents the world's first radio-controlled solar watch, the RCS1.
- Audemars Piguet purchases 40% of SAPHIR, reorganizing Jaeger-LeCoultre and IWC to become Les Manufactures Horlogeres.
- The Basel Fair allows non-European companies to exhibit for the first time, with Seiko drawing much attention