Introducing the Breitling Top Time Triumph Watch

Pssst…. listen up - there’s been a new collaboration! Prestigious Swiss watchmaker Breitling has partnered up with Britain’s largest motorcycle manufacturer, Triumph to create two variations of a black and ice-blue chronometer Top Time watch. The “Zorro” dial version and sunray dial version of these new Breitling X Triumph Top Time watches are inspired by the 1960’s café-racer culture and have been released in conjunction with 270 co-created Speed Twin Breitling Limited Edition motorcycles.

Vintage motorcycle lovers and devoted Breitling watch collectors will be all over this new collaborative Top Time watch, which sees an ice blue colour infused across both a “Zorro” dial and a sunray dial – the latter of which is a special collector’s piece that has been allocated to those who have purchased one of the 270 Speed Twin Breitling Limited Edition motorcycles. The ice blue colour is taken from a vintage blue Triumph Thunderbird 6T from 1951, and a rare, blue-dialled Breitling Top Time watch (ref. 815) from the 1970s. The key characteristics of these two new releases are a bi-compax chronograph (bow-tie) dial with black-filled chronograph counters inspired by vintage racing car dashboards and a specially engraved caseback depicting a sketch of a parallel twin engine.

A shared passion for technology and tradition

The inspiration behind the two new 41mm stainless steel Breitling X Triumph Top Time watches harks back to the 1960s, during a time when a great divide had occurred within the motorcycle world. Mods loved their Vesper scooters, whilst rockers would never be caught without their BSA Cafe Racers – the latter of which has inspired the design of this new Top Time iteration for 2022. The ice blue colour scheme of both watches and the limited edition run of bikes, co-designed by Triumph and Breitling, is inspired by a Triumph bike featured in the 1953 biker movie, The Wild One.

The release of both the chronometer watches and the limited edition motorcycles comes as Triumph reaches its 120th year of production. The cafe-racer-inspired design is a fusion of modern-retro aesthetics paired with a passion for technology and tradition between the two companies. Breitling’s CEO, Georges Kern extends a little on the ethos behind Triumph as a manufacturer;

“Triumph’s heritage and modern-retro aesthetic are just two of the many things we have in common. Their blending of tradition with technology is completely in sync with what we do.”

The launch of the new Breitling Top Time Triumph watch affords the opportunity for motorcycle fans to purchase one of the 270 co-created Triumph Speed Twin Breitling Limited Edition bikes and own a special edition Top Time watch inscribed with the bike’s very own number upon its caseback. This detailing joins an already-beautiful engraving seen upon the snapped caseback of both versions, depicting the hand-drawn sketch of a vintage bike engine. The 41mm models are both 30-meter water resistant with two oversized mushroom push-pieces located at 2 and 4 o’clock to facilitate the easy operation over the chronograph features.

The Breitling Top Time Triumph watch ref. A23311121C1X1 features a special “Zorro” brushed ice blue dial surface, whilst the limited edition-engraved collector’s piece ref. A233111A1C1X1 features a sunray effect across its dial. Both iterations feature black-filled 30-minute and small second chronograph counters at 3 and 9 o’clock respectively. Together with the Breitling logo at 12 o’clock, balanced beautifully by the Triumph logo at 6 o’clock. A contrasting tachymeter scale around the edge of the dial enables easy measuring of distance based on speed, whilst both models are powered by the COSC-certified Calibre 23 – capable of producing a 48-hour power reserve. Both watches are fitted on a black calfskin leather strap that adds even more vintage charm to the style of this chronometer wristwatch.

Why is the Top Time watch so special?

The Breitling Top Time watch first ventured into the manufacturer’s catalogue during the 1960s and soon became a well-recognised and highly collectable chronograph thanks to its affordable pricing and crisp, legible dial layout. The model enjoyed a production run right up until the 1970s and despite only being available initially in the two-dial layout - it was later made available with three chronograph counters. The Top Time watch had a distinctive bow-tie effect dial, featuring the chronograph counters at 3 and 9 o’clock. Watches with this unique layout adopted the nickname “Zorro” dial and the model was made available in panda and reverse panda options.

Size-wise – the Breitling Top Time watch was available in diameters that varied from 36mm to 42mm, exemplifying the model’s crowd-pleasing versatility. Intended as a watch for both males and females, the Top Time watch was also made available in different material options from stainless steel to yellow gold PVD-coated stainless steel to 18ct yellow gold. In 2020, Breitling eventually revived the Top Time watch in a limited run of 2000 pieces. The model measured a 41mm diameter, was crafted from stainless steel and was powered by the Calibre B23 as opposed to the vintage Top Time models that were powered by hand-wound Venus and Valjoux movements.

The Triumph Speed Twin Breitling Limited Edition motorcycles

Blending the parallels between motorcycling and watch wearing, the Top Time Triumph watches are echoed in the design of the 270 co-designed Triumph Speed Twin Breitling Limited Edition motorcycles. The shared vision of the two manufacturer’s intends to give the driver and the watch-wearer a seamless and shared experience both on the road and on the wrist. The leather seats of the limited edition motorcycles are crafted from premium perforated black leather and adorned with a grey contrast stitching, alongside a beautiful embroidered Breitling logo. A higher-level specification that includes improved twin rear suspension units, combined with the latest-generation Speed Twin performance, gives the driver an all-around better riding experience. Sharing the watch’s characteristic ice blue colourway, the speed and RPM gauges of the bikes are inspired by the dial of the Top Time chronometers. The bikes feature a billet-machined aluminium clutch and alternator embellishers that are finished in a dark anodised effect that simultaneously bears the Breitling logo upon their surface.

If you’d like more information on the two new Breitling Top Time Triumph watches, you can check the full spec out here or call and speak to a member of our sales team here at Jura Watches on 01335 453453