Taking three icons of the American car culture as inspiration, Breitlings new timepieces are also a nod to the original Breitling Top Time models. These were designed for the “young and active professionals” of the 1960s. These latest models may be retro, but they’re thoroughly modern too.
Inspired by the iconic sports cars of the 1960s
Bold dial colours (orange and yellow or red and blue accents) meet with racing-themed straps crafted in calfskin leather. Engraved stainless-steel case backs display each car’s logo in incredible detail, with the chronograph pushers punctuating the dial.
A Corvette, a Mustang and a Cobra
The range includes three mid-century classics:
The Top Time Chevrolet Corvette comes in red and black, and is based on the eye-catching silhouette of the Corvette C2 – known as the “Sting Ray”. With a slinky low-profile body, this is a timeless vehicle. And with its performance both on the road and on the track, it has proved iconic and sought-after, around the world.
The Top Time Ford Mustang comes in green and brown. It is styled on a car developed in record time in 1964, launching a new range of compact and affordable sports cars. Owned by rock stars and much of the Hollywood elite, it also played a major role in many movies. The first-generation Mustang was produced from 1964 to 1969. Compact, affordable, and sporty, it appealed to both families and sporty types.
The Top Time Shelby Cobra version is in blue and brown, with white racing stripes. It was inspired by the American race-car driver and manufacturer Carroll Shelby’s designs; a mix of a classic British lightweight chassis with a strong American big-block engine providing racing prowess. small, light chassis to a strong, reliable American big-block engine. The original Shelby Cobra is still a super fast and deeply desirable car today.
Featuring the Breitling Caliber 25
The Chevrolet Corvette and Ford Mustang are housed in 42 mm cases, containing the COSC-certified Breitling Caliber 25. This self-winding 1/8th of a second chronograph movement has a power reserve of around 42 hours. Plus each has a tachymeter scale and three black contrasting subdials, with the car logos at the 12 o’clock position.
The Top Time Shelby Cobra is slightly smaller at 40 mm, keeping time via the COSC-certified Breitling Caliber 41. This incarnation is a self-winding 1/4th of a second chronograph movement with a power reserve of circa 42 hours. It has a white tachymeter scale, two white contrasting subdials and the car logo at the 6 o’clock position. All three watches are water-resistant up to 10 bar (100 meters).
Celebrating freedom and design
These cars offer supreme speed. Yet the collection’s ethos isn’t about rushing around. Rather it ignites the kind of freedom and joy found in driving one of these beautiful racing machines. The brand’s CEO Georges Kern summarises the new collection:
“It’s about the journey, not the tempo. And that’s true whether you’re tinkering under the hood or hitting the road for a Sunday ride celebrating these beautiful machines.”
