Breitling unveils affordable, premium classic car chronograph tourbillon A (very) large, complicated watch.
Breitling’s Top Time collection, which consists primarily of plain, vintage-style chronographs, is now one of the brand’s most complex products. The Breitling Top Time B21 Classic Car Chronograph Tourbillon watch is inspired by the livery of 1960s American sports cars such as the Ford Mustang, and its mechanism is provided by movement expert La Joux-Perret, which manufactures the tourbillon. and B21 movement wheel combined with guide column chronograph.
Breitling’s latest offering is well outside the brand’s typical price range, but it’s a chronograph with a tourbillon that’s relatively affordable considering its complexity. In fact, the combination of a chronograph and a tourbillon is a rare pairing, regardless of price.
This watch retains Top Time's consistent retro style and is quite attractive. The symmetry of the dial adds to its appeal, as do details such as the mirror register and the tourbillon aperture, both shaped like a sage.
While the green and blue dials have traditional metallic finishes, the Chevrolet Corvette Edition's dials feature a burlwood veneer, referencing the wooden steering wheels and dashboard of 1960s Corvettes. The wood dial and black ceramic case is an unusual combination, but makes the Corvette version the most interesting of the three.
The downside of the watch is its size. The case is an acceptable 43mm or 44mm thick (depending on the material), but at 15.4mm it's taller than the Lange Double Split. Thickness is unavoidable due to the movement, but it gives the watch a thick and bulky proportions.
All three versions retail for $47,000, which is steep but also affordable thanks to the complications.
Inspired by American sports cars
Like the rest of the Top Time collection, the Chronograph Tourbillon features a simple yet subdued retro design. The case has a simple round design with a "pump" pusher, while the dial features a 60-minute counter in a retro-style checkered shape (a square with rounded corners).
There are three versions of the Top Time Chronograph Tourbillon, all equipped with the same B21 movement. Two of them share a 44mm diameter black ceramic case. The first is a Chevrolet Corvette Edition with a burlwood dial, and the second is a Shelby Cobra Edition with a dark blue dial inspired by the livery of the 1962 car of the same name.
The most eye-catching of the three is the Ford Mustang Edition with a green dial and bronze case, a combination that, according to Breitling, reflects the colors of the first-generation Ford Mustang.
The bronze case has a diameter of 43 mm and is slightly smaller than the other two versions due to its simpler construction (as the ceramic case requires an inner case).
The Top Time Chronograph Tourbillon is powered by the B21, a creation of La Joux-Perret (LJP) commonly found in entry-level chronograph tourbillons.
The movement reflects the movement manufacturer’s historical character: it is based on the architecture of the ETA Valjoux 7750. Although it is distantly related to the 7750, it is the work of LJP due to extensive modifications and improvements.
In addition to the tourbillon at 12 o'clock, it also features a column wheel instead of the cam found in the original 7750. However, the B21 does suffer from a common weakness of the 7750, namely thickness. This explains why the case is bulky, measuring 15.4mm tall.
Breitling Top Time B21 Classic Car Chronograph Tourbillon
Ref. NB21251A1L1X1 (Ford Mustang, green)
Reference No. SB21251A1C1X1 (Shelby Cobra, Blue)
Reference SB21252A1Q1X1 (Chevrolet Corvette, wood)
Diameter: 43 mm (Ford Mustang), 44 mm (Shelby Cobra and Chevrolet Corvette)
Height: 15.4 mm
Material: Bronze (Ford Mustang) or black ceramic (Shelby Cobra and Chevrolet Corvette)
Mirror: sapphire
Waterproof performance: 100 m
Movement: B21
Functions: Hours, minutes, chronograph and tourbillon
Winding: automatic
Frequency: 28,800 times per hour (4 Hz)
Power reserve: 55 hours
Strap: Leather strap with folding buckle
Breitling’s Top Time collection, which consists primarily of plain, vintage-style chronographs, is now one of the brand’s most complex products. The Breitling Top Time B21 Classic Car Chronograph Tourbillon watch is inspired by the livery of 1960s American sports cars such as the Ford Mustang, and its mechanism is provided by movement expert La Joux-Perret, which manufactures the tourbillon. and B21 movement wheel combined with guide column chronograph.
Breitling’s latest offering is well outside the brand’s typical price range, but it’s a chronograph with a tourbillon that’s relatively affordable considering its complexity. In fact, the combination of a chronograph and a tourbillon is a rare pairing, regardless of price.
This watch retains Top Time's consistent retro style and is quite attractive. The symmetry of the dial adds to its appeal, as do details such as the mirror register and the tourbillon aperture, both shaped like a sage.
While the green and blue dials have traditional metallic finishes, the Chevrolet Corvette Edition's dials feature a burlwood veneer, referencing the wooden steering wheels and dashboard of 1960s Corvettes. The wood dial and black ceramic case is an unusual combination, but makes the Corvette version the most interesting of the three.
The downside of the watch is its size. The case is an acceptable 43mm or 44mm thick (depending on the material), but at 15.4mm it's taller than the Lange Double Split. Thickness is unavoidable due to the movement, but it gives the watch a thick and bulky proportions.
All three versions retail for $47,000, which is steep but also affordable thanks to the complications.
Inspired by American sports cars
Like the rest of the Top Time collection, the Chronograph Tourbillon features a simple yet subdued retro design. The case has a simple round design with a "pump" pusher, while the dial features a 60-minute counter in a retro-style checkered shape (a square with rounded corners).
There are three versions of the Top Time Chronograph Tourbillon, all equipped with the same B21 movement. Two of them share a 44mm diameter black ceramic case. The first is a Chevrolet Corvette Edition with a burlwood dial, and the second is a Shelby Cobra Edition with a dark blue dial inspired by the livery of the 1962 car of the same name.
The most eye-catching of the three is the Ford Mustang Edition with a green dial and bronze case, a combination that, according to Breitling, reflects the colors of the first-generation Ford Mustang.
The bronze case has a diameter of 43 mm and is slightly smaller than the other two versions due to its simpler construction (as the ceramic case requires an inner case).
The Top Time Chronograph Tourbillon is powered by the B21, a creation of La Joux-Perret (LJP) commonly found in entry-level chronograph tourbillons.
The movement reflects the movement manufacturer’s historical character: it is based on the architecture of the ETA Valjoux 7750. Although it is distantly related to the 7750, it is the work of LJP due to extensive modifications and improvements.
In addition to the tourbillon at 12 o'clock, it also features a column wheel instead of the cam found in the original 7750. However, the B21 does suffer from a common weakness of the 7750, namely thickness. This explains why the case is bulky, measuring 15.4mm tall.
Breitling Top Time B21 Classic Car Chronograph Tourbillon
Ref. NB21251A1L1X1 (Ford Mustang, green)
Reference No. SB21251A1C1X1 (Shelby Cobra, Blue)
Reference SB21252A1Q1X1 (Chevrolet Corvette, wood)
Diameter: 43 mm (Ford Mustang), 44 mm (Shelby Cobra and Chevrolet Corvette)
Height: 15.4 mm
Material: Bronze (Ford Mustang) or black ceramic (Shelby Cobra and Chevrolet Corvette)
Mirror: sapphire
Waterproof performance: 100 m
Movement: B21
Functions: Hours, minutes, chronograph and tourbillon
Winding: automatic
Frequency: 28,800 times per hour (4 Hz)
Power reserve: 55 hours
Strap: Leather strap with folding buckle