Exhaust fire and ice Breitling first teamed up with the British heritage motorcycle manufacturer Triumph in 2022, with a special watch that featured a unique ice-blue dial whose distinctive shade was precisely color matched to a Triumph Thunderbird 6T from 1951, and a rare, blue-dialed Breitling Top Time Ref. 815 from the 1970s. This year’s version of the Top Time Triumph gets a premium upgrade, with the addition of the Breitling Manufacture Caliber 01, which is now visible through a new open-caseback design. The head-turning ice blue dial features a twin-register display with speed-measuring tachymeter scale, and the Breitling and Triumph logos at 12 and 6 o’clock. Eagle-eyed collectors are sure to pick up on a few throwbacks to vintage Breitling, which include a retro logo, mushroom chronograph pushers and a “Zorro” dial design. The bowtie motif introduced on Top Time in the 1960s (and nicknamed after the infamous swashbuckler’s mask) has been subtly integrated using a metal brushing technique only visible under certain light. The Caliber 01 is equipped with a column-wheel system, the hallmark of high-end mechanical chronograph movements, and a vertical clutch that provides precise and smooth operation. The movement holds its power for approximately 70 hours (versus 38 to 48 hours for standard ebauche movements). Its clever modular design allows for easy cleaning and servicing by giving access to specific caliber areas without the need for a full disassembly. Breitling is so confident in the quality of its manufacture calibers that it offers them with a 5-year warranty (compared to 2 years for non-manufacture). First established in 1902, Triumph Motorcycles celebrated 120 years of motorcycle manufacture in 2022. For more than three decades, Triumph Motorcycles has been based in Hinckley, Leicestershire, and has produced iconic bikes that perfectly blend authentic design, character, charisma, and performance.
