Breitling Releases a New Ice Blue Top Time in Collaboration with Triumph

Back in March 2020, Breitling released a new version of their Top Time chronograph that has become a favorite of ours, largely for its unique “Zorro dial,” a stylized take on the traditional panda dial layout that resembles the mask of a certain vigilante featured in pulp fiction of the 1920s and 30s (and, of course, a late 90s reboot starring Antonio Banderas). A year later, they followed up that release with a Top Time made in collaboration with Deus Ex Machina, an Australian brand known for their surfing and motorcycle gear. The latest Top Time, introduced today, is another collaboration, this time with Triumph. The iconic British motorcycle brand has been in operation for 120 years, and is particularly well known for its 1960s era cafe-racers, which is exactly the period that Breitling has been pulling at stylistically with this series of Top Time releases. 

The new watch, dubbed simply the Top Time Triumph, has a dial that Breitling is calling ice blue, but we’re sure many will likely immediately associate with a certain American jeweler that’s having a bit of a moment. Regardless, the new dial is a looker, copying the Zorro design of the 2020 Top Time with two subtly different shades of blue and black subdials at 9:00 and 3:00. The dial has a lovely vertically brushed finish, and according to Breitling the color is inspired by a blue Triumph Thunderbird 6T dating to 1951 as well as a hyper rare Top Time Ref. 815 that the brand produced in the 1970s. 

Like the Top Time Deus before it, the Top Time Triumph features the logo of their collaboration partner near the 6:00 marker. This is likely to be the most contentious aspect of this watch. Enthusiasts are sure to argue that a cleaner dial could still pay tribute to Triumph’s legacy (the caseback has a Triumph themed engraving, after all), while Triumph owners and motorcycle fans will perhaps be more inclined to welcome this type of branding. At any rate, the logo is simple, unobtrusive for the purposes of time telling, and because it happens to be in the shape of a triangle pointing downward, it actually adds a bit of symmetry to the dial. (Just trying to find the silver linings here). 

It’s worth pointing out that in addition to the Top Time Triumph (which does not appear to be a limited edition) Breitling is releasing another version of this watch that will be sold only to owners of their new Speed Twin Breitling Limited Edition motorcycle. Only 270 of these bikes will be produced, and each buyer will have the opportunity to purchase a watch with their vehicle’s number engraved on the back. Aesthetically, the watches are very similar, but the LE loses the Zorro motif and has a sunray finished dial in the same ice blue colorway. 

The Top Time remains sized at 41mm and comes in at 14.27mm tall. It runs on the Breitling Caliber 23 movement, a rebadged version of the ETA 7753 that has been COSC certified. Retail pricing is set at $5,500, and the watch is available for pre-order right now via Breitling’s website.