At first glance, this didn’t feel like a Breitling. Rounded and playful, nothing like the cockpit-ready chronos most associate with the brand. But after spending time with the new Top Time B01 Racing editions, that impression changed completely. This isn’t Breitling straying from its path. It’s Breitling tracing it all the way back.
When we visited the boutique, we had the chance to see and handle the original pieces these new editions are based on. That changed everything. The blue dial Top Time from 1967. Reference 2006, the first with that square cushion case. And the 1969 reference 2211, the same year Breitling introduced the distinctive “squircle” subdials and dashboard dial motif. These watches weren’t an outlier, they were a foundational part of Breitling’s story on the ground, not just in the skies.
Ref. 2006 (1967) and Ref. 2211 (1969) beside their modern reinterpretations.
The new Top Time B01 Racing and Martini Racing editions carry that same spirit. Sized at 38 millimeters, the case feels crisp and compact, true to the era it recalls. The subdials are still not quite square, not quite round, and the elliptical dashboard layout gives the whole dial presence without shouting. It’s refined, a little rebellious, and unmistakably rooted in motorsport history.
Inside is the Breitling Caliber B01, a proper manufacture chronograph with a column wheel, vertical clutch, and a 70-hour power reserve. COSC-certified and reliable, it brings substance to the style without compromise. It also marks a clear move by Breitling to be more self-reliant with its watchmaking, less dependent on external suppliers, more focused on internal craft.
The Racing models are available in two colorways. One classic in black and white with a brown-ish (officially beige) strap. One a bit bolder in green and white, paired with a green racing leather. Then there’s the Martini Racing edition, wrapped in those iconic red and blue stripes that have lived on the track for over fifty years. It’s visually loud, yes, but executed with discipline.
This isn’t just a throwback. It’s Breitling digging into its archives, finding the pieces that mattered, and bringing them forward without distortion. There’s something special about handling the original, and then seeing how those lines and ideas have been carried into today. You don’t need to explain it. You feel it.
Top Time is back, and it’s not looking for validation. It already knows where it came from.