Breitling builds a wooden inner ring into the Top Time B01 Chronograph 41 Tribute to Aston Martin DB5, a direct nod to the DB5 steering wheel that sets the tone for the entire watch.
Introduced in 1963, the Aston Martin DB5 became a marker of British design and culture. The new collaboration brings that legacy to the wrist across three limited editions of the Top Time B01 Chronograph 41 Tribute to Aston Martin DB5.
In the 1960s, the Top Time was Breitling’s unconventional chronograph for a younger, speed-minded audience. A Top Time ref. 2002 appeared on Sean Connery’s wrist in Thunderball in 1965, worn alongside the Aston Martin DB5. It marked the first Q‑modified watch in the James Bond series and set a template for how watches and cars could share a design language.
Design cues from the DB5, built by Breitling
The case follows the cushion profile associated with 1960s Top Time models. Grooved corners and mushroom pushers complete the silhouette, while squircle subdials recall classic car gauges. The textures are restrained and clear, aimed at readability and feel.
The wood-inlayed inner ring draws directly from the DB5 steering wheel. A hand-colored gradient leather strap mirrors the depth and tone of fine automotive upholstery. Together, they carry the tactile richness of an Aston Martin interior into a modern-retro chronograph format.
“This chronograph blends form with true function,” says Pablo Widmer, Head of Product Design at Breitling. “As with the Aston Martin DB5, its beauty lies in its lines, materials, and finishings.”
Three editions, three materials
The collection arrives in three distinct executions. A stainless-steel version with a silver dial, limited to 1,022 pieces, offers the most direct line back to the original Top Time ref. 2002. A second edition pairs steel with a platinum bezel around a black lacquered dial, limited to 315 pieces, bringing high-gloss contrast and a sense of weight.
The third edition is in 18k red gold with an onyx dial, limited to 250 individually numbered pieces. The dial is cut from natural onyx, marking the first time Breitling has used the stone, and it gives the watch a deep, mineral sheen.
Caliber 01 and the open caseback
Inside is the Breitling Manufacture Caliber 01. The movement is COSC certified, built around a column wheel and vertical clutch for precise operation, and delivers a 70-hour power reserve. Through the sapphire-crystal caseback, a dedicated Aston Martin engraved rotor is visible. It is rhodium-plated or 18k red gold depending on the edition.
Georges Kern, CEO of House of Brands (Universal Genève, Breitling, and Gallet), frames the intent simply. “The Aston Martin DB5 is one of those rare designs that never fades. It still feels as relevant today as it did in the 1960s. With this Top Time, we capture that sense of timeless style.”
Marek Reichman, Executive Vice President and Chief Creative Officer at Aston Martin, describes the collaboration as an exchange of ideas between two design legacies. “Inspired by the enduring elegance of the Aston Martin DB5 and our shared heritage of iconic design, the watch captures a balance of beauty, precision, and performance,” he says. “Every detail has been carefully considered to reflect the character and authenticity synonymous with both brands. The result is a watch that feels contemporary today, yet timeless for generations to come.”
Breitling context and the wider pursuit of speed
Founded in 1884, Breitling is a Swiss watchmaker focused on air, land, and sea pursuits, with collections shaped by a modern-retro design language and movements certified as chronometers by COSC. The Top Time DB5 sits within that land lineage, where automotive references are part of the brief.
On the same platform, separate headlines reference cycling tributes within the Top Time universe, a reminder that the theme of speed runs across disciplines for the brand.
Aston Martin’s own story stretches back to 1913 with founders Lionel Martin and Robert Bamford. The DB5 remains one of the most recognizable expressions of that heritage, and this watch brings its material language into a wrist-borne format with measured detail.
“These editions represent something truly distinct from anything we've created before,” Reichman notes. “The collaboration with Breitling brought together two brands with a shared appreciation for timeless design, craftsmanship, and innovation.”
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